Ram defense dominates in 47-6 victory
Glenwood pitched a second half shutout and racked up 382 yards of total offense in its second straight road win of the season with a 47-6 victory over Kuemper Catholic in Carroll Friday.
The Rams (3-0) led 27-6 at halftime while limiting the nights to zero second half points and 153 total yards, including just 48 yards rushing on 18 carries.
“We are pretty multiple on defense in terms of our fronts, but one constant is that our aggressive nature puts a lot of pressure on our defensive backs to adjust to formations and play great coverage without a lot of help,” said Glenwood coach Cory Faust “As those DBs have gained experience, I think they’ve really improved.
“Preston Lincoln and Dylan Sondag have really stepped up, and Silas Bales, John Palmer, and Ryan Blum have played well in the defensive secondary as well.”
Faust called the win perhaps his team’s best this season on offense and defense. But the coach still has concerns.
“It was probably our best game in terms of offense and defense, but special teams were collectively not very good,” he said. “We need to be humble and improve each day if we want to be as good as we can be.
“Offensively we controlled the line of scrimmage and our skill players made some plays.”
Zach Carr paced a balanced Knight offense with 193 yards and three touchdowns on 15-of-25 passing. Palmer snagged eight passes for 90 yards and two scores on offense and Ryan Blum hauled in five catches for 75 yards and a TD.
Dominic Robertson rushed for a season-high 78 yards and a TD and Justin Chase added 65 yards and a TD.
Brock Smith wrapped up 6.5 tackles, including two for losses, and Bales had three solo stops and a fumble recovery to lead the Glenwood defense.
The Rams head back home Friday to host Dallas Center-Grimes homecoming. The game also marks the grand opening of the Rams’ new home. The Glenwood Community School District Activities Complex will welcome fans for the first time. The $6.8 million complex that includes expanded locker rooms, a FieldTurf playing surface and a new grandstand has been under construction since last December.
Faust admits, the distractions are there and he has concerns.
“Winning in all sports, and particularly football, favors teams who block out distractions and focus on the things that truly matter like attitude, effort, preparation, and resilience,” he said. “It will be even more challenging this week to stay focused on things that really matter, but that is always our message to the players.”
Kick off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday.