Rams fall in season-opening shootout

Rain and lightning delayed kickoff in Glenwood’s season-opening “zero week” football game with Sioux City East by nearly an hour Friday.

A Black Raiders’ offense that scored the most points on a Glenwood team in a season-opener in over 15 years and a defense that allowed just 17 yards rushing then denied the Rams a victory in a 50-33 set back at the Glenwood Athletic Complex.

Glenwood Coach Cory Faust played down the role the 55-minute delay might have had in his team’s slow start.

“They had it too,” the coach said. “There’s no excuses. They played better.”

The 50 points were the most surrendered by the Rams since a 35-0 loss to Kuemper Catholic to open the 2006 season.

Glenwood trailed 14-0 after a quarter and a half on Friday and found themselves playing catch up the rest of the way. Faust said he thought East was as good as advertised and had a great scouting report for his team.

“We knew they had a lot of good talent on defense but the disappointing thing for me was that we gave up that many points,” Faust said. “We didn’t get aligned right and we had some missed assignments. It’s early in the year so maybe we put too much on the kids. We’ll get better. We have good talent and good kids and now we have to choose to respond. We do that and we’ll be okay.”

The Rams’ six first possessions of the game netted just 19 yards and two turnovers, but they found themselves down just 7-0 thanks only to a Black Raider interception for a touchdown.

But in the second quarter, trailing 14-0, Glenwood began to figure things out. After the Black Raiders muffed a punt, the Rams took over at the 29 and need just three plays to finally put their first points of the season on the board. Kayden Anderson connected with Cody Krause on a 21-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 14-6.

Sioux City East would answer with a 16 play, 80 yard-drive to take a 21-6 lead with four minutes remaining in the half but Glenwood was not content to limp into halftime. A pair of touchdown passes from Anderson to Krause – from 30 yards and 28 yards each, respectively – sandwiched around a defensive stop made the score 21-19 heading into intermission.

The Rams’ momentum was short-lived.

East marched 80 yards in 15 plays on the opening drive of the second half to put the Rams on their heels. Cole Ritchie’s touchdown toss to A.J. Flemster from four yards out put the lead to 28-19.

But once again, Glenwood would respond.

After trading possessions, the Rams took over on their own 37. Three straight completions by Anderson set up a first down at the Black Raiders’ 12-yard line. On the very next place, Anderson connected with Renner Bardsley across the middle and the senior muscled his way into the endzone. The point-after would trim the lead to 28-26.

 On the ensuing possession, the Rams appeared on the verge of getting the ball back after forcing a third-and-28 at their own 42, but Sioux City East would have none of it. Ritchie connected with his favorite target, Kelynn Jacobsen, who finished with 11 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown, on a 30-yard dart and a first down. Four plays later, Brecken Schossow plunged in for the score. The point-after made in 36-26.

The huge third down conversion and the touchdown appeared to take the wind out of the Rams sails. They failed to convert a fourth and 13 from their own 49. Seven plays later, East added to their lead on a Brady Wavrunek 49-yard TD scamper.

Trailing 43-26, Glenwood would answer when Anderson connected on his fifth touchdown pass of the night – once again to Bardsley – but the ensuing on-side kick bounced right to the Black Raiders. Schossow’s second 1-yard TD would cap the scoring.

After the game, Faust spent 10 minutes to talking to him team about their goals still being intact.

“I told the guys, the state champion in 4A last season had two losses in the regular season,” he said. “So, we know this is how it goes. We knew Sioux City East was a really good team, so this was not a surprise. We always like to win but we knew either way, this was going to make us better for later in the season.”

East chewed up the Ram defense with their no-huddle offense that tallied 612 yards on 99 snaps. Ritchie threw for 363 of those yards but the Black Raiders had good balance, rushing for 249 yards.

Anderson and Krause had historic nights for the Rams. Anderson completed 24-of-44 passes for 346 yards and five TDs. His 24 completions are a school record. Krause hauled in a career-high 11 catches for 206 yards and three TDs.

Faust admits he missed most of his team’s offensive play. He spent much of the second half huddled with his defense attempting to adjust to the Red Raiders’ attack.

“We’ll continue to better,” he said. “We came in not thinking Cody Krause was going to play these first two weeks and obviously he’s a weapon. Hopefully we’ll have C.J. (Carter) back next week, losing him two days ago made us move some people around.

“Those aren’t excuses by any means. Sioux City East is better, and we have to get better than we were tonight.”

The Rams are back in action at home Friday hosting Atlantic. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Scoring Summary

G      00 19  07  07   33

SCE  07 14  15  14   50

Game Summary

SCE – Brecken Schossow, 39 interception (kick good).

SCE – Schossow, 45 run (kick good).

G – Cody Krause from Brayden Anderson, 21 pass (kick no good).

SCE – Preston Dobbs from Cole Ritchie, 5 pass (kick good).

G – Krause from Anderson, 30 pass (kick good).

G – Krause from Anderson, 28 pass (conversion failed).

SCE – Kelynn Jacobsen from Ritchie, 4 pass (kick good).

G – Renner Bardsley from Anderson, 12 pass (kick good).

SCE – Schossow, 3 run (two-point conversion good).

SCE – Brady Wavrunek, 49 run (kick good).

G – Bardsley from Anderson, 12 pass (kick good).

SCE – Schossow, 1 run (kick good).