Red Oak falls in season opener to Glenwood

The Red Oak football team began the 2013 season with a non-district loss Friday night to Class 3A Glenwood 43-13.

Glenwood scored early when quarterback Corey Bertini completed a 10 play drive with a three-yard keeper, giving them the 7-0 lead.

“It was a hot night. I thought we were in pretty good shape for the most part, especially the guys going two-ways on the ball,” Red Oak football coach Barry Bower said. “You have to consider that Glenwood was platooning on both sides. Therefore, you’re going against 11 guys all the time that are different, for Glenwood versus our guys that are going both ways. For that, I thought we were in pretty good shape.”

After going up 7-0 the Ram defense forced a Tigers three-and-out, giving Glenwood the ball back at the Tigers’ 44-yard line. Another grinding, ground oriented drive lasting 12 plays put Glenwood up 14-0 on Brogan Weddum’s 9-yard scamper.

“It’s like you get hit in the mouth, it jolts you a little bit back,” Bower said. “Once I think the kids settled down, I think it was a little bit better.”

The Tigers turned the ball over on their ensuing possession. Glenwood took over at the 16 and took advantage when Spencer Smith raced in for a touchdown on the very next play.

While Red Oak struggled to mount an offensive attack, netting just nine total yards, two punts and a turnover on its first three possessions, the Rams’ first three possessions totaled 21 points, 126 yards and all the momentum they needed.

“I thought our guys up front really set the tone and Corey Bertini did a nice job really leading everybody and executing well, I know he’s going to wish he threw the ball better but I was really happy with everybody from the receivers to the running backs to the line,” Glenwood coach Cory Faust said.

After forcing the Tigers’ third three-and-out of the half Bertini connected Weddum for an 88 yard bomb to make the score 29-0 with 9:48 to go in the half.

Red Oak held Glenwood on a fourth-and-six at the Tigers’ 40. Red Oak got on the board eight plays later when sophomore tailback Brock Isaacson sprinted into the end zone from 18 yards out.

“You can definitely tell we have some potential in regards to running the football and play action game,” Bower said.

Glenwood wasn’t about to let the half end there. The Rams got the ball back with just over a minute remaining before halftime at it’s own 45. A 30-run by Logan McCorkle set up the Rams at the Tiger 25. A six-yard scramble by  Bertini, an 11-yard dart to  Brandon Bichel and a seven-yard run by Weddum moved the ball to the two-yard line with 9.8 second left and set up the  final play of the half. Bertini’s pass connected with Weddum near the goal line and the junior running back did the rest to make the score 36-7 at halftime.

Glenwood opened the second half much like it did the first. After forcing a Tigers three-and-out, the Rams found the end zone with a six play, 52 yard drive capped by Smith’s second touchdown run of the game. With the score 43-7, the clock ran continuously due to the “mercy rule.”

In the game’s waning moments, the Tigers forced a Ram turnover and two plays later converted that into a touchdown on Evan Mellott’s six-yard run.

“The kids really battled and I’m proud of them for fighting until the end,” Bower said.

The Rams finished with 410 total yards, 271 rushing. Bertini compiled 202 total yards (141 passing, 61 rushing) and accounted for two touchdowns. Smith finished with 76 yards and a touchdown and Weddum added 78 rushing and 92 receiving.

Red Oak finished with 236 total yards, all on the ground.

“It’s never as bad as you think and it’s never as good as you think,” Faust said. “We’ll look at the film. There’s lots of things we can get better at.”

Mellott led the team in rushing as he carried the ball 12 times for 86 yards. Isaacson wasn’t far back as he had 85 yards on 20 carries.

Red Oak opens the season at home this week when they play host to the Treynor Cardinals. Last season, Red Oak lost a close one late to Treynor, 12-8. The game starts at 7 p.m. at Russ Benda Field.

“What we discussed [Monday] is, first game is in the past,” Bower said. “You can’t look towards the past, you can only look towards the future.”