Redemption was the name of the game for the Garfield G-Men football team. Garfield rebounded from a season-opening loss by defeating Warren John F. Kennedy 36-14 last Thursday evening at JAG Stadium.
“It was a great response from the kids,” Coach Mike Moser said. “We lost a tough game last week. We were a little banged up and had to play on a short week against a really good football team and a physical football team. Now was gut check time and I could not be any prouder of our kids by the way they responded.”
Not only did the G-Men (1-1, 0-0) bounce back after a double overtime loss in the season-opener on Aug. 22, but they also avenged last season’s loss to the Eagles.
According to the 13-year coach, although it was nice for his squad to also redeem themselves from last season’s game, he emphasized that Garfield was not living in the past.
“Every year is its own different animal,” Moser noted. “It was about getting on the tracks again and playing like we know we can play.”
On Thursday, Garfield relied on its rushing attack to assume control, engineering a 14-play, 87-yard drive that ate up most of the clock in the first period capped off by 13-yard touchdown run by senior wide receiver/tailback/defensive back Brandyn Bogucki.
Moser said that the opening drive was a welcome sight to see as the G-Men returned to their roots.
“We played hard,” he said. “We were a wounded animal coming into this thing and it is normal for high school kids to doubt themselves, so it was important for us to start pretty fast tonight.”
After stopping the Eagles’ offense for the second time, the G-Men were poised to strike and take a two-possession lead, but Garfield fumbled the ball on the first play from scrimmage on its second drive, and Warren JFK sophomore running back/linebacker Nick Branca recovered the loose ball, setting up the Eagles on Garfield’s 25.
Warren JFK seized the momentum by using a five-play, 25-yard drive capped off by senior wide receiver/defensive back LaMarcus Provitt finding the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown run, knotting the score at 7-7.
Garfield responded with an impressive drive, highlighted by senior quarterback/defensive back Jack Neikirk hitting senior wide receiver/defensive back Will Simon for a 42-yard touchdown strike, pushing the G-Men ahead 14-7.
Although Garfield did not score again in the first half, its defense stood tall by forcing a pair of turnovers, as junior wide receiver/running back/defensive back Nate Baczkowksi recorded an interception after Eagles’ senior quarterback/defensive end Logan Misocky’s pass to the 6-foot Provitt was completed for a first down conversion but the ball popped loose as he was tackled and it fell right into the hands of the 5-foot-11 Baczkowski.
The Eagles’ second attempt for a game-tying drive was thwarted when the 6-foot-5 Misocky converted a third down on a run but fumbled the ball and senior tight end/defensive lineman Kolton Miller recovered it.
“In high school football, turnovers are momentum,” Moser said. “When you get turnovers like that, it gets everything going for you again.”
The G-Men’s rushing attack continued being fruitful at the beginning of the second half as sophomore running back/defensive back Ryder Cain broke free for 68-yard touchdown run, and Garfield converted the two-point conversion to push its lead to 22-7. Garfield’s defense stood tall once again, forcing a turnover on downs on their side of the field after the Eagles threatened and responded with another long drive, sealed by a four-yard touchdown run by Cain.
For the 5-foot-11 Cain, it was a big night as the G-Men’s running game was shorthanded with junior running back/tailback Devin Bates absent because of injury, so Cain was leaned on heavily to ignite Garfield’s offense.
He rose to the challenge by rushing for 230 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries.
“I definitely knew that coming into this week I would get the ball a lot and make stuff happen,” he said. “I had my mind right all week. I give all the thanks to my line, they made it happen.”
Moser praised Cain for his breakout performance, adding that he delivered a signature game in only the second week of the season.
“Ryder is a special kid, and he answered the call,” he noted. “He is not going to sneak up on anybody anymore. Ryder had a great game, and we know Ryder, we know what he is capable of doing and I guess other people know it now too.”
Garfield will stay home and host Springfield at JAG Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m.
