By Bob Leach
For the Bugle
A banged up Bolingbrook football team traveled to top ranked Homewood-Flossmoor for the final regular season game with plans to duplicate its 2015 upset win over the Vikings with the understanding that they weren’t going to be able to sneak up on H-F this year.
On the second play from scrimmage, Vikings quarterback Bryant Wright found his target Tyrice Richie for a 69-yard scoring strike taking a 7-0 lead in the first 22 seconds of the game.
Bolingbrook (4-5, 3-4) didn’t enjoy the same success on its second play from scrimmage when quarterback Anthony Vespo fumbled after being hit in the backfield at the H-F 39-yard line. The Vikings muffed a snap and gave the ball back to the Raiders at the H-F 24-yard line. Moments later Vespo swept around the right side of his offensive line and scored from 9 yards out tying the game at 7-7 midway through the first quarter.
The Vikings rode their all-state candidate tailback Tyler Nutall (25 carries for 226 yards) on a 68-yard drive capped by a Wright 2-yard keeper putting the Vikings on top 14-7 with 3:58 left in the first which proved to be the game winner. Bolingbrook’s Orlando Ortiz kicked a 25-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the first half keeping the game close 14-10 but it was all H-F in the second half as it completed their first undefeated season in school history with a 28-10 victory over rival Bolingbrook.
“Bolingbrook is always our toughest competition regardless of what the records show,” Vikings coach Craig Buzea said after the win. “I thought we rose to the challenge and overcame a ton of mistakes especially early in the game. We all knew what was at stake and I think our focus kept Bolingbrook from repeating last season’s gaff.”
For Bolingbrook, the loss ends the season for a Raiders team who hasn’t missed a week 10 playoff appearance since the 91-92 season.
“Who cares about that,” Raider coach John Ivlow said after the loss. “We are about working hard and putting kids into college, we left a few scores out there tonight with miscues but we played hard and that’s what it’s all about.”