Woodstock can’t keep up in loss to Grant

FOX LAKE – Big plays can come in so many forms. Long runs. Turnovers. Trick plays.

Friday’s season opener for Woodstock included every last variety. Unfortunately, they all went against the Blue Streaks.

Grant Community’s Johnathon Bolton rushed for 164 yards and scored four back-breaking touchdowns while Woodstock had three turnovers in a 45-7 loss for the Blue Streaks.

Bolton’s speed led to two long touchdown runs of 51 yards and 13 yards, with both coming on third downs as the Blue Streaks were about to hold. But the real crusher came in between.

After Woodstock turned the ball over on downs deep in the Bulldogs' territory, the Streaks forced a fourth-and-3 from the Grant 25. Bolton took the snap, analyzed the defense and hit the outside corner on his way to a 75-yard touchdown from a daring fake punt late in the first quarter.

“We trust our athletes to call plays on the field,” Grant coach Chris Robinson said. “We coach them up like that. We have a lot of smart guys that are able to do that. A kid like John, he knows how to read a defense. He knows how to call what we need to get. We absolutely practice that.”

Grant’s Noah Lautner also broke a 33-yard touchdown run late in the first half to bury Woodstock in a 25-0 halftime hole.

“We talked before the game that if we execute, we take care of the ball and we limit our mistakes, we will come out victorious. And we didn’t do that,” Woodstock coach Mike Brasile said. “We let them have those big plays. [Bolton] is a pretty special kid that they have across the way. He got the edge a couple of times, and we just don’t have the speed to catch back up to him.”

Those big plays overshadowed Woodstock’s ability to move the ball offensively in the first half despite a lack of points. Aided by seven Grant penalties, the Blue Streaks got inside the Bulldogs' 10 twice and inside the 20 on another occasion. That produced a missed 25-yard field goal and two possessions marred by three sacks and a costly fumble on a shotgun snap.

“If we do those few things, we are looking at a two-score game rather than what it was,” Brasile said. “For us, we just have to come out and execute better next week.

“I think there are positives. [Michael Purkey] made some great decisions tonight. We didn’t give him some time at times, and then other times he might have held on to it too long. But overall, I thought our kids played hard. We just had an abysmal third quarter,” Brasile said.

The game spiraled out of control in the third quarter as Woodstock fumbled away the half-opening kickoff and then again on its first offensive play. Both of those resulted in easy Bulldogs touchdowns, including Bolton’s fourth and final touchdown. Shortly thereafter, Grant’s Dylan Mendoza returned an interception 45 yards for a score.

The Blue Streaks were able to get a little positive momentum in the form of a 65-yard drive in the fourth quarter that ended with a four-yard touchdown run from Purkey. He finished 13 for 23 through the air for 84 yards, with six receptions going to Zach Heelein for 30 yards. Sam Vidales led the rushing attack with 47 yards on six carries.

STAR OF THE GAME

Michael Purkey

Woodstock, sr., QB

Purkey scored on a four-yard touchdown run and also completed 13-of-23 passes for 84 yards.

QUICK STATS

Woodstock 0 0 0 7 – 7

Grant 13 12 20 0 – 45

First quarter

GC – Bolton 51 run (run failed), 9:32.

GC – Bolton 75 run (Wleklinski kick), 2:57.

Second quarter

GC – Bolton 13 run (kick failed), 11:02.