Glenbard East senior defensive end Sam Walton’s first football opponent wasn’t on the field.

Walton, a two-year starter who is an integral player for the Rams, is planning to play in college. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Walton is a promising player capable of adding size to become a starter in college.

But Walton got a late start to his football career.

“My mom did not want me playing football when I was younger,” Walton said. “I really wanted to play. All my friends were playing, so we gave it one year at least to try it and to see where it would go from there. I didn’t play a ton my freshman year, but she liked me playing football and never said I couldn’t play.”

Since his sophomore year, Walton morphed into a defensive menace. He gained weight, grew five inches and now has become a terror for the Rams’ opponents.

Walters is a player to watch in Friday’s pivotal game against unbeaten Riverside-Brookfield. The Rams (7-1, 5-0) host the Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0) in a showdown for the Upstate Eight East conference title at 7 p.m. Friday.

Glenbard East coach John Walters said Walton is a disruptive force for his stingy defense. The Rams have dialed up their defense in the last five weeks, allowing just 26 points.

“Sammy is long, athletic and rangy,” Walters said. “He’s anchored down the defensive line all year. He can chase down players from behind and gets to the quarterback. He’s a really good football player.”

Walton, a captain, added five inches and 50 pounds to his frame since his freshman season to turn himself from a rookie to a college-bound player.

“The coaches at Glenbard East really helped me all these four years,” Walton said. “I put in a lot of time in the offseason in the weight room, eating more and trying to fill out. I wasn’t the biggest kid in my freshman year.”

Walton credited the seniors from last year’s team for helping him become a consistent player and a captain, capable of leading the defense on the field and the team during the offseason and practices.

“The seniors taught me the ropes and the coaches as well on the varsity level,” he said. “They helped me improve and to play faster and to not think too much on the field and to trust myself, so I can play fast. Our defense is connected and working together as a team and producing turnovers.”

The Bulldogs will be a stiff test for the host Rams on Friday. Riverside-Brookfield is off to its best start since 2001 and has scored more than 30 points in seven of its eight games.

Walton, a three-sport athlete, said the Bulldogs have a formidable offense.

“We have to stop the run game, make them pass and let our defensive backs do their job,” Walton said. “We have to also get pressure up front. It will be an exciting game.”

Walters heaped praise on the Bulldogs, noting his team must play a full four quarters to record the victory.

“The keys for us are to play fast and physical on defense and eliminate some of their vertical passing,” Walters said. “On offense, we want to mix our run and pass and play-action and not have any turnovers. I knew from the beginning of the season we had the possibility to be in this position. It’s going to be a good game, at our place on senior night.”

Fenwick playing strong

Fenwick earned a moral victory with its strong showing in a 35-28 loss to Mount Carmel last Friday. The Caravan (8-0) have steamrolled teams, including St. Rita, Nazareth, Benet and Joliet Catholic this season behind a team of college-bound players.

But the Friars (6-2, 1-1 CCL/ESCC White) battled the Caravan for four quarters to head into another tough matchup against Carmel with some momentum.

“We played together as a team and fought for all 48 minutes and had an opportunity to win that game,” Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia said. “We were extremely disappointed because we know that if we cleaned up some of the execution, the result could have been different in our favor. If we continue to play like that and together as a team with spirit and passion, we will give ourselves a great opportunity to keep playing deep into November.”

The Friars have a deep and talented team, but quarterback Jamen Williams, running back/defensive back Tommy Thies and tight end/linebacker and long snapper Michael Murphy have played key roles all season.

“All three of them started on last year’s team and have been leaders since we began offseason lifts back in December,” Battaglia said. “They have been working nonstop to become the best versions of themselves…They all have great stats, but their passion, toughness and spirit that they play with really sticks out and shows up every day at practice and on gameday.”

The defense faces another tough challenge trying to slow down Carmel junior quarterback Trae Taylor. The Nebraska recruit is a two-way threat with a big arm who has passed for 5,539 yards and totaled 63 touchdowns since the start of his sophomore season.

“Trae is a great quarterback and they have a lot of young guys playing their best football right now,” Battaglia said. “But luckily, we’re used to playing against top competition weekly and our guys embrace the challenge, so we’re excited to compete against another very talented team.”

Extra points

Several local teams are in dire need of a fifth win to qualify for the playoffs. In some years, a four-win team earns a berth. Downers Grove South is a key team to watch. The Mustangs (4-4) have a three-game winning streak heading into Friday’s must-win game at struggling Morton (1-7).