Friday night marked yet another milestone on the Firebirds 2023 campaign as they defeated the Sycamore Aves on the road 34-14. Entering the contest, both teams held a 3-2 record kicking off the back half of the high school season. Though the records were even, West was still highly favored in this matchup which was a test game for them. After a tough loss to Princeton in week two, this was the Firebirds’ first true GMC test since falling to 0-2.
After a quick defensive stop for the Firebird defense to begin the game, Sam Wiles would quickly connect with junior tight-end Luka Gilbert for a swift lead. The 40-yard touchdown play would result in a 7-0 Firebird lead, but not for long. 13 seconds later, Eugene Harney, Sycamore’s MVP thus far, returned a kickoff 99 yards to the end zone. After a missed PAT, the score stood 7-6 West.
Harney would continue to be a problem for the rest of the night, as he played incredibly well on all sides of the ball. After the game, Bolden spoke on what it was like coaching against Harney.
“He’s their guy man. I told him and I gave him a hug [and said] ‘I’m going to come watch you wrestle’ because he is an impressive kid who plays hard and gets after it”
Harney, a senior and top wrestler in the state, currently leads Sycamore in rushing yards, receiving yards, tackles, and points scored.
In spite of Harney, the Firebird defense once again stole the show. They would shut out Sycamore in the first quarter, putting the ball back into the hands of QB Sam Wiles. After a 19-yard Wiles scramble late in the first, the West side held a 14-6 lead entering the second quarter.
The run games for both schools continued to be strong in the second quarter as Wiles would once again find the end zone on a sneak play, while Eugene Harney would put 6 more on the board for Sycamore via a 10-yard run play within the final minute of the half. With a penalty giving Sycamore a second chance at a two-point conversion, they would end up moving the score back to a touchdown game before the half.
The 21-14 lead that West held was far from ideal in the eyes of the coaching staff and players. In a game that they felt they should have won handsomely, it was a bit of a discouraging sign. Fortunately, for West, Jiovionni Wilson and Jr Gonzales would each find the end zone in the second half while the defense shut out Sycamore in the final two quarters. As the clocks hit zero, the Firebirds racked up their 4th GMC win dropping Sycamore 34-14.
West, now 4-2, will be back at home this week taking on Oak Hills (2-4) as they continue their search for a fourth straight GMC title.
