Josh King’s season debut for Hinsdale South didn’t end well, but his replacement received some bonus playing time after King went to the sidelines for most of the second half due to an injury.
Senior Jalen Robinson, perhaps the area’s smallest nose tackle at 5-foot-5, 187-pounds, entered the game when Michigan State-bound King, the state’s top-ranked senior prospect, could not continue after injuring his right ankle in the second quarter.
In a meeting between West Suburban division favorites, Gold-pick Hinsdale South held a 3-point lead entering the fourth quarter at Glenbard West Saturday, Sept. 4. The Hilltoppers then scored 36 points, including three touchdowns in the first three minutes, en route crushing the visitors 50-31 in Glen Ellyn.
Robinson entered Saturday’s game for the first time with 11 minutes to go in the second quarter.Two plays later, Robinson had the first sack of his career when he tackled quarterback Brian Cochrane for an 8-yard loss.
“I did what I was coached to do (by line coach Jarrod Amolsch),” Robinson said. “I had to execute. I prepare myself the same way (as running back). I go hard like everybody else and play my hardest.”
Robinson proved to Berry that playing nose tackle in the Hornets’ 3-5-3 alignment is more about heart than size.
“Jalen is a fast guy and he’s tough to block,” Hinsdale South coach Mike Barry said. “He’s a perfect fit for a nose guard.”
Robinson, formerly a backup running back, made the switch to the defensive line in the offseason to get more playing time.
The top running back for Hinsdale South (1-1), senior Marcus Curry burned the Hilltoppers for 97 yards on 21 carries and three TDs.
Robinson earned his first career tackle for a loss on the second play of the fourth quarter when he brought down Vanderbilt-recruit Sam Brodner on first-and-10 at the Hornets’ 10. But Brodner ( 17-118 yards, 4 TDs) scored two plays later on a 2-yard run to give Glenbard West (2-0) a 21-17 lead.
More Top Picks Galanz 0 7 Retro
“They are a good team,” Barry said. “It was a lesson learned by our guys. It’s frustrating for our team, but sometimes you have to learn the hard way.”
King sat out the season opener against Bolingbrook for unspecified reasons. He started against Glenbard West, but came out with eight minutes left in the second quarter after a head-to-head collision with running back Isaiah Skinner resulted in a 1-yard loss. Senior Danny Savage replaced King for a few plays while the Hilltoppers went three-and-out.
On the Hilltoppers’ next series, Robinson remained in the game as nose tackle, while Aaron Woods shifted to end and Matt McClelland remained at the other end position. King started the second half but went to the sideline after a handful of plays with a noticeable limp.
He declined to comment as he left Saturday’s game with an ice bag wrapped around his right ankle.
“It’s a tweak,” Barry said. “It should not slow him down too much.”
Hinsdale South’s fortunes tumbled after fumbling twice at the goal line on the same play. The Hornets led 17-14 with 4 minutes, 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter when the ball popped out on first-and-10 at the Glenbard 1. Quarterback Sean McCormack plucked the ball out of the air and tried to dive in for the score, but he also fumbled. Glenbard West linebacker Ross Andreasik recovered the ball at the 6 to set up the Hilltoppers’ 13-play, 94-yard drive for the go-ahead score on Brodner’s 2-yard run.
McCormick (17-for-27, 219 yards) was intercepted in the fourth quarter on three consecutive pass attempts, resulting in 15 points for the Hilltoppers.
Twitter @geomwilcox