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Football: Rhoades delivers on both sides of ball in Leyden win
Leyden's Mickey Gulo makes his way down field during the football opener between Leyden and Fenton at Fenton High School in Bensenville Friday August 24, 2012 | James C. Svehla~for Sun-Times Media
Updated: August 27, 2012 12:24PM
BENSENVILLE — Leyden senior Javier Rhoades made the defensive play of the game Friday night, sacking Fenton quarterback Angel Velasco early in the first quarter and causing a fumble that senior linebacker Adam Morrison smothered.
Rhoades also executed the play of the game on offense, tight-rope walking the back of the end zone to pull in a Michael Smith bullet for the final score of the first half, giving the visitors a comfortable 20-0 cushion en route to a 34-0 season-opening victory in Bensenville.
So, which big play did Rhoades enjoy more?
“I’d have to say the touchdown, because it put points on the board for our team,” said the the Eagles’ biggest player (6-foot-3, 255 pounds).
Leyden put plenty of points on the board, and yards on the stat sheet, as the Eagles outgained the Bison 486 yards to 134.
Fenton was unable to contain shifty senior running back Mickey Gulo, who carried 26 times for 209 yards and a touchdown. His 7-yard dash in the first quarter opened the scoring. Gulo’s number was called seven times on the 59-yard march, a drive capped by the Smith-to-Rhoades 3-yard TD with 19.5 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Gulo’s longest carry of the night went for 47 yards to the Fenton 7-yard line, and junior Adam Whigham then polished off the drive.
Senior Maurice Frison closed out the scoring with a 65-yard burst up the middle.
Smith, working behind a depleted offensive line, was 11-for-20 passing for 123 yards.
