Oak Forest spills Bremen
By Tony Baranek tbaranek@southtownstar.com September 7, 2012 11:58PM
Matt Barry hurdles a Bremen player to score for Oak Forest at Bremen, Friday, September 7th, 2012 in Midlothian, IL. | Gary Middendorf~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: October 10, 2012 6:27AM
Oak Forest’s Matt Barry took at least three vicious hits and was knocked out of the game last week against Rich Central.
But those didn’t hurt nearly as much as losing last year’s meeting in overtime vs. District 228 rival Bremen.
“That made me so mad,” Barry said after the Bengals rolled 48-13 in Friday night’s South Suburban Blue rematch in Midlothian. “I was especially mad because with our second-string quarterback in there I should have taken charge more.”
The scenario was the same Friday, with Bengals backup Nick Ciufia subbing for starting quarterback Tom Zale (ankle). This time, Barry was more than ready to take charge, rushing 20 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns.
Other standouts for Oak Forest (3-0, 1-0) in the SouthtownStar Rivals Series game were Tyler Usterbowski (8 carries, 113 yards) and Ciufia (6 carries, 70 yards, 2 TDs).
Barry’s first three carries went nowhere, but the climate would change starting with the Bengals’ second possession.
“My linemen and I talked it through,” Barry said. “I told them I would give 110 percent if they gave 110 percent and if they opened the holes I would make something happen.”
Ciufia broke the first big run, a 47-yarder. Barry capped the 80-yard drive with a 26-yard TD run. Blake Waller followed with one of his six PATs.
Bremen (2-1, 0-1) responded well as quarterback Tyler Banovich (10-of-25, 129 yards) provided scoring strikes of 6 yards to David Burrell and 54 to Darious Tolbert Jones to put the Braves in front 13-7 midway through the second period.
But Oak Forest closed the half strong, scoring three times in the final 5:46 on a pair of 3-yard runs by Ciufia and a 12-yard run by Barry to build a 28-13 lead.
After Waller recovered an onside kick to start the second half, the Bengals went straight down the field again, Ciufia finding Connor Rago for a 9-yard TD pass. Kyle Hullinger (35-yard run) and Ben Santiago (19-yard run) added scores for the winners in the fourth period.
