Glenn's Adams gets redemption, saves 28-26 victory

Westland Glenn defensive back John Adams had just gotten beat deep for a touchdown, allowing Saline to pull within a two-point conversion of tying the game with 33 seconds left to play.

You could forgive him if he wanted to burrow into a hole in the corner of the end zone.

"It wasn't that bad, but I didn't feel too good," Adams said. "I knew we still had a chance. We just had to stop the two-point conversion. I knew they were coming my way. The quarterback was looking my way and I saw the receiver cut back and I jumped the route."

Adams dove and knocked the game's final pass away to give Glenn a 28-26 victory Friday night in a Division 1 district opener at Glenn.

This was a wild affair that featured the passing of Saline quarterback Sean Brown and the running of Glenn tailback Matt Smitherman.

Brown completed 19 of 36 passes for 266 yards and gave Saline (7-3) a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter on a nine-yard run.

"I was thinking that the snowball was rolling downhill our way and we had to do something to push it back the other way," Smitherman said.

Glenn quarterback Vinnie DeLuca did that by completing a 45-yard pass to Adams on a third-and-22 play before hitting Nathan Beard with a 19-yard TD pass to tie the score late in the first quarter.

Glenn defensive tackle Josiah Swartz tipped a pass that Eric Schambers intercepted. Then Smitherman went to work, carrying the ball five straight times for 73 yards, including a 30-yard TD run after spinning out of a tackle, cutting back and racing to the end zone.

"We'd been able to run the ball pretty well all season, so you don't want to give up on it," Glenn coach Chuck Gordon said. "He's been the one who's really been the guy for us. You can't give up on something too early in a game if it's been working for you all season."

Schambers' 44-yard run to open the third quarter set up DeLuca's two-yard score. Brian Peterson's interception led to a five-yard Smitherman score for a 28-7 lead with 6:46 left in the third quarter.

Brown passed 23 yards to Brian Feldkamp for a score, and Paul Dapkus scored on a 25-yard run to enable Saline to get within two when Feldkamp caught the final 30-yard TD with 33 seconds remaining.

"Turnovers killed us," Saline coach Mike Glennie said. "We made a game out of it when it looked like it could get ugly. They're a phenomenal team. We knew if we gave (Smitherman) too many chances he'd do something."

Smitherman gained 212 yards on 32 carries to surpass the 2,000-yard mark as Glenn improved to 9-1.

"My knees were knocking to the last play," Smitherman said. "Those guys came out and hit. They were well prepared. They didn't want to lose."