VICKSBURG, Miss. – It was a case of role reversal for the Glenbrook Apaches Friday night.
Glenbrook bounced back from last week’s 41-0 loss to claim a 21-0 shutout victory over the Porter’s Chapel Academy Eagles.
“We played pretty well,” Glenbrook head coach Caleb Carmikle said. “Obviously, we still have a lot of issues we need to correct, especially offensively. We started really slow and put our defense in a bind a couple times, but our defense was the story of the night.”
Yes, they were.
One week after giving up 41 points on home soil, the Apache defense answered the call. The Apaches forced three turnovers and got a defensive touchdown via interception return from first-year starter Cameron Barnett. Back from injury was senior linebacker Seth Gauthier. Carmikle said the team fed off Gauthier’s return to the lineup.
“He’s a guy that, not only is he a good player,” Carmikle said. “But he has that swagger. Our guys are more confident with him out there.”
For the first three quarters of the game Porter’s Chapel could hardly muster a first down against the revitalized Glenbrook defense.
When the Eagles did threaten late in the game, the Apaches tightened up and held them on downs to preserve the goose egg.
Barnett’s pick six was the culmination of a job well done.
Offensively, the Apaches struggled once again on a less-than-perfect playing surface.
The game went to halftime at a 0-0 tie, but Glenbrook would get on the board early in the second half on a Da’maza Robinson speed sweep around the left side.
“I knew that we were eventually going to pop one,” Carmikle said. “I knew if we could get Da’maza to the edge they wouldn’t catch him, and on the first play of our second drive we got him out there. Not really a drive, just a big play.”
The Apache defense recovered a fumble deep in Eagle territory late in the third quarter and went to their heavy set to punch the ball in. Seth Tyler finished the short drive with a two-yard score.
That score made it 14-0 and forced Porter’s Chapel to abandon their running game, which led to Barnett’s interception and a 21-0 win for the visiting team.
The win comes at a cost, as Glenbrook’s Peyton Page went down with a broken arm on the game’s second play from scrimmage. Page was falling to the ground and put his arm down to brace the fall, but instead the resulting injury will keep the senior out at least 3-4 weeks according to Carmikle.
“I hate it for him,” Carmikle said. “He’s a kid who’s a senior, one of our smartest players; one of our hardest-working players. It was a clean break, so we hope we can cast him up and get him back soon, but we don’t know yet.”
First-year defensive coordinator Brandon Godfrey deserves some praise for his work with an Apache defense that has been shuffling parts in recent weeks due to injuries.
“I’ve never been around a coach who works harder or is more prepared for their job,” Carmikle said. “He takes it to heart and does a great job of getting these kids fired up.”
Tyler finished 10 of 22 for 179 yards and had a trio of interceptions, but managed to rush for 50 yards and the score. Robinson finished with 57 yards and a touchdown on 2 carries, while Lemoris Jackson Jr. led the receivers with 3 catches for 50 yards. Cameron Fread carried 8 times for 71 yards to lead Glenbrook runners.
Trent Albritton led the defense with 10 tackles (3 TFL, sack) followed by Parker Christy with 9 tackles (2 TFL), Nick Moses with 7 tackles (2 sacks) and Seth Gauthier (sack) and Dakota McGarity finished with five tackles each.