Rock Island’s defense set up a touchdown and stopped two would-be Galesburg TD drives, while the offense produced several clutch plays in a 13-6 win over the Silver Streaks, the Rocks’ first win of the 2024 season.
After Galesburg took a 6-0 lead with a TD drive that used more than 7 minutes of clock time, the Rocks responded with a 75-yard drive of their own, including two 10-yard passes to Avian Thomas, and capped off by V-Jay Garrard’s 26-yard scoring run on an end around for a 7-6 advantage with 5:42 left in the second quarter. Galesburg then drove near midfield, but Thomas picked off Caden Riley’s pass, returning it 43 yards to the Streaks’ 22 yard line. Thomas was one of four winners of the Rock Island Rocks Hungry Hobo Player of the Game. On the next play, QB Jae’Vion Clark-Pugh found WR Evan Ellis in the right corner of the end zone for a 22-yard TD, putting the Rocks up 13-6 at the half.
It looked like the Rocks might increase their lead, when Clark-Pugh scrambled brilliantly, avoiding the sack three separate times, finding Ellis open in the left flat. Ellis picked up a couple of downfield blocks and headed down the sideline, being tackled at the 9 yard line and sustaining an injury that kept him out for the duration of the game. Ellis finished with 117 yards on 7 catches and was also a co-winner of the Hungry Hobo award. But the drive stalled and the ball on Jonas Cortez’ 34-yard field goal try clanged off the right upright and fell in the end zone, no good, with 6:00 left in the third.
After an exchange of punts, Galesburg drove to the Rocks’ 6, but on third-and-goal, the shotgun snap sailed over Riley’s head, and after a mad scramble, Damauri McCaw recovered the fumble for the Rocks at their 25. Rock Island punted again, and Galesburg again drove into Rocks’ territory. Facing 3rd-and-long from the 33 yard line, Riley threw his second interception as Santana Smith jumped the route and Rock Island took over at their 35 with 5:17 left in the fourth quarter.
On the ensuing possession, Rock Island couldn’t move the ball at all, and lined up to punt on 4th-and-13 from their 32 yard line. Then came the boldest play of the game. Clark-Pugh lined up to punt, but instead threw an 18-yard completion to WR Eric Hillyer for a first down at midfield. From there, Isaiss Duarte was inserted into the lineup and turned in runs of 9, 10, 5, and then 14 yards for a first down that clinched the victory. Clark-Pugh finished 9-of-12 passing for 141 yards and a TD. He and Duarte were also named Hungry Hobo Players of the Game.
Rock Island (1-6, 1-3 in the Western Big 6) visits Sterling (4-3, 3-1) next Friday, with the Golden Warriors coming off a crushing 63-6 defeat at Quincy, in which the Blue Devils led 56-6 at halftime. Galesburg (1-6, 0-4) will host Moline (5-2, 3-1).