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Sports

Plainfield East Captures First Homecoming Victory Against RHS

Bengals move to 2-4, Romeoville eliminated from playoff contention

celebrated its 2011 homecoming in style with a 40-14 win over earlier tonight.

The win also was a milestone one for the Bengals’ football program, marking the first time Plainfield East earned two wins in a season.

“This was our first homecoming win,” Plainfield East head coach Mike Romeli said. “It’s our first time winning two games in a year. We’ve got a lot of work to do to improve, but our kids are really focused, and they believe in what we want to do.”

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The Bengals (2-4, 2-2 SW Prairie) were led by senior quarterback Robert Zamora, who completed 16 passes on 21 attempts for 206 yards and four touchdowns.

Plainfield shifty senior running back Shekeal Taylor also amassed 182 yards of total offense and scored two touchdowns.

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Meanwhile, Spartans’ senior running back and linebacker Perez Ford had a remarkable night. Ford carried six times for 50 yards, intercepted a pass and scored, and even completed a pass for 31 yards.

Sophomore running back Miguel Ford also was also a bright spot for Romeoville, rushing for 56 yards on 14 carries.

The Bengals struck first on their opening drive, when senior quarterback Robert Zamora found senior wide out Jawan Straughter for a 15-yard touchdown.

Then, after the Spartans failed to fall on a fumble on the previous play, Taylor sprinted 57 yards for a touchdown to extend Plainfield East’s lead to 13-0 midway through the opening quarter.

But Romeoville’s defense would not quit. With the Bengals still ahead 13-0, Perez Ford intercepted a Zamora pass and returned it all the way, to cut the lead to seven late in the second.

Without momentum for the first time, the Bengals responded quickly, after junior Brennen Rompa plunged two yards for a touchdown, making the score 19-6 at halftime.

The Bengals put the score out of reach in the third after Zamora led his team on three consecutive touchdown drives to go up 40-6.     

Romeoville (1-5, 1-3 SW Prairie) has produced just one offensive touchdown in its last two games. Spartans’ junior quarterback Jacob Bambule completed just four passes in 14 attempts, and sustained several sacks.

Spartans’ head coach Jeff Kuna said he knows his offense must improve.

“We’ve struggled at the quarterback position — that’s not a secret,” Kuna said. “Our supporting cast on the perimeter has not been exceptional, either. It’s really just about getting 11 guys on the same page on each and every down.”

Plainfield East will visit next week, while Romeoville will host Oswego East.

Although the Spartans were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss, Kuna said his team will not quit.

“I look forward to being at practice next week, and I look forward to playing out these last three games with” our team, he said. “Even though our Week 10 dreams are gone, we’ve got three weeks to spend together, and every Friday night is another opportunity to make some memories for the seniors.”

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