Lancers win opener, get their music back

Give Gilmour coach Chris Kosiorek this much — he knows how to push his team’s buttons.

For the last two-plus weeks, the Gilmour football team has been on a coachimposed music embargo in the locker room for lack of focus and precision in practice.

After a 26-6 seasonopening win on Aug. 26 over East Tech at Weber Field, the Lancers have their tunes back.

“Our team was a little childish. We couldn’t handle the music in the locker room, and it was carrying over to practice and causing an issue,” said senior Mario Grk. “The incentive was if we won the first game, we can have music back.

“I think my teammates are in there going crazy right now.”

Gilmour used a punishing running game and a smothering defense to derail the Scarabs, rushing for 266 yards while giving up only 102 yards on the ground.

East Tech didn’t get on the board until less than a minute remained in the game, and that was against Gilmour’s backup defense.

The win gave Gilmour its second 1-0 start in a row under Kosiorek. The Lancers finished 8-2 last year, but fell short of the Division V playoffs.

“Anyone who won last night or today feels good about their start,” Kosiorek said. “It was a good start. Our guys came here to play, which was nice.

It took Gilmour a little while to get going, but once it did, there was little East Tech could do to slow the Lancers down.

Grk broke a scoreless tie midway through the second quarter with a 14-yard jaunt up the middle for a touchdown, which came on the heels of two straight Jack Krebs completions that got his team into the red zone.

Then after Krebs picked off a pass, the Lancers cruised down the field again, giving the ball to bullish Grk for the final six yards and a 12-0 lead.

Grk finished with eight carries for 71 yards, two scores and a two-point conversion reception in the second half.

“I love it. When we get in the red zone, I expect to get (the ball),” Grk said. “I try to do my best with it.”

The second score was set up by a 48-yard run by C.J. Charleston what appeared to be a fake punt. But Kosiorek said it was anything but that.

With pressure coming off the right edge, Charleston ducked underneath, skirted to the home sideline and got down to the 9-yard line.

“He saw the guy out of his right eye,” Kosiorek said. “It was a designed kick, but he made a great play. That gave us some momentum. C.J. has the ability to do that.”

East Tech gave Gilmour prime field position with a six-yard punt on its next series. Krebs went in for a one-yard run and a 20-0 lead.

While Gilmour found its footing as the first half wore on, East Tech didn’t. Part of the reason was the Lancers’ smothering defense. The other part of the reason was that starting quarterback Eric Beddell — along with Gilmour’s Jarrett Fox — were ejected for their parts in a first-half skirmish.

Both will sit out next week’s game per OHSAA rules.

Gilmour recovered from Fox’s absence. East Tech struggled offensively without Beddell, putting up 17 total yards in the first half.