Loyola sneaks by Glenbard West in a thriller

Nothing has come easy for Loyola this season, so why would Saturday be any different?

The Ramblers climbed out of a 14-point hole, then fell behind again by 13 before riding Vaughn Pemberton to a 28-27 win over Glenbard West in a Class 8A second-round game in Wilmette.

Pemberton, who was questionable for this game after getting hurt in last week’s 14-6 win over Maine South, did not start. But the powerful junior ran 31 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns, including what turned out to be the game-winner with 3:10 remaining in the fourth quarter.

He had 21 carries for 91 yards after halftime, including 35 on five carries as a Wildcat quarterback when Loyola (8-3) ran out the clock.

“I was playing for the seniors,” Pemberton said. “Christo Kelly, I’ve been playing with him since sixth grade. Matty Mangan, I’ve been playing basketball with him since, like, seventh grade. I didn’t want this to be the last game for them.”

Loyola quarterback JT Thomas, who passed for 125 yards and a touchdown, can only marvel at Pemberton’s effect on a game.

“He’s special, as you can see,” Thomas said. “He gives us that extra juice, those extra 2-3 yards, the extra emotional run-someone-over (play).”

Loyola coach John Holecek addresses his team before the game against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West coach Chad Hetlet looks on before the game against Loyola. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s JT Thomas (12) looks for an open receiver during the game against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West’s Nic Seifert (24) runs the ball against Loyola. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West’s Nic Seifert (24) breaks free of Loyola’s defense to score a touchdown. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West’s Nic Seifert (24) returns to the field after scoring a touchdown against Loyola. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Jack Nimesheim (21) takes down Glenbard West’s Samson Zander (34). | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West’s defense pushes Loyola’s Vaughn Pemberton (14) out of bounds. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Vaughn Pemberton (14) reacts during the game against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Nate Van Zelst (15) punts the ball against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West’s Jaylen Moore (23) runs the ball for a touchdown against Loyola. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Vaughn Pemberton (14) runs the ball against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Aidan Brownlee (5), Peter Gianaris (60) and Matt Mangan (88) react after Mangan’s touchdown against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Vaughn Pemberton (14) runs the ball against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s JT Thomas (12) dives for extra yardage against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Vaughn Pemberton (14) holds off Glenbard West’s defense. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Vaughn Pemberton (14) pushes through Glenbard West’s defense to score a touchdown. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Vaughn Pemberton (14) reacts after scoring a touchdown to tie the game against Glenbard West. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Loyola’s Nate Van Zelst (15) looks on after kicking the final field goal against Glenbard West | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West’s Samson Zander (34) takes the ball from Braden Spiech (11) to run it against Loyola. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West’s Samson Zander (34) runs the ball against Loyola. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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Glenbard West’s Braden Spiech (11) looks for an open receiver in the game against Loyola. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

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The Ramblers needed all that and more to knock off the Hilltoppers (10-1). Loyola tied it at 14 when Aidan Brownlee ran the second-half kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.

But Glenbard West built another double-digit lead when Jayden Moore raced 49 yards for a TD and Will Sackett recovered a bad snap on a punt in the end zone for another score.

“The momentum swung back their way, but Marty Auer came up with a huge pick,” Pemberton said.

Auer’s interception gave Loyola the ball back at the Glenbard West 42 with 5:45 left.

“He’s been a third corner, he’s played safety,” Loyola coach John Holecek said of Auer. “He’s always around the ball, always making something special happen. You can’t take a competitor like that off the field.”

Pemberton capped the ensuing drive with his second TD and then helped the Ramblers seal their second straight win over a Super 25 team. It’s a draw they got after ending their second straight three-loss regular season with a Week 9 loss to a 4-4 Marist team.

Coincidentally, Loyola will host Marist in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

“That’s what happens when you lose in the regular season,” Holecek said. “You unfortunately have to see the good teams early. ... This side of our bracket is ridiculous and every week you’ve got to prove it.”

Loyola keeps proving it, and it starts during the week.

“We most definitely ramp it up in practice,” Pemberton said. “We treat it like a game, day in and day out.”

Moore ran 21 times for 149 yards for Glenbard West, which was coming off its first unbeaten regular season since 2015.

“Gosh, our kids fought their tails off,” Hilltoppers coach Chad Hetlet said. “I’ve coached 25 years and I don’t know that I can pick another game where the kids gave everything of themselves like these kids did.”