The Oak Park Northmen football team steamrolled through weeks 1 and 2, outscoring opponents 89-0 in just about 4 full quarters of action across the first two games. The Northmen were expected to roll weeks one and two, but week 3 is a game everyone had circled. The Grain Valley Eagles were set to be the first real test for Oak Park, an opponent the Northmen were familiar with suffering a 14-35 blowout just two years prior. This year’s group were bound to change the narrative of scheduling Oak Park as a “Homecoming” game, and rather a true contender in the GKCSA Red Division.           

 As Oak Park ran out the tunnel tensions were high on both sides. Lights were bright, stands were rocking, both student sections showing out in numbers, it was bound to be a fun night. Oak Park came out the gates hot, driving down the field sustaining Oak Parks best drive of the season and capped it off with Trayvon Pankey bouncing a run outside the tackles, running through a corner and stretching into the end zone.           

 Oak Park continued the scoring trend in the back end of the second quarter with Senior #1 Marlon Gant rushing it in from 1-yard out as well as punching in the 2-point conversion which pushed it to a 14-0 game. Grain Valleys QB #8 Caleb Larson is a star, and you can only hope to contain the dual threat star for so long, as near the end of the second quarter he led his Eagles offense down the field and set up Austin Schmitt for a 33 Yard field goal which got the eagles on the board. Going into the locker room up 14-3 is just what Oak Park had hoped but Grain Valley was not going out without a fight.

Oak Park Came out of the locker room a little sluggish and Grain Valley took advantage of that. Caleb Larson found an Eagle up the seam and cut Oak Parks lead to 4. Oak Parks tight defense kept the game notched at 14-10 throughout the rest of the second half and with 5 min left in the game with the ball at midfield, the Northmen looked to run the clock out and take home a win. These plans however, changed when a flock of Eagles forced a fumble on Marlon Gant and gave Grain Valley a chance to win the game.

 A fourth down conversion and a couple passes later, Grain Valley saw the red zone with just under a minute left. Caleb Larson drops back and instantly Marlon Gant hit Larson like a freight train, forcing the ball to pop out, getting intercepted by #10 Karl Knaak. It’s not about the setback it was about the comeback for the star RB/OLB who had the highlight hit of the game.

 The First full action for the Boys in Blue resulted in a 14-10 win over a very talented Grain Valley team. Oak Park wasn’t perfect by any means, getting outgained in passing yards, rushing yards, 3rd down efficiency, total yards and penalty yardage. The stat that mattered? Oak Park won the turnover battle 3-1. Oak Park will look to improve to 4-0 against the Truman Patriots in week 4.