NT_091919

54 | September 19, 2019 | The Northbrook tower sports
northbrooktowerdaily.com
Football
GBN routs Wheeling behind Ciss’s historic performance
5
Senior breaks
three program
records during
6-touchdown night
Martin Carlino, Editor
Mike Ciss never imagined
a record-breaking
night from the running
back position was a possibility.
After preseason injuries
in Glenbrook North’s
backfield forced him to
shift from the defensive
side of the ball to the
team’s primary running
back, Ciss entered the
year with modest expectations.
But in just his thirdcareer
game at the position,
the senior delivered
a night for the history
books.
The 6-foot, 170-pound
captain scored a schoolrecord
six rushing touchdowns
in GBN’s 53-13
win over the Wheeling
Wildcats on Friday, Sept.
13, in Wheeling. In total,
Ciss broke three program
records during the win:
points scored in one game
(36), rushing touchdowns
(6) and total touchdowns
(6).
“He was on fire,” head
coach Matt Purdy said.
“He ran the ball really,
really well. … He’s been
tremendous for us. His
vision on the field is just
really improving each
game.
“I’m so proud of him.
He takes such great care
of his linemen, he’s such
a great teammate and he’s
such a great leader for us.
He’s one of those kids
who does the little things
right all of the time.”
Ciss finished the night
Glenbrook North versus wheeling
1 2 3 4 F
Glenbrook North 28 22 0 3 53
Wheeling 0 7 6 0 13
Top Performers
1. Mike Ciss, RB — 264 rushing yards, six touchdowns
2. Quinn Sybert, LB — Six tackles, two sacks
3. Drayton Charlton-Perrin, TE/LB — 29 receiving yards,
one touchdown
Ciss’s record-breaking night
Rushing attempts: 16
Rushing yards: 264
Touchdowns: 6
Program records: Points scored in one game (36),
rushing touchdowns (6) and total touchdowns (6)
with 264 rushing yards on
just 16 carries — good for
an average of 16.5 yards
per carry. He scored all
six touchdowns in the
game’s first half.
Asked if ever imagined
a performance like this,
Ciss humbly said “not in
my wildest dreams.”
“I have to thank my
lineman for tonight,” Ciss
said. "Coach Purdy was
on them all week … and
they worked their butts off
at practice this week and
it showed. On numerous
of those touchdowns I had
lineman downfield blocking
for me and it helps a
lot.”
Ciss’s stats through the
team’s first three games
are extraordinary. In 61
attempts, Ciss has rushed
for 527 yards. He’s averaging
8.6 yards per
carry and his nine rushing
touchdowns lead the
team.
How it happened
The Spartans’ defense
forced a three-and-out
from Wheeling to open
the game.
After a blocked punt
attempt, North started its
first drive of the game inside
Wheeling’s red zone.
GBN scored on just two
plays when Ciss rushed in
a 3-yard score, giving the
Spartans an early 7-0 lead.
The Wildcats’ next
drive shuttered after six
plays and one first down.
Senior captain Quinn
Sybert sacked Wheeling’s
quarterback on fourthand-two,
forcing a turnover
on downs.
The Spartans again
scored two plays later
when Ciss rushed home
an 8-yard score, his second
of the night.
North started its next
drive at its own 29-yard
line after a three-and-out
from Wheeling.
Ciss broke free on the
drive’s second play for a
68-yard touchdown run
that gave North a 21-0
lead over the Wildcats.
Ciss scored his fourth
TD of the night on North’s
next drive via a 50-yard
run. The Spartans ended
the first quarter with 28
points, their highest total
for any quarter this season.
Glenbrook North senior Mike Ciss breaks free for one of his six touchdown
runs during GBNs 53-13 win over the Wheeling Wildcats on Friday, Sept. 13,
in Wheeling. Ciss’s six touchdowns broke a program record. Photos by Susan
Chou/22nd Century Media
Avery Burow looks for space after getting a handoff.
The Wildcats scored
their first touchdown on
an 8-yard pass after forcing
a GBN turnover.
GBN got the points
right back, producing a
seven-play touchdown
drive that ended with
Dylan Buckner tossing a
29-yard pass to Drayton
Charlton-Perrin.
Ciss rushed in two more
touchdowns before the
end of the half — one
from 41 yards and one
from two yards out.
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