By Jason Bushen
Sports Editor
With head coach Tony Annese leading the way, the GRCC football team has a chance to go undefeated this season.
Ranked #6 in the NJCAA, the Raiders certainly appear on track for a perfect regular season. “We’ll see,” said Annese, “One game at a time for now.” The Raiders have continued to dominate teams with their offense, scoring 119 points in their last two games.
After a 5-0 start, the #8 Raiders hosted their biggest challenge of the season against #5 Iowa Western. “It was a shootout,” Annese said. After a thrilling game, the Raiders prevailed 56-48. Running back Devin Jarret was unstoppable for GRCC, putting up some staggering numbers in the process: 43 rushes, 243 rushing yards, and 5 touchdowns.
“Devin had an unbelievable game,” Annese said.
After improving to 6-0, the Raiders then traveled 16 hours to take on Georgia Military College. This time they would have to win without Jarret, who was sidelined with a leg injury. “A lot of guys were banged up, but we had some unsung heroes who really stepped up their game,” Annese said. The Raiders prevailed 63-41, remaining flawless on the year.
Going undefeated would be quite a feat for head coach Tony Annese, but it’s clear that his focus is on the players. “They need to do the things necessary to be a student first,” Annese said. “My job is to give the players the best opportunity to be successful and fulfill their dreams.”
The Raiders will head to Joilet Junior College on October 15th, then return home to take Harper College on October 22nd. The season finale will be at Houseman Field on October 29th against College of DuPage –perhaps playing for a 10-0 season.
