De Smet shuts out Glenbard West at Gateway Scholars Football Classic

Spartans off to 2-0 start after beating Kirkwood and Glenbard West

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A year ago, Quincy Byas and his De Smet football teammates walked off the field at the Gateway Scholars Football Classic after a 44-point loss to nationally-ranked Florida powerhouse IMG Academy.

Byas and the Spartans could smile on Saturday after an impressive 10-0 win over Glenbard West (Ill.) at East St. Louis High School’s Clyde C. Jordan Stadium.

“It feels good,” Byas, a standout junior defensive end, said. “… Offense did good. They did what they could. Defense really picked it up. We were able to get a win. I like that.”

The No. 17 team in the SBLive Missouri Power 25 football rankings, De Smet (2-0) showed against Glenbard West (1-1), ranked sixth in the Illinois Power 25 rankings, that it is building some momentum early this season under second-year head coach John Merritt.

The Spartans opened the 2022 campaign with losses to Springfield (Ohio) and IMG and finished 7-6 after losing to Lee’s Summit North in the Class 6 semifinals. De Smet’s difficult schedule included losses against eventual state champions: Christian Brothers, St. Mary’s and East St. Louis.

“We’re 2-0 this year,” Byas said. “Last year we were 0-2 at this point. So, really, trying to build mentality, effort and all that kind of stuff. We’re trying to go into these next four conference games and come out 6-0.”

See: Missouri high school football: Top standouts, best performances in Week 2

Byas and the De Smet defense, including senior defensive end and University of Kentucky commit Caleb Redd, intercepted two passes – by sophomore Amari Williams and junior Brayden Wakula – and came up clutch time and time again Saturday in a bi-state showdown that was dominated by defense.

Glenbard West, which was playing without injured standout senior Julius Ellens, was up for the challenge as well.

Hilltoppers junior Mason Ellens intercepted a pass at the goal line early in the second quarter to thwart a potential De Smet score.

The Spartans took the lead with a 45-yard field goal by Ethan Wehmueller with 4 minutes 46 seconds left in the second quarter.

De Smet’s Redd, the Kentucky commit who recorded 21 sacks a year ago, came up with a fourth-down sack late in the third quarter to shut down another Glenbard West series.

The biggest defensive play of the game came with 8:52 remaining when Wakula, a junior defensive back for the Spartans, snagged a leaping interception across the middle.

Wakula’s turnover, which gave De Smet favorable field position, led to a 2-yard touchdown run by senior DJ White with 5:53 left that put the Spartans ahead 10-0.

That was more than enough scoring for Byas, Redd and the stingy De Smet defense on this day as the Spartans registered their first shutout of the season. 

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De Smet-Glenbard West football

Photos from Nate Latsch

Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports

Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports

Nate Latsch photo

Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports

Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports

Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports