September 21, 2001 12:39 AM
United Township (4-0) at Rock Island (4-0)
GAME FACTS -- Both teams are 1-0 in the Western Big 6. This is Rock Island's
homecoming game. It will be UT's first road game of the season. RADIO -- WKBF-AM
1270, with Marc Gellerman and Ricky Keys with the call.
HOW THEY'RE 4-0 -- Rock Island has outscored its opponents 148-41, giving up no
more than 14 points in a game (in the first two). The Rocks have scored 85 in their last
two games (43 vs. Collins and 42 vs. Moline).
UTHS has outscored its foes 122-38. Aside from a 34-32 win over Peoria Manual in Week
3, the Panthers haven't given up more than 7 points in a game. They've scored no less than
34 since their opener.
LEAGUE LEADERS -- After one week of Big 6 play, Rocky's Dillon Smith is tops in
rushing with 142 yards on 9 carries, and Maurice Jones is tied for third with 123 yards on
11 carries. In between them is UT's R.J. Severtsgaard, with 125 yards on just 7 carries.
Severtsgaard and Jones are 1-2 in scoring, with 24 and 18 points, respectively.
ODDITIES -- Though Severtsgaard has 125 yards in the Big 6, they were his first
rushing yards of the season. He didn't have a carry through the first 3 weeks. Tops for UT
in rushing for the season is Brandon Pirmann (62 carries, 311 yards). Second is Vernon
Reed (23-139.)
Before Smith compiled his yards vs. Moline, he had just 9 carries (the same as he had
last Saturday) and just 39 yards on the ground.
Against Moline, Smith had 9 carries, Jones 11 and Keenan Wright 10. ``I love that kind
of balance,'' said RI coach Vic Boblett. ``It means teams can't load up on Maurice, can't
load up on Dillon and can't load up on Keenan. They've got to defend against them all.''
UP NEXT -- The Rocks travel to Galesburg next Friday. United Township travels to
Quincy. Neither the Streaks nor Blue Devils have won a game this season.
By Marc Nesseler
Rock Island Argus sports editor
Copyright 2001, Moline Dispatch
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