After coming back late to defeat Berkeley on Sept. 8th, Ladue let their home opener against McCluer High School on Sept. 15 get away from them early as McCluer High defeated Ladue 42-6.

McCluer (1-1, 3-1) scored on their first drive of the game with a powerful ground attack led by a clutch seventeen yard run by fullback Wyatt Clark. Not to be outdone, the McCluer defense intercepted junior quarterback Matthew Hooper for a touchdown on Ladue’s first offensive play of the game to put Ladue (1-0, 2-2) in a hole 14-0. After a Ladue fumble was recovered by McCluer, McCluer resumed their ground game and punched in their third touchdown of the game despite a valiant Ladue goal line effort.

After the fourth McCluer touchdown, this time by running back Aaron Willis, Hooper came out strong, hitting senior running back Shawn Whitley with a twenty six yard pass. He followed up with a fifteen yard pass to senior receiver Sam Glancy, putting Ladue at the twenty yard line and in position to fight their way back into the game. Unfortunately, Ladue was penalized five yards for using an illegal formation, forcing Hooper to throw on second and fifteen. Willis intercepted the pass, continuing a strong showing by McCluer’s defense.

Ladue did score late in the fourth quarter on a long reception by junior receiver Ryan Glazer to end the game on a positive note.

Though Ladue’s offense did not perform well, this had less to do with Ladue and more to do with a nearly flawless day by McCluer’s defense which had three interceptions, two for touchdowns, and a fumble recovery in the first half of the game. However, Glazer, who also gave up a fumble in the first half, doesn’t want to make excuses.

“Today was just a bad day overall and [McCluer] took advantage of our mistakes,” Glazer said. “Everyone has a bad day and today it happened to be us. We just have to learn from our mistakes and focus on the next game against Normandy.” #