Minus Gregory, Simeon falls

Updated: September 4, 2011 10:07PM

EAST ST. LOUIS – An eventful week for Robert Gregory ended with the Simeon quarterback not making his team’s trip to East St. Louis.

Gregory, a top senior recruit who accounted for 43 touchdowns as a passer and runner last season, announced that he was committing to Arkansas a week ago. However, a collarbone injury kept him from making the trek south. Without their senior leader, the Wolverines fell to Jefferson City, Mo., 21-14 Sunday afternoon in the second annual City of Champions Football Classic.

“Robert is a little banged up right now with a collarbone injury,” Simeon coach Dante Culbreath said. “It happened before the season and we might have put him out there a little too early. We want to give him a little rest and have him back for the remainder of the season.”

Elcee Burke started in Gregory’s place. The junior finished 15-of-29 for 210 yards. He threw a pair of touchdown passes, but also had three interceptions and lost a fumble.

“We made too many mistakes against a good, disciplined team,” Culbreath said. “But I’m still proud of Elcee. He had an idea this week that he was going to start. He stepped in as a young kid to start in a game like this.”

Burke wanted to embrace the challenge.

“Those are pretty big shoes to fill,” said Burke of starting in the place of Gregory.”I made some mistakes early, but Coach calmed me down and I got in my groove.”

With Jefferson City (2-0) looking to run out the clock, Simeon linebacker Timothy Jones returned a fumble 24 yards to the Jays 49. On the next play Burke found Paris Ratliff over the middle and the senior cut to his left and raced down the sideline for a 49-yard touchdown to slice the lead to 21-14 with 1:56 remaining in the game.

The Wolverines (0-2) elected not to try an onside kick. Following a touchback, Jefferson City converted a third-and-one at the 29 and ran out the clock.

Jefferson City jumped out to a 14-0 lead with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns. Devon Moore scored from 3 yards out and then the Jays converted a fake field goal as holder Jack Young found Scott Stegeman wide open in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown.

But Simeon got on the board as Burke hit John Gardner in the left corner of the end zone for a 6-yard TD as time expired in the first half to cut the lead to 14-7.

Simeon got the ball to open the second half, but went three-and-out. A short punt set the Jays up at the Simeon 40 and seven plays later quarterback Thomas LaPage (10-of-14 passing, 124 yards) scored on a 10-yard run for a 21-7 lead with 8:44 left in the third.

Gregory’s status for Simeon’s game against Morgan Park at Gately on Saturday still isn’t known. If he can’t go, Burke will again start in his place.

“It’s just another learning experience on my part,” Burke said. “I just have to make good reads and get it done.”

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