Simeon rolls even without Gregory

Updated: October 6, 2011 11:12PM

Robert Gregory is an elite player who makes a profound difference. Simeon is still awfully good without him.

Despite playing without the star Arkansas recruit, the No. 14 Wolverines had five different players score touchdowns in a 41-0 trouncing of Vocational in homecoming festivities Thursday night at Gately.

“Robert’s definitely the main player for us, but we have a lot of other weapons,” junior running back Da‘Rell Thomas said. “We have a good second-string quarterback and he‘s getting the job done.”

Gregory tweaked his ankle in Simeon‘s victory over Dunbar last week. Simeon coach Dante Culbreath took the precautionary measure of resting Gregory. Junior back up Elcee Burke is a more than capable, even dangerous replacement.

“Robert could have gone if he had to, but there was no reason,” Culbreath said. “Elcee’s been doing pretty good, so we just decided to stay with him. He doesn’t have the wheels of Robert, but he’s smart and he makes great decisions with the ball.”

Burke (6 of 13, 113 yards) threw two first half touchdown passes for the Wolverines (5-2, 4-0 Redbird). His 37-yard dart to Cywettnie Brown pushed the Wolverines’ lead to 14-0. His 27-yard touchdown throw to Thomas Burton during an improvised moment on the final play of the second quarter created the dominating halftime margin.

Thomas was the key ground threat. He carried the ball just six times, but he gained 114 yards and ripped off a 51-yard play for the game’s longest play from scrimmage for the 21-0 Simeon advantage. “I just put my head down, ran hard and tried to take advantage of my opportunities,” Thomas said.

Reserve running backs Paris Ratliff and Malik Parker added touchdown runs of two and 10 yards, respectively, for the Wolverines. Simeon accumulated 281 yards in the first half. Vocational managed just 50 in the first half and 123 for the game.

Running back Chris Brown gained 60 yards on 17 carries for the Cavaliers (2-5, 0-4).

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