JOHN GLENN - Sep. 29, 2008 - John Glenn's football team is on a roll, and playing the Bobcats under the best of circumstances is a tall order.

It wasn't the best of circumstances at all for Ogemaw Heights, which traveled to Glenn on Friday without four defensive starters and after leading through the first quarter went down to a 34-6 defeat.

"We're pretty short-handed," said Ogemaw Heights coach Andrew Pratley, whose 2-3 team must win its last four games to return to the state playoffs. "But injuries are part of the game, and there's no reprieve."

It didn't get any easier in the injury department. Conrad Laurion, the team's leading tackler for the season, suffered a concussion early in the game, leaving his status uncertain for next week. The injuries so depleted the Falcons that at one point Pratley sent in a third-and-long play that has as its second-best option a Glenn interception.

"Our punter (Blaine Powley) was hurt, and we'd already had him kick once and couldn't send him out there again," Pratley said. "And his backup was injured too. We were pinned deep in our own end so we threw a deep pass and treated it more as a punt, hoping they'd intercept it, which they did."

Ogemaw also committed less-intentional turnovers, and though they didn't set up John Glenn scores, it did further short-circuit the Falcons' chances.

After John Hughes' 1-yard touchdown run put the Falcons up 6-0, they had a chance to extend the lead even more after driving to the John Glenn 30-yard line. A fumble ended that drive, and the Bobcats marched 70 yards the other direction for the score.

The Falcons' one punt of the night went for just 32 yards and gave Glenn good field position, which soon led to a second touchdown and a 13-6 lead that the Bobcats never gave up.

"They scored three touchdowns in about seven minutes," Pratley said. "That was the really key part of the game, though we had a chance to get back in it to start the second half."

The Falcons had a chance to cut into the Bobcats' 20-7 halftime lead, driving inside the Glenn 10 to start the half. But after being stopped on fourth down at the Glenn 6-yard line, it took just two plays for the Bobcats to go 94 yards and wrap the game up.

Andrew Funsch led the Falcons with 95 yards rushing on 20 carries, as well as 10 tackles and a sack on defense. Hughes added 54 yards on the ground and Eric Noble was 3-of-9 passing for 29 yards.

Nick Thorson was in on 12 tackles, while Beau Bailer, Kyle Scott and Tyler Brindley each had six.

The Falcons are at North Branch for a non-league contest on Friday, Oct. 3. Pratley said North Branch plays a Petoskey-style "scrum" offense and, despite having a 2-3 record, could easily be 4-1 with a few breaks.

"They're a sound team with good athletes," Pratley said. "They've been in every game; there won't be any rest for us."