Published: November 9, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
AURORA – For a change, the Aurora Christian football team got a challenge.
Even though the Eagles scored first and never lost the lead, the Coal City Coalers didn't make Saturday’s 28-20, IHSA Class 4A second-round playoff victory any easier. The win vaults the Eagles into a quarterfinal showdown with seven-time defending state champion Driscoll.
The first touchdown of the game showed the Eagles (11-0) know how to operate in the clutch. Twice in the drive, quarterback Jordan Roberts converted a third down with 16- and 56- yard passes to Matt Morse, before throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to David Zielke with 4:29 left in the first quarter.
The Eagles’ next drive started at their 1 yard line, but nine plays later, the Eagles doubled the lead, 14-0, with 10:48 to go in the second quarter.
Then the Coalers (7-4) starting fighting back, and brought the score to 14-7 three minutes later.
The Eagles’ offensive line then started slacking and let Roberts get sacked three times in the first half, costing them 29 yards and drawing the ire of coach Don Beebe.
"If you give up three sacks for Jordan – that's unheard of." he said. "We don't get sacked."
Despite ending the half with a seven-point lead, Beebe was not about to let his team off the hook.
"I thought we played the first half with no fire at all and that upset me," he said. "It was the first time this year I thought our kids came out flat."
Beebe said he had to really get fired up at his team during the halftime and even though the game was never a sure thing, he was glad to know that his team had taken his words to heart.
"Every one of them has come up to me after this game and said 'Thank you,' because they knew it," he said.
If the halftime talk didn't rile up the Eagles enough, then senior Lewis Gaddis' turnover by fumble in the end zone five minutes into the third quarter sent them over the edge. Beebe and the rest of the team cried out in protest, saying that Gaddis was down by contact when the ball went loose, but the ruling stood.
"I think that play right set the tone for the whole rest of the game," Gaddis said. “Because the whole team was mad and everybody came out with such great intensity, all the fire, all the passion we've been known to play with."
The Eagles’ defense kept the Coalers down to six yards on the following drive, and after returning the punt to Coalers’ 27 yard-line, slammed their way to another touchdown and two-point conversion, increasing the lead to 22-7 with 3:30 left in the third.
However, the joy of domination was short-lived as the Coalers and Eagles went back and forth with touchdowns for the rest of the game.
"We kind of had the game," Beebe said, "but we never had the game in hand. We just couldn't get up that third touchdown."
While in the end the Eagles managed to keep Coal City at arm's length, the feeling on the field was anything but.
"The scoreboard said one thing," Gaddis said. "But I didn't see it at arm's length at all."
Still, with its 11th straight win in hand, Aurora Christian can now set its sights on Driscoll. For a team with a perfect season, the matchup feels both like a reward for their hard work and the defining test of their strengths.
"We've been waiting for this and it's going to be a lot of fun," Roberts said. "We'll have to work harder than we ever have, and it's just going to be a big battle out there."
"I've got to hand to them, whatever they're doing over there, they're doing right," Beebe said. "We're going to take the David and Goliath approach."
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Vikings’ defense leads the way
Published: November 2, 2008
Nonetheless, the Vikings fought their way to a 27-7 win Saturday against Rolling Meadows in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs.
“This is the way football should be – the way I always remembered it,” Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said. “Four quarters ... you’ve got to battle it out.”
The Vikings (10-0) will play at Rockton Hononegah in the next round.
The win showed just how vital the Vikings’ defensive line is to their success, keeping the Mustangs scoreless until the fourth quarter.
“Our defense has been the strength of our team all year long,” Wicinski said.
The Vikings’ offense, meanwhile, had a tougher time trying to get points on the scoreboard. The Vikings came up short on their first quarter drives, and senior Sean Grady had his field goal attempt blocked early in the second quarter.
“All of them were hitting until the whistle,” senior running back Michael Ratay said of Rolling Meadows (5-5).
The half was also plagued by penalties. For Geneva especially, the calls interrupted momentum and incited some boos from the Burgess Field faithful.
There was also some concern the defense would be lessened by the absence of standout junior defensive tackle Frank Boenzi. Boenzi missed the game because of mono, and his timetable for a return is uncertain.
But in Boenzi’s absence, seniors Cory Hofstetter and Rich MacDonald made some momentum-stopping sacks on Mustangs quarterback Jim Garoppolo.
“They came out strong,” Hofstetter said. “It took us that first [quarter] to get our bearings.”
The Vikings turned a seven-point lead to a 20-point lead in the third quarter thanks to a 4-yard rush from Ratay and a 20-yard pass from junior quarterback Brandon Beitzel to senior Jason Holmes. Ratay, as usual, dominated with 232 rushing yards.
“It’s been the same formula,” Wicinski said. “We give to ball to Ratay and our defense shows up and plays.”
But the Vikings might have to do more than follow the formula – especially if the penalties keep mounting.
“We take a lot of pride in doing things the right way and being really crisp on our assignments,” Wicinski said. “You don’t want playoff games with 16 penalties.”
Nonetheless, the Vikings remain perfect, with Champaign in their sights.
“As long as we come out on top of that scoreboard, that's all that really matters,” Ratay said.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Nervous Knights now wait
Published: October 25, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
MAPLE PARK – The Kaneland football team stampeded over Yorkville, 34-0, in its final regular-season game Friday, but that doesn’t mean Knights coach Tom Fedderly was going to have a restful night sleep.
The win makes Kaneland playoff-eligible, but despite Friday’s shutout, Fedderly still is crossing his fingers.
“We’re hoping, but you never know,” Fedderly said. “There’s so many teams that are 4-4 and 5-3; you just don’t know until you know I guess.”
More good news for Kaneland came with Thursday night’s tentative agreement between teachers and the school district that seems likely to avert a teachers’ strike that could have shut down everything Fedderly and the Knights (5-4, 4-3 Western Sun Conference) have worked for.
“There are still some things that have to be done,” Fedderly said. “But things are definitely looking better than they were.”
Things were looking much better on the field Friday when, despite muddy fields and a delayed start because of lightning, the Knights smoked out the Foxes (1-8, 0-7 WSC).
Kaneland’s defense didn’t allow a Yorkville first down in the first half.
Sophomore quarterback Joe Camiliere excelled for the Knights’ offense, throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for 110 yards – nine less than the Foxes’ total offense.
“We try to keep it simple,” Camiliere said.
Sophomore Blake Serpa also had a big night on his first full game back since suffering an injury at Glenbard South three week ago, rushing 82 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown rush at 8:14 in the third quarter.
The Foxes were able to show a bit more muscle in the second half, getting a 62-yard pass past Kaneland in the third quarter. But their touchdown dreams were shot down as senior Ben Bradford caught his first of two interceptions thrown by Yorkville’s Luke Parece.
As easy as it seemed, the win had great importance for Kaneland.
“We had to get five wins to even have a chance [to make the playoffs],” Camiliere said. “That was our whole thing – just get a win and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
With the weekend to wait for a playoff placement and a final agreement between Kaneland teachers and the school district, only one thing is certain – Sunday can’t come soon enough for the Knights.
Kane County Chronicle
MAPLE PARK – The Kaneland football team stampeded over Yorkville, 34-0, in its final regular-season game Friday, but that doesn’t mean Knights coach Tom Fedderly was going to have a restful night sleep.
The win makes Kaneland playoff-eligible, but despite Friday’s shutout, Fedderly still is crossing his fingers.
“We’re hoping, but you never know,” Fedderly said. “There’s so many teams that are 4-4 and 5-3; you just don’t know until you know I guess.”
More good news for Kaneland came with Thursday night’s tentative agreement between teachers and the school district that seems likely to avert a teachers’ strike that could have shut down everything Fedderly and the Knights (5-4, 4-3 Western Sun Conference) have worked for.
“There are still some things that have to be done,” Fedderly said. “But things are definitely looking better than they were.”
Things were looking much better on the field Friday when, despite muddy fields and a delayed start because of lightning, the Knights smoked out the Foxes (1-8, 0-7 WSC).
Kaneland’s defense didn’t allow a Yorkville first down in the first half.
Sophomore quarterback Joe Camiliere excelled for the Knights’ offense, throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for 110 yards – nine less than the Foxes’ total offense.
“We try to keep it simple,” Camiliere said.
Sophomore Blake Serpa also had a big night on his first full game back since suffering an injury at Glenbard South three week ago, rushing 82 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown rush at 8:14 in the third quarter.
The Foxes were able to show a bit more muscle in the second half, getting a 62-yard pass past Kaneland in the third quarter. But their touchdown dreams were shot down as senior Ben Bradford caught his first of two interceptions thrown by Yorkville’s Luke Parece.
As easy as it seemed, the win had great importance for Kaneland.
“We had to get five wins to even have a chance [to make the playoffs],” Camiliere said. “That was our whole thing – just get a win and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
With the weekend to wait for a playoff placement and a final agreement between Kaneland teachers and the school district, only one thing is certain – Sunday can’t come soon enough for the Knights.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Wildcats end Blackhawks’ hopes
Published: October 18, 2008
West Aurora’s defense could not stop senior Mike Dylla. He had 15 carries for 89 yards in the first half, leaving his teammate, senior Alex Pirela ample opportunites to reach the end zone.
Pirela rushed in three of the Wildcats’ (2-7, 1-5 DuPage Valley Conference) four touchdowns in the first half. He gave much of the credit to his team’s fired-up offensive line.
“I might take credit for one of those touchdowns,” Pireal said. “The rest of the time I was just running straight ahead.”
The Blackhawks (3-5, 1-5 DVC) meanwhile could not set up a consistent offensive rhythm. When they did make it to the end zone, it was on tough plays like senior John Nunnally’s 68-yard touchdown pass to Josh Zinzer with 5:17 left in the half – only 21 seconds after West Chicago’s third touchdown of the night.
But West Aurora could hardly celebrate after senior Wildcat AJ Romanelli threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to senior Clark Hudmon with 1:15 in the half, making the game, 28-7.
West Aurora coach Buck Drach seemed to almost see it coming.
“We shot ourselves in the foot a lot.” he said. “Our offense doesn’t help our defense much [...] It’s been that way for the last four or five weeks.”
Even as the Blackhawks came out of the half visibly renergizied, their drive was interrupted by an interception.
More bad news for the Blackhawks came as junior Tray Peoples was helped off the field from an apparent leg or ankle injury in the fourth quarter.
But like the first half, West Aurora managed to score with plenty of flair. Senior Leon Spears ran 75 yards on a touchdown rush with 3:12 left in the third quarter. Senior Markus Cocroft returned a Wildcat kickoff 80 yards to cut the lead to 34-21 by the end of the third quarter.
Yet the Wildcats seemed more poised and in control in thier final home game of the season. West Chicago coach Hal Chiodo said that it was long overdue.
“We know we’re getting beat by awesome football teams,” he said, “and it was fun for our guys to have some success.”
He added that the six game losing streak might have helped focus his team. “We didn’t have the playoffs to play for,” he said, “but we’re playing for pride and we’re playing the way the game is supposed to be played.”
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Geneva 2 wins away from perfect season
Published: October 11, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
ROCHELLE – Senior running back Michael Ratay scored two touchdowns in the game’s first five minutes, and it looked like another relatively easy win was in the works for the Geneva football team.
But there were a few minutes Friday when the Vikings’ 35-14 victory against Rochelle (4-3, 2-3 Western Sun Conference) was not so certain.
The Hubs rallied to tie the score with two touchdown passes from senior quarterback Nate Eyster – one to sophomore C.J. Navarro in the first quarter, and a 40-yard pass to senior Ben Schwartz a minute and a half into the second quarter.
Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said he was worried about losing the lead the moment after Ratay’s second score.
“When we don’t score, I’m mad,” he said, “and when we score too fast, I’m mad.”
But the Vikings (7-0, 5-0 WSC) rebounded and regained their 14-point lead by the end of the half.
Geneva senior Brennan Quinn, who scored the Vikings’ fourth touchdown, bringing their lead to 28-14, credited the tightened up offensive line.
“I didn’t even get touched,” he said of his 8-yard touchdown run. “And neither did Drew [Fagot], and he ran deeper than me.”
Fagot regained the lead for the Vikings thanks to a 17-yard rush with 5:36 left in the half.
From there, both teams seemed to step up their defense.
“They’re a tough, tough team,” Wicinski said. “Our kids did a nice job of holding them down.”
They did such a nice job, in fact, that Eyster could not complete one pass in the second half.
But the Hubs still posed a challenge. Ratay, who chalked up 248 rushing yards, said he had to work harder against the Rochelle defense.
“They started firing off right from the start,” he said, “hitting low and hitting hard.”
Ratay managed the only touchdown of the second half – a 55-yard rush two minutes into the fourth quarter, securing the seventh straight win for the Vikings.
Despite the prospects of a perfect season looming, the Vikings stress they are a one-game-at-a-time team. Geneva closes out its regular season at home against rivals Kaneland and Batavia.
“We want to win conference,” Wicinski said, “but first we have to beat Kaneland.”
Kane County Chronicle
ROCHELLE – Senior running back Michael Ratay scored two touchdowns in the game’s first five minutes, and it looked like another relatively easy win was in the works for the Geneva football team.
But there were a few minutes Friday when the Vikings’ 35-14 victory against Rochelle (4-3, 2-3 Western Sun Conference) was not so certain.
The Hubs rallied to tie the score with two touchdown passes from senior quarterback Nate Eyster – one to sophomore C.J. Navarro in the first quarter, and a 40-yard pass to senior Ben Schwartz a minute and a half into the second quarter.
Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said he was worried about losing the lead the moment after Ratay’s second score.
“When we don’t score, I’m mad,” he said, “and when we score too fast, I’m mad.”
But the Vikings (7-0, 5-0 WSC) rebounded and regained their 14-point lead by the end of the half.
Geneva senior Brennan Quinn, who scored the Vikings’ fourth touchdown, bringing their lead to 28-14, credited the tightened up offensive line.
“I didn’t even get touched,” he said of his 8-yard touchdown run. “And neither did Drew [Fagot], and he ran deeper than me.”
Fagot regained the lead for the Vikings thanks to a 17-yard rush with 5:36 left in the half.
From there, both teams seemed to step up their defense.
“They’re a tough, tough team,” Wicinski said. “Our kids did a nice job of holding them down.”
They did such a nice job, in fact, that Eyster could not complete one pass in the second half.
But the Hubs still posed a challenge. Ratay, who chalked up 248 rushing yards, said he had to work harder against the Rochelle defense.
“They started firing off right from the start,” he said, “hitting low and hitting hard.”
Ratay managed the only touchdown of the second half – a 55-yard rush two minutes into the fourth quarter, securing the seventh straight win for the Vikings.
Despite the prospects of a perfect season looming, the Vikings stress they are a one-game-at-a-time team. Geneva closes out its regular season at home against rivals Kaneland and Batavia.
“We want to win conference,” Wicinski said, “but first we have to beat Kaneland.”
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Knights no match for WSC rival
Published: October 4, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
GLEN ELLYN – Coming into Glenbard South’s homecoming game Friday, both the Raiders and Kaneland had matching 3-2 records.
But the matchup began looking not-so-equal before long, and the Raiders pulled way for a 47-31, Western Sun Conference win.
After the Knights (3-3, 2-2 WSC), trailing 6-3, turned it over on downs with a minute remaining in the first quarter, junior Blake Kendrick quickly turned momentum in Kaneland’s favor with an interception. But the rally was short-lived as sophomore quarterback Joe Camiliere threw an interception a few plays later.
The Knights’ greatest mistake came three minutes later after the Raiders (4-2, 3-1) went ahead, 13-3, with a touchdown pass from junior Trace Wanless to junior Nick Slezak with 9:02 left in the second quarter.
On the kickoff return, the Knights lost the ball on a fumble, giving the Raiders prime field position on Kaneland’s 33-yard line. The drive led to another Glenbard South touchdown.
Despite the loss, the Knights’ offense was productive as usual. Camiliere had a game-high 232 passing yards, including a 46-yard bomb to sophomore Eric Tattoni in the fourth quarter.
Kaneland trailed 26-18 at halftime, but while the defense continued to struggle, the Knights produced a pair of late touchdowns, including a 25-yard touchdown run from Brock Dyer.
“I think we played pretty good out of the half,” Kaneland coach Tom Fedderly said.
Fedderly was not too down on his Knights, saying his players stepped up to fill in for talented sophomore receiver/running back Blake Serpa, who left the game early in the first quarter because of an apparent ankle injury.
Still, the Knights showed that work still needs to be done on their defensive line. Glenbard South senior Curtis Ford plowed through them much of the game, rushing for 114 yards. Wanless was not far behind, rushing for 88 yards and passing for 226 more.
The Knights look to break a two-game losing streak next week when they play DeKalb.
Kane County Chronicle
GLEN ELLYN – Coming into Glenbard South’s homecoming game Friday, both the Raiders and Kaneland had matching 3-2 records.
But the matchup began looking not-so-equal before long, and the Raiders pulled way for a 47-31, Western Sun Conference win.
After the Knights (3-3, 2-2 WSC), trailing 6-3, turned it over on downs with a minute remaining in the first quarter, junior Blake Kendrick quickly turned momentum in Kaneland’s favor with an interception. But the rally was short-lived as sophomore quarterback Joe Camiliere threw an interception a few plays later.
The Knights’ greatest mistake came three minutes later after the Raiders (4-2, 3-1) went ahead, 13-3, with a touchdown pass from junior Trace Wanless to junior Nick Slezak with 9:02 left in the second quarter.
On the kickoff return, the Knights lost the ball on a fumble, giving the Raiders prime field position on Kaneland’s 33-yard line. The drive led to another Glenbard South touchdown.
Despite the loss, the Knights’ offense was productive as usual. Camiliere had a game-high 232 passing yards, including a 46-yard bomb to sophomore Eric Tattoni in the fourth quarter.
Kaneland trailed 26-18 at halftime, but while the defense continued to struggle, the Knights produced a pair of late touchdowns, including a 25-yard touchdown run from Brock Dyer.
“I think we played pretty good out of the half,” Kaneland coach Tom Fedderly said.
Fedderly was not too down on his Knights, saying his players stepped up to fill in for talented sophomore receiver/running back Blake Serpa, who left the game early in the first quarter because of an apparent ankle injury.
Still, the Knights showed that work still needs to be done on their defensive line. Glenbard South senior Curtis Ford plowed through them much of the game, rushing for 114 yards. Wanless was not far behind, rushing for 88 yards and passing for 226 more.
The Knights look to break a two-game losing streak next week when they play DeKalb.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Penalties put damper on Spartans’ win
Published: September 27, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
AURORA – Something felt strange about St. Francis’s 49-3 victory over Aurora Central Catholic Friday, and it wasn’t because it was ACC’s homecoming game.
The Spartans (4-1, 2-1 Suburban Catholic Confernce) took their win with little celebration, because while they dominated the scoreboard, they also dominated in penalties, giving up 80 yards during the game.
“It was a nice win,” coach Greg Purnell said, “But we had a tremendous amount of mistakes.”
On particular mistake involved a Spartans personal foul on during a Chargers punt, which earned them a first down. This play was followed by a holding penalty on the Spartans with brought the Chargers (0-5, 0-2 SCC) even further down the line.
Even though ACC junior Andrew Scott would miss his field goal attempt, the Spartans knew that it shouldn’t have gotten to that point.
“No matter what kind of calls they were, they shouldn’t happen,” senior running back Mark Kachmer said.
Nonetheless, Kachmer and the Chargers still had a lot to be proud of. Out of eight carries, Kachmer scored five touchdowns.
Also scoring for the Spartans was senior Stan Bobowski in a 65 yard rush with 5:02 in the first quarter and senior Brett Robinson, receiving a 66 yard pass from senior Jeff Reckards.
“We cam out fired up after the loss [last week],” Kachmer said. “The whole [offensive] line made it easy for me,” as he rushed 158 total yards.
The Spartans defensive line was especially fired up, sacking Chargers quarterback (and homecoming king) Mike Adams seven times in the first half, costing ACC 46 yards.
Scott did make a field goal for the Chargers with 5:25 in the first quarter, but that was after Adams threw a 67 yard pass to senior Tom Barkei, which landed them on their two-yard line.
The Spartans defense then pushed them back 9 yards and prevented them from scoreing a touchdown.
“When we executed, we executed well,” Purnell said.
Still, the penalties hung over the Spartans afterwards. Next week, they will play their Homecoming game against Marmion and Purnell says that they need to clean up their act if they expect to come out on top.
“High school kids sometimes don’t understand the difference between being agressive and making mistakes,” he said.
Kane County Chronicle
AURORA – Something felt strange about St. Francis’s 49-3 victory over Aurora Central Catholic Friday, and it wasn’t because it was ACC’s homecoming game.
The Spartans (4-1, 2-1 Suburban Catholic Confernce) took their win with little celebration, because while they dominated the scoreboard, they also dominated in penalties, giving up 80 yards during the game.
“It was a nice win,” coach Greg Purnell said, “But we had a tremendous amount of mistakes.”
On particular mistake involved a Spartans personal foul on during a Chargers punt, which earned them a first down. This play was followed by a holding penalty on the Spartans with brought the Chargers (0-5, 0-2 SCC) even further down the line.
Even though ACC junior Andrew Scott would miss his field goal attempt, the Spartans knew that it shouldn’t have gotten to that point.
“No matter what kind of calls they were, they shouldn’t happen,” senior running back Mark Kachmer said.
Nonetheless, Kachmer and the Chargers still had a lot to be proud of. Out of eight carries, Kachmer scored five touchdowns.
Also scoring for the Spartans was senior Stan Bobowski in a 65 yard rush with 5:02 in the first quarter and senior Brett Robinson, receiving a 66 yard pass from senior Jeff Reckards.
“We cam out fired up after the loss [last week],” Kachmer said. “The whole [offensive] line made it easy for me,” as he rushed 158 total yards.
The Spartans defensive line was especially fired up, sacking Chargers quarterback (and homecoming king) Mike Adams seven times in the first half, costing ACC 46 yards.
Scott did make a field goal for the Chargers with 5:25 in the first quarter, but that was after Adams threw a 67 yard pass to senior Tom Barkei, which landed them on their two-yard line.
The Spartans defense then pushed them back 9 yards and prevented them from scoreing a touchdown.
“When we executed, we executed well,” Purnell said.
Still, the penalties hung over the Spartans afterwards. Next week, they will play their Homecoming game against Marmion and Purnell says that they need to clean up their act if they expect to come out on top.
“High school kids sometimes don’t understand the difference between being agressive and making mistakes,” he said.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Storm wear down Maroons in UEC win
Published: September 20, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
ELGIN – A halftime adjustment made all the difference for the South Elgin football team in its Friday victory against Elgin, 42-28 – the Storm’s first of the season.
By tightening up their offensive and defensive lines and concentrating on rushing the ball, the Storm effectively whittled away Elgin (0-4) in the second half.
“I was so impressed with the line,” head coach Dale Schabert said, “Everything we planned [worked].”
Junior Trevor Hansley led the Storm, rushing for 73 total yards and scoring three touchdowns, including the final one, with 1:38 left in the fourth.
Yet, Hansley was not the game’s lead rusher; senior Kevin Ware was with 81 yards. But Hansley had more carries (20 to Ware’s 14) and his consistency proved to be a big asset for the storm.
“That’s what we practice,” Hansley said. “Little gains.”
Ware himself helped energize the Storm with an 8-yard touchdown run with 1:44 left in the third, regaining the lead 28-21.
The Storm faltered in the first half - most notably to a 76-yard touchdown run from Elgin senior Jamal Cook after recovering a fumble with 4:12 left in the second quarter.
Cook again scored on a 51-yard pass reception from senior quarterback Tom Roth with 8:35 in the fourth.
But Schabert tried to focus his team on what they were doing right – running the ball – in order to make up for the bumps along the way.
“It’s like a heavyweight fight,” Schabert said, “You get punched, you stagger, and you’re up against the ropes, but you fight back.”
Senior storm quarterback Patrick Rae helped his team fight back, completing 16-of-24 passes for 297 yards.
A 25-yard touchdown pass to junior Josh Smith at 10:22 in the fourth practically sealed the victory for the Storm. Smith had a game-high 161 receiving yards.
The victory is the first of the season for South Elgin (1-3, 1-1 Upstate Eight Conference), albeit a victory over a team who also has yet to win a game.
“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” Hansley said.
Kane County Chronicle
ELGIN – A halftime adjustment made all the difference for the South Elgin football team in its Friday victory against Elgin, 42-28 – the Storm’s first of the season.
By tightening up their offensive and defensive lines and concentrating on rushing the ball, the Storm effectively whittled away Elgin (0-4) in the second half.
“I was so impressed with the line,” head coach Dale Schabert said, “Everything we planned [worked].”
Junior Trevor Hansley led the Storm, rushing for 73 total yards and scoring three touchdowns, including the final one, with 1:38 left in the fourth.
Yet, Hansley was not the game’s lead rusher; senior Kevin Ware was with 81 yards. But Hansley had more carries (20 to Ware’s 14) and his consistency proved to be a big asset for the storm.
“That’s what we practice,” Hansley said. “Little gains.”
Ware himself helped energize the Storm with an 8-yard touchdown run with 1:44 left in the third, regaining the lead 28-21.
The Storm faltered in the first half - most notably to a 76-yard touchdown run from Elgin senior Jamal Cook after recovering a fumble with 4:12 left in the second quarter.
Cook again scored on a 51-yard pass reception from senior quarterback Tom Roth with 8:35 in the fourth.
But Schabert tried to focus his team on what they were doing right – running the ball – in order to make up for the bumps along the way.
“It’s like a heavyweight fight,” Schabert said, “You get punched, you stagger, and you’re up against the ropes, but you fight back.”
Senior storm quarterback Patrick Rae helped his team fight back, completing 16-of-24 passes for 297 yards.
A 25-yard touchdown pass to junior Josh Smith at 10:22 in the fourth practically sealed the victory for the Storm. Smith had a game-high 161 receiving yards.
The victory is the first of the season for South Elgin (1-3, 1-1 Upstate Eight Conference), albeit a victory over a team who also has yet to win a game.
“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” Hansley said.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Fedderly credits defense for big win
Published: September 13, 2008
Kane County Chronicle
MAPLE PARK – The Kaneland football team’s defense has come full circle.
After the young group was derided during a disappointing 2007 season, it led the way Friday as the Knights beat Rochelle, 16-12, in their Western Sun Conference opener.
The difference was even a drastic one from last week – a loss to Marmion – to Friday night.
“Our defense won the game for us,” Kaneland coach Tom Fedderly said. “It’s really an improvement from last week.”
The offense certainly helped things too with a 21-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Joe Camiliere to junior Pat Fleming a minute and 48 seconds into the game.
Fleming would lead the game in receiving with 85 yards and four receptions, and came up big again late. Kaneland reclaimed the lead in the fourth quarter thanks to Camiliere’s 38-yard pass to Fleming and Camiliere’s 4-yard game-winning touchdown rush with 4:21 left in the game.
From there, the game-winning defense kept the Hubs at bay, allowing them only to inch their way down the field. Kaneland’s defense also held on a key fourth-down play in the final minute.
“That final [failed fourth-down play] was the defining moment of the game,” Kaneland junior Andrew Eberle of the Hubs’ last attempt, in which they unsuccessfully tried to rush for a first down on fourth-and-10, and came up only inches short, near midfield.
The Hubs answered Kaneland’s early score with 3:30 left in the first quarter. Rochelle senior Ben Schwartz blocked a punt from sophomore Blake Serpa and ran it in 14 yards into the end zone.
In the second quarter, Rochelle’s senior quarterback Nate Eyster (four of eight, 52 yards) ran in a touchdown with 1:40 left in the half.
But on both occasions, Kaneland’s defense prevented a two-point conversion.
The game felt like a case study in opposites – Kaneland’s passing (214 total yards) versus Rochelle’s rushing (199 yards). But Camiliere’s 17-of-34 passing night won out. Camiliere also rushed for 77 yards.
“We have a lot of respect for Rochelle,” Camiliere said. “They definitely had a good defense. Our wide receivers had some fun playing off of them.”
Rochelle coach Kevin Crandall was less enthused about his team’s performance.
“We were on our heels the whole time,” he said. “I knew we were only 85 percent ready beforehand.”
The Knights (2-1, 1-0 WSC) play host to Sycamore next week.
Kane County Chronicle
MAPLE PARK – The Kaneland football team’s defense has come full circle.
After the young group was derided during a disappointing 2007 season, it led the way Friday as the Knights beat Rochelle, 16-12, in their Western Sun Conference opener.
The difference was even a drastic one from last week – a loss to Marmion – to Friday night.
“Our defense won the game for us,” Kaneland coach Tom Fedderly said. “It’s really an improvement from last week.”
The offense certainly helped things too with a 21-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Joe Camiliere to junior Pat Fleming a minute and 48 seconds into the game.
Fleming would lead the game in receiving with 85 yards and four receptions, and came up big again late. Kaneland reclaimed the lead in the fourth quarter thanks to Camiliere’s 38-yard pass to Fleming and Camiliere’s 4-yard game-winning touchdown rush with 4:21 left in the game.
From there, the game-winning defense kept the Hubs at bay, allowing them only to inch their way down the field. Kaneland’s defense also held on a key fourth-down play in the final minute.
“That final [failed fourth-down play] was the defining moment of the game,” Kaneland junior Andrew Eberle of the Hubs’ last attempt, in which they unsuccessfully tried to rush for a first down on fourth-and-10, and came up only inches short, near midfield.
The Hubs answered Kaneland’s early score with 3:30 left in the first quarter. Rochelle senior Ben Schwartz blocked a punt from sophomore Blake Serpa and ran it in 14 yards into the end zone.
In the second quarter, Rochelle’s senior quarterback Nate Eyster (four of eight, 52 yards) ran in a touchdown with 1:40 left in the half.
But on both occasions, Kaneland’s defense prevented a two-point conversion.
The game felt like a case study in opposites – Kaneland’s passing (214 total yards) versus Rochelle’s rushing (199 yards). But Camiliere’s 17-of-34 passing night won out. Camiliere also rushed for 77 yards.
“We have a lot of respect for Rochelle,” Camiliere said. “They definitely had a good defense. Our wide receivers had some fun playing off of them.”
Rochelle coach Kevin Crandall was less enthused about his team’s performance.
“We were on our heels the whole time,” he said. “I knew we were only 85 percent ready beforehand.”
The Knights (2-1, 1-0 WSC) play host to Sycamore next week.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Chargers hurt by late miscue
Published: Saturday 6, 2008
Kane Country Chronicle & McHenry County Sports
AURORA – For three quarters, both Aurora Central Catholic’s Chargers and Harvard High School’s Hornets played a hard and very close game.
But a key Chargers fumble in the fourth turned a close game Friday into a 42-21 win for the Hornets.
Hornets head coach Tim Haak gave much of the win’s credit to his offensive line. “[They] did a great job,” he said. “It was a tight game, but I thought our kids responded well.”
Throughout the game, each team’s star player dominated the field. For the Charger’s, senior quarterback Mike Adams threw two key touchdown passes, including a 72 yard bomb to senior wide receiver Matt Wagner in the first quarter to tie the game at 7-7.
Adams even rushed in a crucial third quarter touchdown and two-point conversion, tying the game at 21 at the end of the third quarter.
But the Chargers defense could not hold junior running back Vince Gabrys from the Hornets, who was approaching 300 rushing yards by the end.
The Chargers defense could not hold Gabrys back in the fourth. With the score tied at 21, Gabrys and senior running back Phillip Towne seized on a Chargers fumble and ran in three touchdown and doubled their score.
For the game’s final touchdown Gabrys rushed 55 yards, effectively shutting out the Charger’s hope of a comeback.
In the first half, it looked as if penalties were going to be the Hornet’s Achilles’ heel. Two back-to-back 15 yard penalties led the Chargers to their second touchdown.
Coach Haak simply called the penalties, “early season aggressive stuff,” that will be taken care of as the season progresses.
The Hornets are now 1-1 overall, while the Chargers are 0-2.
Kane Country Chronicle & McHenry County Sports
AURORA – For three quarters, both Aurora Central Catholic’s Chargers and Harvard High School’s Hornets played a hard and very close game.
But a key Chargers fumble in the fourth turned a close game Friday into a 42-21 win for the Hornets.
Hornets head coach Tim Haak gave much of the win’s credit to his offensive line. “[They] did a great job,” he said. “It was a tight game, but I thought our kids responded well.”
Throughout the game, each team’s star player dominated the field. For the Charger’s, senior quarterback Mike Adams threw two key touchdown passes, including a 72 yard bomb to senior wide receiver Matt Wagner in the first quarter to tie the game at 7-7.
Adams even rushed in a crucial third quarter touchdown and two-point conversion, tying the game at 21 at the end of the third quarter.
But the Chargers defense could not hold junior running back Vince Gabrys from the Hornets, who was approaching 300 rushing yards by the end.
The Chargers defense could not hold Gabrys back in the fourth. With the score tied at 21, Gabrys and senior running back Phillip Towne seized on a Chargers fumble and ran in three touchdown and doubled their score.
For the game’s final touchdown Gabrys rushed 55 yards, effectively shutting out the Charger’s hope of a comeback.
In the first half, it looked as if penalties were going to be the Hornet’s Achilles’ heel. Two back-to-back 15 yard penalties led the Chargers to their second touchdown.
Coach Haak simply called the penalties, “early season aggressive stuff,” that will be taken care of as the season progresses.
The Hornets are now 1-1 overall, while the Chargers are 0-2.
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