Gene Chamberlain’s football notes: Huntley’s Anthony Binetti grows up at QB

Huntley quarterback Anthony Binetti is making the easy plays look easy now.

It may not sound like a huge accomplishment, but the Red Raiders junior struggled with this earlier, and now he’s one of the hottest quarterbacks in Class 8A as he leads his 8-1 team into Saturday’s home playoff game against Palatine (7-2).

“He’s always made the hard throws,” Huntley coach John Hart said. “I don’t know how many high school kids can make those throws.

“It’s been the gimmees that he’s struggled with. But he’s cleaned that up.”

Since Huntley’s only loss to state power Cary-Grove, Binetti has completed 39-of-68 for 763 yards and 10 touchdowns with two interceptions. On the year, he’s thrown for 1,667 yards on 96-of-173 for 21 TDs with five interceptions.

“He’s taken well to coaching, some of it is his desire, and also, I think we have to give a lot of credit to James Ambrose, our senior backup,” Hart said.

Rather than pout over being beaten out by a younger player for the starting job, Ambrose has unselfishly worked to help Binetti’s development.

“He’s been like a coach on the field, whether he’s pointing out a key Anthony didn’t read or helping support him,” Hart said. “The two worked together and it’s been a great support system.

“James could have won the spot. It was that close. But they’ve had a good working relationship, and I think it’s shown how much character they have.”

Another milestone?

St. Edward (9-0) wants to follow up its first perfect regular season and first Metro Suburban East title with the first home field playoff victory in school history Saturday against Alleman (5-4).

“They’ve been playing so far this year not to lose and to maintain that undefeated record and go 9-0,” coach Mike Rolando said. “That’s nice. But your season’s not over if you lose because 8-1 ain’t that bad.

“But if we lose now, the season’s over. The kids need to know they have to come out and play like they haven’t yet this year, and be at an added level of intensity and physicality because that’s what the playoffs take.”

The Green Wave’s other homefield playoff game still stings Rolando. In 2010, they were a 28-yard Mark Olenek field goal from the win.

“He had 41 extra points in a row and this was barely more than an extra point, and we got a high snap and that ruins the kick, and that’s the season,” Rolando said.

Sterling’s Sterling

Burlington Central (6-3) has a very simple defensive assignment Saturday in its home playoff game against Sterling (6-3): Stop Sterling’s Sterling Thornton.

The Golden Warriors quarterback is the epitome of an all-around threat in an offense that wants to possess the ball. Thornton has rushed for a team-high 996 yards.

The second-best gainer is Rafael Escalante, a running back who ran for 590 fewer yards.

“He’s not just a runner for us,” Sterling coach Jonathan Schlemmer said. “He doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to throw the ball.”

Thornton has completed 60-of-127 for 739 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Schlemmer said his team’s offense doubts Central will gamble to stop Thornton.

“They’ll come out in their 4-3 and they don’t make mistakes, don’t take risks — they play solid, basic defense and hit hard,” he said.