Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Gene Chamberlain2014-11-08T21:21:49-06:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/gene-chamberlain/rss2014-11-08T21:21:49-06:002019-04-18T17:34:55-05:00St. Edward can’t hold on against relentless Coal City
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<p>Aptly nicknamed the Coalers, Coal City’s football team relentlessly pounded, dug and chiseled away at St. Edward’s defense all game Saturday until the Green Wave finally caved in during Saturday’s Class 4A playoffs at Elgin’s Greg True Field.</p><p>With Jack Dibble rushing 40 times for 304 yards and four touchdowns, Coal City scored a 25-20 victory to end St. Edward’s season at 10-1 and advance to the quarterfinals against conference rival Manteno.</p><p>“They were just too big for us — they were big dudes,” St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said. “Our kids tried their hardest, played great, but (Coal City) just brought a little too much.”</p><p>St. Edward overcame deficits of 7-0 and 19-14 to lead 20-19 starting the fourth quarter behind the passing of quarterback Joe Mullen, who connected on nine straight passes during a second-half stretch and finished 15-of-28 for 194 yards with two touchdowns. But Coal City’s Dibble rushed for 223 of his yards in the second half to lead the Coalers (9-2) back from 14-7 and 20-19 deficits.</p><p>“It’s that way some games,” Dibble said. “We come and we try get things going. They know we’re going to run, but as the game goes on we continue to beat on people, we continue to run hard, we continue to block hard.</p><p>“And teams just get tired out.”</p><p>After Mullen hit Trevor Loewen for a 21-yard touchdown pass for a 20-19 St. Edward lead, the Coalers went back to work pounding the ball behind 285-pound Matt Long, 275-pound Andrew Mathena and 265-pound T.J. Lightner. They drove 65 yards on nine runs to score on Dibble’s 17-yard burst for a 25-20 lead with 8:36 left.</p><p>“He’s a great runner,” St. Edward linebacker Chris Kelly said. “We would go and take on the lead blocker, we’d leave him no hole to go through. He’s not small but he could hit those small holes and slither through there.”</p><p>St. Edward had good field position at its 44 to try to regain the lead, but Mullen lost the ball on a fumble after a blind-side blitz by Kevin Myers. When he got the ball back and drove St. Edward to midfield with 5:12 left, Corey Jurzak picked off a long pass at the 18-yard line. The Coalers never gave it back with a drive to the St. Edward 2-yard line as time expired.</p><p>“We didn’t want to give them the ball with a minute-anything left because they were very dangerous and could make some plays,” Coal City coach Len Onsen said. “We were trying to eat clock, eat clock and get the heck out of Dodge.”</p><p>Dibble scored on a 2-yard run after a Brad Littleton interception had given the Coalers the ball at St. Edward’s 36 with three minutes left in the half, but the Green Wave countered with Dwayne Allen’s 3-yard TD run to end a 71-yard two-minute drill and trailed 7-6 following a blocked conversion.</p><p>Allen, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards, was limited to 23 yards on 21 carries, so Mullen went to the air and 6-foot-4 Nick Duffy six times total for 110 yards.</p><p>“He’s been my receiver since we were sophomores,” Mullen said. “I felt like when it came to that time, it was time to go to Nick.”</p><p>Duffy stole a 23-yard completion from Jurzak to set up Mullen’s 1-yard QB sneak, but that started four TDs in the last 5:01 of the third quarter.</p><p>Dibble broke a 28-yard TD, and, after a St. Edward punt, he got loose for a 33-yard TD run and a 19-14 Coaler lead.</p><p>A Saveon Smith 63-yard kick return set up Loewen’s TD catch, and Joe French’s point-after kick for a 20-19 St. Edward lead with 28 seconds left in the third quarter. But Coal City kept pounding away.</p><p>“There were a lot of big collisions, a lot of big hits,” Kelly said. “We did a good job of just getting after their back. It definitely was the most physical game I’ve ever played.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/11/8/18490172/st-edward-can-t-hold-on-against-relentless-coal-cityGene Chamberlain2014-11-01T17:38:39-05:002019-04-18T17:56:36-05:00St. Edward, Dwayne Allen throw wrench into Alleman’s plans
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<p>The 288 yards rushing with touchdowns of 75, 61 and 50 yards mattered far less Saturday to St. Edward junior running back Dwayne Allen Jr. than one other number.</p><p>“Ten and 0 is a good feeling right now,” he said.</p><p>Allen’s three touchdowns and game-clinching interception, and a much smaller defense that dominated bigger Rock Island Alleman, led to St. Edward’s 31-12 victory in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.</p><p>“It kind of makes me speechless,” St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said, after the Green Wave won a playoff game on their own field for the first time. “I’m oozing with pride for my boys.</p><p>“Their average line was 243 pounds and their range from 230 to 280 and their linebackers are 230, so I really didn’t think we’d be able to control the line of scrimmage or survive. And we dominated the line of scrimmage.”</p><p>A St. Edward defense led by Augie Nottolini, Josh Von Rohr, Jack Tierney and Jake French repeatedly stuffed the wing-T power running of Alleman (5-5), allowing only 66 yards rushing as the Green Wave (10-0) earned a shot at Coal City in the second round.</p><p>“For us, size doesn’t mean anything,” Nottolini said. “It’s all about our heart. Coach Rolando always says heart is what wins high school football games.”</p><p>St. Edward’s defensive dominance — 165 total yards — let its offense be patient and probe with the passing game and Allen, until their running threat started breaking big gains to put it away.</p><p>“Their running back could make a play at any point,” Alleman coach Dave DeJaegher said. “Our kids played hard and hung in but couldn’t get it done against a very good football team.</p><p>“They’ll be dangerous for any team to deal with.”</p><p>Allen broke straight up the middle and turned on the burners for a 75-yard TD run to start the Green Wave’s third possession, but Alleman countered with a 35-yard TD pass from Kelan Whan to Kylee Dorsey at 10:18 before halftime. However, Joe French had made the first of his four extra point kicks and a bad snap wiped out Alleman’s conversion try so St. Edward led 7-6.</p><p>The Green Wave took advantage of good field position when Joe Mullen rolled out and found Trevor Loewen for a 27-yard TD strike 55 seconds before halftime to make it 14-6.</p><p>“Trevor read it, he saw me rolling and I told him if he saw me rolling, just flow with me,” said Mullen, who was 8-for-21 for 67 yards. “We had the connection and I just shot it to him.”</p><p>Alleman stayed within striking distance until Allen took a handoff out of the spread and cut off the left edge all the way for a 61-yard TD.</p><p>“The cutbacks were real open,” said Allen, who had 24 carries. “It opened up the passing game, and our passing game started to slow down, and that’s when we started running more.”</p><p>A 27-yard TD pass from Whan to Dorsey got the Pioneers back within 21-12, but still two scores down with 9:44 to play because of a botched snap on the PAT.</p><p>French made a 37-yard field goal with 2:44 remaining for a 24-12 lead, and Allen capped it by breaking a 50-yard TD around right end with 2:06 left following his own interception.</p><p>“We tried to spread things out a little for Dwayne,” Rolando said. “When we play these bigger teams, they have trouble with a guy like Dwayne.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/11/1/18493469/st-edward-dwayne-allen-throw-wrench-into-alleman-s-plansGene Chamberlain2014-11-01T16:48:34-05:002019-04-18T17:50:50-05:00St. Charles North turns up defense, rolls past Rolling Meadows
<p>All year long St. Charles North had relied on its stout defense to shut opponents down, but Saturday night it was the offense that closed out a 34-22 Class 7A playoff win at Rolling Meadows.</p><p>Quarterback Nathan Didier ran for three touchdowns and running back Eric Lins powered in for two more to help the ninth-seeded North Stars (8-2) finish off the eighth-seeded Mustangs (7-3) and advance to a second-round game against top-seeded Cary-Grove.</p><p>Didier broke a 46-yard run up the middle on third down for a touchdown to seal the victory after a late fourth-quarter rally by Rolling Meadows had made the game interesting.</p><p>Didier finished with 74 yards rushing and completed 17-for-27 for 198 yards.</p><p>The Stars drove 59 yards to the game’s first score on Didier’s 2-yard run off right guard on fourth-and-goal with 9:37 left in the second quarter.</p><p>St. Charles North’s defense completely dominated Rolling Meadows in the first half after allowing one drive to the Stars’ 28-yard line that ended on downs. The Mustangs never managed another scoring threat until the Stars had gone up 20-0.</p><p>The Stars’ defense triggered North’s first two scores of the second half. Nick Zamenick picked off a pass by Mustangs quarterback R.J. Mattucci, and North drove 40 yards to Lins’ first TD on a 5-yard run with 6:38 left in the third quarter to make it 14-0.</p><p>A fumble recovery by North’s Dalton Young at the Rolling Meadows 29 gave Didier the chance for his second TD run, this from a yard out with 3:58 left in the third quarter for a 20-0 lead.</p><p>Lins, who rushed for 65 yards on 22 carries, scored on a 2-yard run with 6:57 left in the game after Tyler Mettetal’s fourth-down sack of Mattucci at the Rolling Meadows 15.</p><p>That TD seemed to lock up a Stars win, building a 28-6 lead.</p><p>However, Mattucci, who completed 13-for-23 for 182 yards, fired a perfect 70-yard bomb to Jack O’Neill with 6:45 left in the game. Then he made it interesting by throwing a 42-yard TD strike to Jack Swindells with 2:07 remaining, and the 2-point conversion pass drew Rolling Meadows within 28-22.</p><p>North recovered the ensuing onside kick and on fourth down, while trying to kill as much time as possible, Didier broke his 46-yard clinching score.</p><p>Blake Kastein hauled in five catches for 69 yards for North, while Kyle Novotney had four catches for 40 yards.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/11/1/18492586/st-charles-north-turns-up-defense-rolls-past-rolling-meadowsGene Chamberlain2014-10-30T21:39:30-05:002019-04-18T17:09:42-05:00Gene Chamberlain’s football notes: St. Charles North's offense faces test
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<p>St. Charles North is about to find out exactly how far its offense has progressed.</p><p>A road game at Rolling Meadows (7-2) Saturday (6:30 p.m.) in the Class 7A playoffs is likely to test a North Stars attack that has averaged 45.7 points during a four-game winning streak.</p><p>“Our offensive coaches have done a great job fitting pieces in we’ve needed to after we had some key injuries early,” said Pomazak, who is in his second season. “We had to switch quarterbacks and after that we’ve become more potent.”</p><p>The offensive improvement came against teams with a combined 8-28 record, so the playoffs represent a big step up.</p><p>Senior Nathan Didier became starting quarterback in midseason and junior QB Kyle Novotney moved to slot receiver. It benefited North in several ways. Didier completed 45-of-67 for 607 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions the final four games, while Novotney became the team’s leading pass catcher with 17 receptions, 245 yards and three touchdowns all over the final five games. Didier also is a threat in the read-option with 252 yards.</p><p>“We started stretching the defenses horizontally and vertically and it gave us a chance,” Pomazak said.</p><p>It didn’t hurt that running back Dom Sidari returned from a back injury, and that sophomore Eric Lins, playing up, began producing at a high level.</p><p>“We’d been using wide receivers and other kids who’d never played running back in their careers when Dom was hurt,” Pomazak said.</p><p>The defense, led by defensive end Jordan Bergren and linebackers Brendan McCarthy and Carson Schmitt continued producing at a dominant level.</p><p>While North plays a Mid-Suburban League East foe, Pomazak may have a bit of inside knowledge.</p><p>“I’m pretty familiar with them since I was an assistant at Elk Grove (prior to St. Charles North) and we played them once a year,” Pomazak said. “They’re a physical team with their read-option.”</p><p><b>“Throwback’ vs. Wave</b></p><p>Part of the fun of the playoffs is facing new players and schemes, and St. Edward will see this in Alleman senior leader Luke Saskowski (6-1, 205 pounds).</p><p>Saskowski plays defensive end and fullback, but he’s athletic enough that he’s been able to play safety and linebacker, and started the year as the quarterback.</p><p>“He rarely is off the field — he’s a real throwback type,” Alleman coach Dave DeJaegher said.</p><p>Kelan Whan took over at quarterback when Saskowski moved to fullback.</p><p>“It let us get more good athletes on the field,” DeJaegher said.</p><p>Alleman also got breakaway running threat Kylee Dorsey back from a fractured fibula late in the year and the power running, winged-T attack has taken off.</p><p>“They use an offense we used to see from Hampshire and also from Genoa in the past,” St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said.</p><p><b>More Rocket depth</b></p><p>Burlington Central coach Rich Crabel has used an uncomplicated approach to get his team to its 1 p.m. home 5A playoff game with Sterling despite injuries and the loss of players due to suspensions earlier.</p><p>“We just tell them to do their own jobs, especially on defense that’s the case,” he said. “I know it sounds boring. I know the players probably get bored hearing it from me and I kid about it, but it’s really the truth.</p><p>“Our discipline and executing the job each one has are the keys.”</p><p>Central used Brad Sorenson, Jason Berango and Kyle Trumbrower as a safety by committee to replace injured Adam Skirmont (ankle) but he could be back this game.</p><p>The Rockets at different times have been without every single offensive backfield starter, as well as five defensive players.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/10/30/18486251/gene-chamberlain-s-football-notes-st-charles-north-8217-s-offense-faces-testGene Chamberlain2014-10-30T21:37:30-05:002019-04-18T19:11:54-05:00Four playoff football games to watch for Elgin area in Round 1
<p><b>CLASS 4A</b></p><p><b>Rock Island Alleman (5-4) at St. Edward (9-0), 1 p.m. Saturday</b></p><p><b>Next up for winner</b>: Mendota (6-3) or Coal City (7-2).</p><p><b>Key players</b>: Rock Island Alleman — FB/DE Luke Saskowski, RB Kylee Dorsey; St. Edward — DL/LB Jake French, RB/CB Dwayne Allen.</p><p><b>Outlook</b>: An intriguing, classic matchup. St. Edward is the passing team with a wide-open offense, undefeated but having faced only one playoff team. Alleman played a torturous schedule, has plenty of past playoff success, and relies on its defense and running game. Much for St. Edward will depend on whether defensive players like French (11 sacks), DT Dan Howell, LB Chris Kelly and DL Augie Nottolini can stand up to a bigger offensive line and Alleman’s wing-T attack, and whether the Green Wave offensive line can generate holes for Allen while keeping QB Joe Mullen clean against a 3-2/4-2 defensive alignment. A victory would be St. Edward’s first at home in the playoffs.</p><p><b>CLASS 5A</b></p><p><b>Sterling (6-3) at Burlington Central (6-3), 1 p.m. Saturday.</b></p><p><b>Next up for winner</b>: Marian Central (5-4) or Solorio Academy (8-1).</p><p><b>Key players</b>: Sterling — QB Sterling Thornton, WR Turner Morse; Burlington Central — RB Jason Berango, FB/LB Brad Sorenson.</p><p><b>Outlook</b>: Two offenses that prefer to run the ball or throw short. Sterling has larger linemen than many Rocket opponents, except for Hampshire and Dixon. Thornton can run the option or scramble for big yardage. He’s accounted for 996 yards rushing and 739 passing. Morse (30 catches, 321 yards) and RB Rafael Escalante (75 carries, 406 yards) are the Golden Warriors’ other big threats. Sterling’s defense will take a few more chances than Central, which plays a fundamental style in a four-man front, led by Kyle Blankenburg, who has had an interception and fumble recovery the past two games. Expect a low-scoring, hard-hitting battle.</p><p><b>CLASS 7A</b></p><p><b>St. Charles North (7-2) at Rolling Meadows (7-2), 6:30 p.m. Saturday</b></p><p><b>Next up for winner</b>: Niles North (5-4) or Cary-Grove (9-0).</p><p><b>Key players</b>: St. Charles North — RB Dom Sidari, DE Jordan Bergren; Rolling Meadows — QB R.J. Mattucci, RB Antonio Atencio.</p><p><b>Outlook</b>: St. Charles North has lived and died all season with defense and Bergren’s pressure along the defensive front, but has started to put together an effective offense in recent games, too. Like North, Rolling Meadows will come out in a three-man defensive front. Mattucci is a run-pass threat out of the spread attack for the Mustangs, with 645 yards rushing and 822 passing, despite missing time due to injuries. The size advantage Rolling Meadows has up front, with players like Greg Off (6-7, 300) and Francisco Trejo (6-0, 245), could be big. Experience also could be a factor. Rolling Meadows made quarterfinals in 6A last year while North is in its first playoff game since 2009.</p><p><b>CLASS 8A</b></p><p><b>Palatine (7-2) at Huntley (8-1), 2 p.m. Saturday</b></p><p><b>Next up for winner</b>: Fremd (6-3) or Glenbard West (9-0).</p><p><b>Key players</b>: Palatine — RB Chris Cornelius, QB Nicholas Orlando; Huntley — G Justus Woods, DE Jeremy Behnke.</p><p><b>Outlook</b>: Huntley, looking for its first playoff win under coach John Hart and first since 2008, faces a Palatine team that won the Mid-Suburban West. Palatine’s speed on offense is sure to test the Red Raiders’ greatest strength, which is the defensive line. Palatine uses a spread offense, and Cornelius (1,239 yards) isn’t the only rushing threat that confronts Huntley’s D-line of Jeremy Behnke, Zack Herbert, Chase Burkart, Tim McCloyn and Tim Larson. Huntley QB Anthony Binetti will need a big game from RB Casey Haayer to keep pressure at bay and help him avoid interceptions. Palatine brings in a six-game winning streak.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/10/30/18505121/four-playoff-football-games-to-watch-for-elgin-area-in-round-1Gene Chamberlain2014-10-29T19:34:30-05:002019-04-18T18:54:49-05:00St. Edward has savvy offensive leader in quarterback Joe Mullen
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<p>St. Edward senior quarterback Joe Mullen and coach Mike Rolando seem to have found that ideal place all coaches and their signal callers seek to attain.</p><p>The goal is for the quarterback to know the offense so well that the two seem to read each other’s mind.</p><p>Mullen’s 25 touchdown passes to three interceptions over his last eight games testify to his talent level and mastery of Rolando’s offense, as the Green Wave (9-0) head into Saturday’s Class 4A home playoff game (1 p.m.) against perennial state power Rock Island Alleman (5-4).</p><p>“It’s like having my eyes out there on the field,” Rolando said. “He knows why I called a certain play, why we ran a certain motion, which route might be a dummy route to run some guys off and which one we’re trying to hit, and which defensive guy we’re trying to fool. All of those things Joe and I have been on the same page with.</p><p>“We went into the season opener and we were able to run our entire offense out of no-huddle if we wanted to. For us, that’s definitely a first. That’s rare, but Joe’s talent level is very rare.”</p><p>The 6-2, 190-pound Mullen has played with the varsity since his sophomore year, but became first-team quarterback last year after an early-season battle with Bryan O’Neill. He completed 58-of-120 for 957 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions then.</p><p>After a torrid finish to this regular season — 18 TD passes and one interception the last five games — Mullen is 83-off-148 for 1,526 yards with 25 TD passes and six interceptions. Thanks to this, and running back Dwayne Allen’s 1,253 rushing yards, St. Edward averages 42.7 points per game.</p><p>“The whole thing about this offense is it’s so well-balanced that we can run it to open up the pass or pass to open up the run,” Mullen said.</p><p>Mullen has a lot to do with the balance. He favors no one receiver.</p><p>Four Green Wave receivers have between 13 and 22 catches. Nick Duffy, at 6-4, has emerged the top possession receiver with 22 catches and 299 yards, but Petey DeWindt has 18 catches and 248 yards. Santos Gomez (13-280) and Trevor Loewen (16-432) are the big-play guys.</p><p>“It’s all just pre-snap reads (of the defense) which one of them I want to go to; if I want to go to Nick and use his height, or Trevor’s speed,” Mullen said. “Coach Ro is good at making the offense adjust to what the defense is showing us.”</p><p>Rolando recalled his own quarterback experience at Larkin under former coach Bob Krieger, and the advantage once his own understanding of the offense became a strength.</p><p>“We only had one year together and I was very inefficient at first, but about the middle of the year we started getting on the same page and he had me audible many different calls by the playoffs,” Rolando said. “When you can be a quarterback and you’re able to look at the defense and say I’m going to something else that will work better, that’s a pretty powerful thing.</p><p>“Most of the time high school defenses are probably not going to change out of what they’ve called.”</p><p>Whether St. Edward can operate this way and beat an Alleman team that defeated four teams with enrollments of 1,353 or more is the question.</p><p>“I think we have a monumental task in facing Alleman,” Rolando said. “That’s a seasoned team that’s been to state.</p><p>“We know we have our work cut out for us, but we think we’re a pretty good football team, too.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/10/29/18502448/st-edward-has-savvy-offensive-leader-in-quarterback-joe-mullenGene Chamberlain2014-10-29T19:34:30-05:002019-04-18T18:17:18-05:00Gene Chamberlain’s football notes: Huntley’s Anthony Binetti grows up at QB
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<p>Huntley quarterback Anthony Binetti is making the easy plays look easy now.</p><p>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).</p><p>“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.</p><p>“It’s been the gimmees that he’s struggled with. But he’s cleaned that up.”</p><p>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.</p><p>“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.</p><p>Rather than pout over being beaten out by a younger player for the starting job, Ambrose has unselfishly worked to help Binetti’s development.</p><p>“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.</p><p>“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.”</p><p><b>Another milestone?</b></p><p>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).</p><p>“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.</p><p>“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.”</p><p>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.</p><p>“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.</p><p><b>Sterling’s Sterling</b></p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>The second-best gainer is Rafael Escalante, a running back who ran for 590 fewer yards.</p><p>“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.”</p><p>Thornton has completed 60-of-127 for 739 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.</p><p>Schlemmer said his team’s offense doubts Central will gamble to stop Thornton.</p><p>“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.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/10/29/18496655/gene-chamberlain-s-football-notes-huntley-s-anthony-binetti-grows-up-at-qbGene Chamberlain2014-10-27T18:54:30-05:002019-04-18T19:07:18-05:00Gene Chamberlain's football notes: Burlington C. hopeful for Adam Skirmont
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<p>Burlington Central football coach Rich Crabel is unsure whether he’ll have Adam Skirmont back as his starter at quarterback for the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.</p><p>However, the real concern might be whether he’ll have Skirmont — who missed the regular-season finale due to an ankle sprain — to play safety for the 1 p.m. Saturday game at home against Sterling (6-3).</p><p>“We won’t know more about that until later in the week, but that probably hurts us on defense because he’s really smart at the safety position,” Crabel said. “He gets where he’s supposed to be.</p><p>“We’ve worked a lot of different combinations in the secondary without him and it would be helpful if he was available.”</p><p>Most teams might be more concerned at quarterback, but Crabel plugged in junior Robert Doubek, who started earlier this year.</p><p>“Robert played last game and did just fine,” Crabel said.</p><p>Doubek has completed half of his 114 passes for 758 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. He only needed to throw seven passes Friday in a 55-12 rout of winless Rockford Christian.</p><p>Regardless of who plays quarterback, the emphasis in Central’s passing attack remains getting the ball to 6-4 receiver Brenden Bushy.</p><p>The senior hadn’t played football since junior high and still caught a team-best 29 passes for 479 yards and six touchdowns this season after hauling in a 41-yard TD pass Friday from Doubek.</p><p>“When we started in offseason work, I felt lost,” Bushy said. “I was confused, didn’t know the offense, where to go on plays, things like that.</p><p>“Coaches kept working with me, luckily. And coach Crabel had the best advice when he said, ‘Just run fast, jump high and catch the ball.’ I had no idea I could have this kind of season, but I love it and kind of wish I had come out for football before this.”</p><p><b>Big play Wave</b></p><p>St. Edward’s passing attack has featured numerous receivers catching passes from Joseph Mullen, but the player who has emerged as a threat after being an unknown early is sophomore Trevor Loewen.</p><p>“He’s a big-play guy,” coach Mike Rolando said. “Nick Duffy and Petey DeWindt have been more the possession guys, but Trevor and Santos (Gomez) have been big-play types. Trevor’s playing time really increased when we lost Danny (Favela) to injury for a while or he would have been rotating in.</p><p>“He’s really blossomed and he’s still a young player.”</p><p>Loewen finished the regular season averaging 27.0 yards per catch. He had 16 receptions, half of which went for touchdowns, and 432 yards. Gomez had 13 catches for 280 yards and four TDs.</p><p>The Green Wave (9-0) host Rock Island Alleman (5-4) at 1 p.m. Satuday at Greg True Field in the 4A playoffs.</p><p><b>Huntley’s home-field edge</b></p><p>There are plenty of advantages on both sides of the ball for Huntley (8-1) and Palatine (7-2) in a 2 p.m. Saturday 8A matchup, but the home-field advantage the Red Raiders could be a huge one. Huntley games generally attract huge crowds.</p><p>“It’s going to be an incredible atmosphere,” Huntley coach John Hart said. “Our crowds have been terrific.</p><p>“We’ve had as many as 6,000 for our homecoming game and had crowds approaching that size two other times. We might have had even more but we had tough weather a few times.”</p><p> </p><p><b>IHSA first-round football pairings</b></p><p><b>Class 8A</b></p><p>(10) Palatine (7-2) at (7) Huntley (8-1), 2 p.m. Saturday</p><p><b>Class 7A</b></p><p>(9) St. Charles North (7-2) at (8) Rolling Meadows (7-2), 6:30 p.m. Saturday</p><p><b>Class 5A</b></p><p>(10) Sterling (6-3) at (7) Burlington Central (6-3), 1 p.m. Saturday</p><p><b>Class 4A</b></p><p>(15) Rock Island Alleman (5-4) at (2) St. Edward (9-0), 1 p.m. Saturday<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/10/27/18504415/gene-chamberlain-8217-s-football-notes-burlington-c-hopeful-for-adam-skirmontGene Chamberlain2014-10-25T22:44:18-05:002019-04-18T18:01:48-05:00Unbeaten St. Edward draws a second seed for playoffs
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<p>When St. Edward rolled to four straight easy victories in its new conference for its first perfect regular season, questions lingered over the severity of the Green Wave schedule.</p><p>Skeptics will receive an immediate answer to their questions in the state playoffs as St. Edward (9-0) drew a second seed in its Class 4A bracket and received the difficult first-round assignment of hosting a strong 15th seed in Rock Island Alleman (5-4).</p><p>“At this time of year we’re just excited to be playing more games and everybody is going to be tough in the postseason,” Green Wave coach Mike Rolando said. “There’s not a bad team in this. Our kids will show up like in all the other big games this year.”</p><p>When state playoff pairings were released Saturday night, Burlington Central (5A), St. Charles North (7A) and Huntley (8A) were the only other area qualifiers. Central hosts Sterling, St. Charles North is at Rolling Meadows and Huntley hosts Palatine.</p><p>South Elgin and Jacobs were left out in the cold on tiebreaker criteria after finishing 5-4.</p><p>“There were a lot of variables we couldn’t control,” South Elgin coach Pat Pistorio said. “Any time get to that four-loss mark you’re rolling dice and we knew that. You look back on a play here or there, the loss to Crystal Lake South, as being costly.”</p><p>Unbeaten St. Edward had no problem getting to the dance, but advancing won’t be easy. Alleman may be 5-4, but was second in the state two of the last four years and was this year’s conference champion in the difficult Western Big Six.</p><p>“They play bigger schools, but so do we,” Rolando said.</p><p>If St. Edward advances, the next assignment would be the winner between Coal City and Mendota.</p><p>“Right now the kids are just excited to have a home game to start,” Rolando said.</p><p>Like St. Edward, Burlington Central is elated not to be traveling in Round 1 against Sterling.</p><p>“It’s awesome to have a home game — they’ll be making the long drive,” coach Rich Crabel said. “They were one of the teams on our radar. We know some things about them. They run a lot of what Johnsburg ran against us.”</p><p>If Central beats Sterling, the second game would be against the winner between 15th-seeded Marian Central (5-4) and second-seeded Solorio (8-1).</p><p>In 7A, if St. Charles North gets past eighth-seeded Rolling Meadows, it faces the winner between top-seeded Cary-Grove and 16th-seed Niles North. If Huntley stops 10th-seeded Palatine in 8A, the winner between second-seeded Glenbard West and 15th-seeded Fremd would loom.</p><p>Action on the bubble proved explosive Saturday. South Elgin had 38 playoff points and didn’t make it, but four of the five teams with 39 playoff points also came up short, including Jacobs.</p><p>Jacobs had been confident in a playoff berth after beating McHenry 50-25 Friday but several 6-3 teams emerged from Saturday games and Jacobs lost on secondary tiebreaker — only 10 wins by teams the Golden Eagles had beaten.</p><p>“It’s been a long time since I’ve been on this side of the fence and this is a tough pill to swallow,” Jacobs coach Bill Mitz said. “I’m not looking forward to meeting with the boys on Monday.</p><p>“It was pretty emotionally deflating already when I talked to the captains.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/10/25/18494297/unbeaten-st-edward-draws-a-second-seed-for-playoffsGene Chamberlain2014-10-24T23:41:06-05:002019-04-18T19:12:51-05:00Chris Katrenick kickstarts Jacobs past McHenry for fifth win
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<p>When McHenry started Friday’s home game by successfully recovering an onside kick and then recovered another in the first half, it became apparent Jacobs would have no walk-through on the way to becoming playoff eligible.</p><p>The Golden Eagles steadied themselves, however, recovering from a 15-6 deficit and scoring on six straight possessions to pile up a 50-25 Fox Valley Valley victory behind three Chris Katrenick touchdown passes to Camden McLain and 210 yards rushing from Josh Walker.</p><p>“We weren’t panicked,” Katrenick said. “We knew what we were capable of. Once we got after it, we were rolling and no one could stop us.”</p><p>Katrenick, who completed 10-for-17 for 136 yards, took advantage of a McHenry defense keying on the speedy Walker, and connected on a play-action, 32-yard TD pass to a wide-open McLain to break a 22-22 tie with 58 seconds left in the first half.</p><p>“We tried to go after it like Auburn’s offense, with run, run, run and then play-action pass,” McLain said. “And it worked.”</p><p>After that TD pass, it was all Jacobs (5-4, 2-3).</p><p>“It’s a great win for our kids, to come back,” Jacobs coach Bill Mitz said as his team snapped a three-game losing streak. “It’s been a tough three weeks.”</p><p>When Katrenick found McLain for a 26-yard TD pass with 7:05 left in the third quarter, the lead hit 14.</p><p>Still leading 36-25 after Scott Marunde kicked a 30-yard field goal for McHenry (3-6, 1-4), the Golden Eagles took complete command with a 74-yard drive that ended on a 12-yard power run up the middle by Matt Barnes, who had 86 yards on 12 carries.</p><p>“He’s a tough hombre,” Mitz said of Barnes.</p><p>Katrenick started the Jacobs’ scoring on a 9-yard TD scramble, but Walker was the show on the ground. He broke a 44-yard TD run off left guard with a couple of sharp cuts right after McHenry’s Michael Briscoe had connected with Mike Borst for a 21-yard TD and a 15-6 lead. Then Walker scored on a 6-yard run to tie it at 22 after McHenry had gone up 22-14 on Briscoe’s 3-yard TD sneak.</p><p>“He’s Walker, he makes the plays,” Mitz said.</p><p>McHenry had the plays early from Briscoe, who finished 14-for-25 for 241 yards. He threw a 58-yard TD pass to Giovanni Purpura to start the scoring, besides the TD to Briscoe (four catches, 69 yards). But Jacobs recovered from that and losing the onside kicks, then sealed it in the last two minutes with McLain’s 15-yard TD catch.</p><p>“It happens like that a lot in football,” Briscoe said. “You can catch them off guard like we did on the onside kicks, but the good teams know how to respond.</p><p>“I hope we had them on their heels, or that they felt that way at least.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/10/24/18505282/chris-katrenick-kickstarts-jacobs-past-mchenry-for-fifth-winGene Chamberlain