Aurora Christian hopes to leave Beebe speechless
Three days after Aurora Christian dealt Wilmington its first defeat, Eagles coach Don Beebe was still basically speechless.
It wasn't by choice. It got so loud during the Eagles' 18-16 victory in the Class 3A second-rounder, “I couldn't have a conversation with kids 10 feet away,” he said in a soft gravel monotone.
“I'm struggling. I really hoped to get it back by Saturday, because it's really going to be difficult to be able to coach a game with the way my voice is.”
Bruised vocal chords never kept Beebe off a football field before. They won't this Saturday on the road against another unbeaten Wing-T outfit, No. 1 seed Stillman Valley (11-0).
At this point, coming off playoff wins over Oregon and Wilmington and having faced power running teams throughout the season, one wonders why No. 6 seed Aurora Christian (7-4) couldn't again rise up to defeat a higher seed.
“We respect all and fear none,” said Beebe, who compared Stillman Valley to Wilmington and Driscoll's 2008 squad as championship caliber teams that present mental as well as physical and tactical challenges.
“We respect these programs,” he said. “Good gosh, look what they've done over these past years. But we're not going to go in and be afraid.”
Aurora Christian will go in hoping to contain Mike Lalor's Cardinals, the defending 3A champions, who won their 25th straight game by beating another strong rushing team, Immaculate Conception, 41-21.
Fullback Adam Cox pounded IC for 190 yards and 4 of his 28 touchdowns. The senior, also Stillman's leading tackler with 65 at inside linebacker, is used to this stage. He ran for 119 yards in the Cardinals' 55-22 win over Tolono Unity for last year's 3A title. Tailback Nate Bond led the title team in rushing yardage and does again in 2010, with 1,364 yards plus 13 touchdowns.
“Cox can go A-gap (inside), then the quarterback (Dane Green) goes off-tackle, then Bond is the fastest, he goes outside,” Beebe said. “They can really hurt you three ways. That's why we're going to have to play just a tremendous defensive game.”
While blossoming junior linebacker Kenny McCracken leads an Eagles defense that needs discipline and gang tackling, Aurora Christian's offense forces an uneasy choice between defending quarterback Anthony Maddie's arm and his legs.
Wilmington chose to double-cover Eagles receivers Chad Beebe (48 catches, 789 yards, 9 touchdowns) and Andrew Cassara (37 catches, 753 yards, 7 touchdowns).
That allowed Maddie running room. He capitalized with 172 yards rushing including an 85-yard touchdown on Aurora Christian's first play from scrimmage, and the game-winning 23-yard jaunt on one of its last.
Coach Beebe would gladly reinjure his vocal chords if it meant his boys, the lowest seed left in 3A, enjoyed another week of that.
“This is the hardest-working football team I've had,” he said softly, but firmly.