CN100 Game of the Week preview: Football - Aurora Christian vs. St. Francis
WHEATON – With the success former NFL star Don Beebe has had as Aurora Christian’s head coach the past decade, it’s hard for the Eagles to find teams willing to play them in nonconference action.
As a result, the past couple of seasons have started off in similar fashion for the two-time defending Class 3A state champions. Four blowout wins started off the season, putting the Eagles within a win of playoff eligibility before the calendar even hits October. They have outscored opponents 232-21 so far this season.
Friday, however, the Eagles will be challenged for the first time by St. Francis in a Suburban Christian Blue showdown that will be broadcast by CN100, The Comcast Network. The game will be shown at Noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, and 7 p.m., on Monday, Sept. 30. You can also find the game throughout Chicagoland with Xfinity on Demand.
Last season, Christian outscored its first four opponents 201-17 before handing St. Francis a 41-14 loss.
“We prepare the same way if we play a team that we think we should win against or a tougher opponent,” Beebe said. “We don’t approach the game differently. It’s hard to get 16 and 17 year olds to buy into that, but they’ve done a good job of playing good, hard football.”
Junior quarterback Austin Bray has taken to varsity football seamlessly. Beebe said that if he had to start Bray as a sophomore over the graduated Ryan McQuade the team likely would have still won the state title – that’s the kind of faith he has in the tall, rocket-armed junior.
His arm is so strong, in fact, that Beebe has had to work with him on his touch to avoid drops from his receivers.
“He’s the first quarterback I’ve had to tell to throw slower,” Beebe said. “He’s getting better at that. Austin is one of the better quarterbacks in the area. He has so much upside.”
His main targets in the passing game, Noah Roberts and Brandon Walgren, are also the team’s starting safeties, one of the better safety duos in the area. Legend Smith anchors the running game.
Three players now at Northern Illinois, Chad Beebe, Joel Bouagnon and Brandon Mayes, graduated off of last year’s squad. McQuade and several other star players also graduated.
If the Eagles can win 13 games like they did in 2008, 2011 and last year, Beebe would notch his 100th career win.
St. Francis missed the playoffs last season despite a 5-4 record, breaking a string of four straight playoff appearances, including the 2008 Class 5A state championship. The Spartans started off 3-0 before stumbling 30-7 to Montini in the conference opener last week.
Despite the lopsided outcome, and Montini’s star-studded defense, star running back James Butler still rushed for over 100 yards. He is Beebe’s main concern heading into Friday’s game.
“It starts with James Butler,” Beebe said. “I think he’s one of the best players in the state, maybe the best running back in the state. Montini may be the best defense in the state and he still had over 100 yards rushing. We have our hands full, no doubt. He’s like Michael Jordan. You know you can’t hold him under 20 points, you just hope he doesn’t score 50.”
- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent
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