Brother Rice ends South Elgin's best season

South Elgin's seniors lingered on the field Saturday, exchanging handshakes and hugs well after Brother Rice's 34-28 Class 8A second-round victory was complete, not wanting to let go of the best season in school history.

Just minutes before they had been involved in one of the more thrilling slugfests of the 2015 state playoffs in any class, a game that featured six lead changes before No. 5 Brother Rice (10-1) finished off No. 12 South Elgin (9-2) with a Ricky Smalling interception that led to a four-minute, clock-killing drive.

Smalling, who didn't play in the first quarter due to a violation of team rules, also made 7 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.

"He didn't play the first quarter, but I'm glad he played the last three," Brother Rice coach Brian Badke said.

The Crusaders advance to a quarterfinal against No. 13. Palatine (9-2), which upset No. 4 Oak Park-River Forest 41-26.

The teams combined for 843 total yards (467 for Brother Rice) and 7 turnovers (4 by South Elgin).

"We had a fumble and 3 picks. You're just not going to get it done when you do that," South Elgin coach Pat Pistorio said.

The Crusaders drew first blood with a 16-yard touchdown throw from Cam Miller to senior Mike Kubil, but the Storm answered on the next play from scrimmage. Senior Jaurice Thomas took a modest swing pass from quarterback Jake AmRhein and turned it into a 68-yard touchdown up the right sideline, thanks to Andrew Kamienski's seal block.

Thomas later burned the Brother Rice defense for a 43-yard touchdown reception on sideline-hugging route, staking the Storm to a 21-17 lead with 7:40 left in the second quarter.

Brother Rice struck back with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a 12-yard touchdown throw from Miller to Julian Blain with 1:55 left in the half.

South Elgin took the lead back on its first possession of the third quarter, thanks to the concentration of Thomas. On third-and-12 from the 17, AmRhein was nearly intercepted at the 1-yard line by Blain. Instead, the ball deflected through Blain's hands and behind him to Thomas, who was standing at the goal line to make the touchdown catch. Nicolas Farfan's extra point gave the Storm their last lead at 28-24 with 6:21 left in the third quarter.

"I stayed with the ball, I stayed with his hands and I just (brought) it in," Thomas said. "I didn't give up on the play."

Brother Rice regained the lead for good at 31-28 with a 5-play, 59-yard drive, capped by junior Xavier Valladay's 6-yard scoring run with 4:45 left in the third quarter.

The Crusaders then extended their lead to 34-28 via sophomore John Richardson's 30-yard field goal with 1:05 left in the period.

Uncharacteristically, neither team scored in the fourth quarter. South Elgin marched to the Brother Rice 23-yard line with 5:32 left in the game, thanks to 61 of running back Shawn Griffin's 91 yards, but a 40-yard field goal attempt into a crosswind was too far for Farfan.

The Storm offense got another shot when Jake Kumerow intercepted Miller and returned it to the South Elgin 41 with 4:12 left in the game, but the excitement didn't last long. AmRhein was intercepted on the next play by a leaping Smalling, and the Crusaders subsequently picked up 2 first downs to run out the clock in victory formation.

AmRhein completed 15 of 32 passes for 281 yards and 4 touchdowns with 3 interceptions. Thomas made 5 catches for a game-high 140 yards and 3 touchdowns, and Kumerow finished with 4 catches for 84 yards and a score.

Miller led Brother Rice with 271 yards and 3 touchdowns on 24-of-41 passing. He was intercepted twice. Senior running back Clifton Taylor rushed for 140 yards on 28 carries.

After the postgame handshake-and-bearhug line trailed off, the Storm reflected on a groundbreaking season in which they won their first Upstate Eight Valley title and bettered the previous school record of 7 wins.

"There's a huge sense of pride," Kumerow said. "I don't think there's been a team like this that's been around Elgin or that area in a long time. Just to be on that team ... this group of guys is just a big family."

"The whole season was magical for me," said two-way lineman Mike Ribando, a St. Xavier recruit. "I've never been a part of a team like this and never been with a bunch of guys that cared as much for each other as they do for the game. It was just amazing to be a part of. Great year."