Trojans, Gators meet up in big Valley contest

Ho-hum. Same old, same old. Just another game of the year in the Fox Valley Conference between the Trojans and Gators.

"Oh, you know, it's just like any other game," said CL South coach Jim Stuglis, tongue in cheek. "Yeah, right!"

Crystal Lake South (6-1, 2-1) and Cary-Grove (6-1, 3-0) have met five times in three years, including three straight matchups in the state playoffs. Cary-Grove has gone 4-1 against the Gators in those meetings, losing only a state quarterfinal, 20-14, on its home field in 2005.

The repeated postseason matchups between the District 155 schools coupled with their recent regular-season showdowns to decide conference and division titles have fostered the most intense rivalry in the FVC.

"It's turned into that with the expectations of the type of game it's going to be and the types of battles that we've had," Stuglis said. "I'm assuming it will be the same type of scenario this year."

Each team is already playoff bound and each controls its own destiny as far as winning the FVC Valley Division title is concerned.

Thanks to their big win at McHenry last week, the Trojans are the lone undefeated team in the Valley with two games to play. But that's nothing new for Cary-Grove, which has won 26 straight conference games dating back to Week 9 of the 2004 season. A win over the Gators in Crystal Lake tonight would guarantee the Trojans a share of their fourth straight conference or division title.

If Cary-Grove beats CL South and follows up with a home win over Woodstock in Week 9, the Trojans would win their fourth straight, undefeated title in the FVC.

Cary-Grove has adhered to the same winning formula it has honed to perfection over the past three years.

Offensively, the Trojans patiently grind out 3 or 4 yards per play in their triple-option scheme, waiting for the defense to blink, waiting for the other team to slip up by an inch so the Trojans can turn an ordinary play into a big gainer.

The offense is spearheaded by quarterback A.J. Hoger. The senior has rushed for 551 yards and 7 touchdowns and has thrown for 429 yards and 9 scores.

But Cary-Grove doesn't wait for one hero to save the day; it has several who provide balanced scoring.

Hoger's 7 rushing touchdowns are complemented by senior running back Kyle Gray (6 TDs), sophomore Eric Chandler (4) and senior Andrew Schuh (3). Senior wide receiver Dan McCall also has 4 touchdowns.

"Two weeks ago (vs. Dundee-Crown) Hoger rushed for 185 yards, and last week Gray went for 125 yards and 3 TDs (against McHenry), so I just think our kids have done a fine job of playing solid, fundamental football," Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay said. "Overall, we've played disciplined football and protected the football. Those qualities will win a lot of football games.

"But we know South is very talented, well coached and will be ready to play. It will be a very big evening. There's a lot of football fans in McHenry County who look at this Week 8 as very interesting."

Defensively, Cary-Grove allows a measly 9.6 points a game despite returning just two full-time starters on that side of the ball from a team that went 11-1 and lost in a state quarterfinal.

Beyond mainstays Paul Rands at linebacker and defensive back Adam Zaabel, the Trojans plugged holes on defense using unsung players like Mike Matthiesen (6-3, 185), a senior who was the B-team quarterback the last three years. Kay said Matthiesen showed "tremendous desire" in switching to defensive end in order to get on the field.

Another example is linebacker Ryan Grambo (6-2, 172), who started at tight end in the quarterfinal loss to Batavia last year. Told he would be needed more at linebacker in 2007, Grambo studied film in the off-season and joined the track team to improve his speed.

"Those are two guys right there who really came out of nowhere, so to speak," Kay said. "We certainly thought there was enough athletic ability for the kids to play good defense over there. It was just a matter of how long would it take to get them there and would they have the discipline and determination. We certainly saw plenty of determination in the off-season, so we knew we had good kids who worked hard."

Despite a loss at Jacobs two weeks ago, Crystal Lake South can still win a share of the Valley title by winning its two remaining home games against the Trojans and McHenry (5-2, 2-1).

The Gators can still win the Valley outright by finishing with wins over Cary-Grove and McHenry, coupled with a Woodstock victory in Cary next week.

The Gators got back on track with a 41-7 win against Dundee-Crown a week after they stubbed their collective toe in a 16-7 loss at Jacobs.

"You feel better coming into this game off a win than you would a loss," Stuglis said. "It's easier to focus for the kids because they're not just focusing on all the negatives. I like how our offensive line and defensive lines played last week, so hopefully that carries over to this week."

The Gators are led offensively by quarterback Ian Ormseth and sophomore running back Colin Masterson, who has rushed for 701 yards and 3 touchdowns.

However, Stuglis listed as "questionable" fullback Derek Mortensen, who suffered a deep bruise of the Achilles' two weeks ago. The junior has rushed for 391 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Ormseth has given CL South the passing dimension its offense has lacked in recent years. The senior has thrown for 1,109 yards and 12 touchdowns to multiple receivers. He has been intercepted 3 time in 112 passing attempts.

An overflow crowd is expected to see what has become the Fox Valley's annual "Game of the Year."

"This is a heck of a week," Stuglis said. "Everybody wants the chance to play for a conference title and that's where we're at."