Fremd 37, Hoffman Estates 7
It took a record-setting milestone and an energizing halftime talk to get state-ranked Fremd going Friday.
Defensive back Brian Hipchen's second pick of the game in the third quarter followed a performance-sparking halftime talk from coach Mike Donatucci as the Vikings stayed unbeaten heading into the final week before the playoffs with a 37-7 win at Hoffman Estates.
Don't be fooled by the final score, though. The Vikes (8-0, 4-0) led only 3-0 at halftime and had been thoroughly outplayed in the first two quarters despite leading on Mark Bappert's 32-yard field goal with 2:10 left in the half.
Until then, Hoffman was in Fremd's red zone three times in the first half but came away pointless after missing 2 field goals and having a pass picked by Hipchen.
His second pick, on Hoffman's third play of the second half, set up a 29-yard, a post-pattern TD toss from Mark Tolzien to Mike Koeneman (5 catches, 106 yards) on the next play as Fremd clinched at least a share of its fifth straight West crown.
Afterward, Hipchen was thinking of anything but setting Fremd's career interception record with nine.
"Coach shocked us a halftime," he said of coming out playing much-improved football. And while he admitted, "It feels good" to have set the record, in reflection, he has his sights set on the ultimate prize.
"We have six games left," he said, which would mean next week's regular-season finale and the five playoff wins it would take to get a state title.
Fremd opened the second half with a 13-play, 74-yard drive that took 6:10, including 10 carries by fullback Mike Gyetvay (21 carries, 80 yards), one of which was his 3-yard TD jaunt for a 10-0 lead and a deflation of Hoffman's exceptionally inspired effort in the first half.
"They came out passing," Hipchen said, and effectively at that, moving well on the arm and legs of Frank Wadas, who did everything but put the ball in the end zone.
Finding Mike Swedlund, Blake Heyman and Reid Wilson open consistently, he moved the ball up and down the field.
"It's kind of a microcosm of our season," said Hoffman (2-6, 1-3) coach Bill Helzer. "We missed our opportunity. We got inside the red zone twice. We had them on their heels. They weathered us. We wanted to get the lead so they couldn't run [the ball]. I'm proud of the effort."
"We told the kids, this was their playoff game," Donatucci said. "They've moved the ball on a lot of teams.
"Everything came together in the end. The six-minute drive to open the second half, that energized the defense."
Kevin Krieter also had an interception on a tipped pass.
The Vikings got the ground game going, too, as Gyetvay and Derrick Walker (12 carries, 38 yards, 2 TDs) got into the act as well.
The Hawks finally scored on back-up quarterback Heyman's 3-yard toss to a leaping Wilson with 1:25 left.