Cary-Grove 27, Woodstock 7
It was Senior Night at Cary-Grove High School, but it was sophomores Eric Chandler and Alex Hembrey along with junior Matt Nelson who stole the spotlight.
Chandler rushed 25 times for 146 yards and scored twice, Hembrey returned te second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and Nelson intercepted 3 passes as the Trojans wrapped up the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title with a 27-7 victory over Woodstock Friday night at Al Bohrer Field.
"Alex and Eric have proved all season they are good football players and belong on the varsity," said Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay. "They are tough kids. Matt was a quarterback his first two years, but he is such a good athlete we thought playing in the secondary would be a good place for him. He has a nose for the ball."
It was the Trojans' (8-1, 5-0) fourth straight conference championship. Cary-Grove, winners of 35 of its last 36 regular-season games, enter next week's IHSA playoffs on a 7-game winning streak.
"This conference championship might be the most rewarding because we entered the season with a lot of inexperience," Kay said. "There were a lot of these kids who were freshmen B kids who have just developed into very good football players."
Chandler led the Trojans in the first half with 116 yards rushing on 14 carries and he reached the end zone on runs of 2 and 23 yards as Cary-Grove led 14-0 at halftime.
"The offensive line is incredible," Chandler said. "There were gaping holes every time I went through the line."
The Trojans extended their lead to start the second half as Hembrey caught the ball at his own 5, raced through the line and scampered untouched 95 yards for a score.
The Trojans led 21-0 with only 11 seconds elapsed in the third quarter.
"When I first caught the ball it hit my helmet and I thought the coaches are really going to yell at me," Hembrey said. "When I looked up there was a big hole and I don't think anyone touched me."
Nelson had interceptions of Woodstock quarterback Derek Brown in the first third and fourth quarters.
"The defensive line and linebackers did a great job of pressuring the quarterback," Nelson said. "I was just in the right place to get interceptions."
The Trojans were also strong in the kicking game as Marcus Kerrigan converted on field goals of 24 and 27 yards.
The Cary-Grove defense missed out on a third consecutive shutout when Brown hit Ryan Ortmann for a 9-yard score with 1:33 left in the third quarter. The Trojans' defense held Woodstock to 25 yards rushing on 15 carries.