Wrap-up: Jacobs downs D-C; Whip-Purs win, wait

With both Dundee-Crown and Jacobs' football teams out of contention for postseason play, the two teams took the field Friday night in Algonquin playing for pride. This marked the 25th time these two District 300 rivals have squared off against one another.

After taking advantage of early mistakes the Golden Eagles were able to earn bragging rights for the fifth straight year with a 27-13 victory over the Chargers in a Fox Valley Conference Valley Division game. D-C still leads the overall series 16-9.

"I can always say now that our senior year against (Dundee-) Crown as seniors we won," Jacobs running back Darius Bowers said. "Something like this is not going to change. This was our main goal as seniors because most of us aren't playing in college."

Despite the bitter rivalry the two teams have been able to bond through their share of tragedies that have hit the schools throughout the past year. Being able to set aside its differences, both teams have shown tremendous amounts of respect for one another.

"It really is heartwarming to see the outpouring of support and love," Golden Eagles coach Dean Schlueter, who lost his parents back in July in an auto accident, said. "Just the thoughts and prayers from the D-C players and the Jacobs community has just really touched me deeply and I am not the same because of that. It has just meant a lot to me."

Penalties plagued both teams throughout most of the game. On Jacobs' opening possession, the Golden Eagles were to take advantage of D-C's errors on the field to drive the ball 60-yards to hit pay dirt. Bowers lead the way with a few key runs that helped set up his 11-yard touchdown run. Bowers would score twice in the game and rush for 133 yards on 21 carries.

With 9:34 left in the second quarter, Jacobs' strong safety recovered a Chargers fumble and returned the ball 36-yards to help put the Golden eagles up 13-0. D-C (1-8, 0-5) was able to bring the score within a touchdown when quarterback Logan Kissack connected with Matt Cutinello for 20 yards.

Cutinello was playing high with emotion as he lost his father prior to the first game of the season back in August.

After playing a full season without his dad by his side, Cutinello couldn't believe how quickly the season went.

"This shouldn't be over," Cutinello said. "It seems like it should still be going on. I have nothing to work for in the weight room anymore except getting ready for track. I didn't think I was going to miss it but now that it's over I am definitely going to miss it a lot."

The Golden Eagles (4-5, 2-3) eventually held onto the victory by scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Bowers ran the ball in from 9-yards out and quarterback Kyle Magnuson scored on a keeper from 1 yard out.

Hampshire 28, Marengo 7: Now Hampshire can only wait.

The Whip-Purs took care of business by beating Marengo, 28-7, in their regular season finale Friday night in Hampshire. At 5-4 they must now wait out the playoff selection process to see if they have enough points to qualify for the postseason.

Hampshire took control early against the winless Indians. The Whips scored on their first 2 possessions and lead 21-0 at halftime as coach Dan Cavanaugh notched his 100th career victory.

Joe Moore rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown, Trace Teboda added 98 yards on the ground and scored twice, and Evan Brenner also scored.

Except for a handful of big plays that were mostly meaningless, the Hampshire defense was dominant. T. J. Burzak had 1 1½sacks and an interception.

"I'm not going to get my hopes up," said Teboda about a possible playoff berth. "If we do, then that's great, that's my third year going to the playoffs. But if we don't, it's still been a great year. I love these kids, and it was great playing with them."

Moore carried on 6 of 9 plays on Hampshire's opening drive. Appropriately, Moore finished it off with a 12-yard scoring run. Teboda passed to Burzak for the 2-point conversion. After forcing a 3-and-out, Hampshire took over on its 8-yard line. The Whips drove 92 yards in just 8 plays, with Teboda covering the last 27 yards on a bootleg, leaping over a would-be tackler into the end zone.

Teboda added his second touchdown on a 9-yard run 32 seconds before halftime.

It was old-school Hampshire football, with fullback Moore carrying the ball 20 times. Overall Hampshire rushed 36 times for 329 yards.

"We went back and put the game on our offensive line's shoulders, and they did a great job," said Cavanaugh.

Cavanaugh then reluctantly talked about the milestone victory.

"It just gives me an opportunity to reflect back on a lot of good stuff, a lot of great people that I've worked with," said Cavanaugh. "But its all about the kids."

Cavanaugh pointed out that Marengo assistant Bob Carlson gave him his first coaching job at Dundee-Crown.

Cody Lewis Hoch ran for 109 yards and for Marengo and scored the Indians' only touchdown on a third-quarter run.

-- Allen Oshinski

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.

-- Dave Hess