Plano ends Aurora Christian's run

George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com

Aurora Christian's Ryan Perik, left, and Nick Chionis console each other after a 14-8 loss at Plano Saturday night in the Class 3A semifinals.

In a game that featured long drives with both teams grinding it out on the ground and both defenses rising to the challenge, host Plano took advantage of the game's one turnover to score twice in a span of 27 seconds and defeated the Eagles 14-8 in Class 3A semifinal action.

The Reapers will play Columbia for the Class 3A state title at 4 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

Plano took the opening kick on a 14-play drive that used up over seven minutes of clock but the Reapers came away empty on that drive thanks to Aurora Christian's 6-foot-5 Garrett Gilkey getting a hand on a 34-yard field goal attempt.

Aurora Christian coach Don Beebe decided he needed to fight fire with fire and switched to a more ball control oriented offense and his team went on a 20-play drive that consumed most of the second quarter. But they also came away empty when a fourth-and-goal pass fell incomplete and the teams went into the locker room tied at zero.

On their first drive of the second half, the Reapers again put together a long drive. This time Luis Alvarado punched it in from a yard out to give Plano a 7-0 lead.

The Eagles fumbled the ensuing kickoff and just 27 seconds later Alvarado went in from the 1-yard line again to give the Reapers a two-score lead.

"Our defense has just been outstanding most of the year, our defense just played inspired, said Plano coach Jim Green. "Thanks goodness we were able to get one in. We got the ball, marched it down the field. We were fortunate to get that turnover, that was huge to go up two scores. It gave us a little bit of breathing room, just enough to get the victory so we can head back down to Champaign."

"The number one stat in football is turnovers," said Aurora Christian coach Don Beebe. "And the bigger the game the bigger that stat is. That was a big swing because they got a two-touchdown lead and now we've got our backs to the wall."

Aurora Christian (12-1) did respond with a scoring drive but Plano (12-1) made them work for every inch of it keeping the speedy Eagle receivers in front of them and forcing Aurora Christian to convert several fourth-and-short situations.

Senior running back John Smith finally got the Eagles on the board with a 1-yard run and Smith also ran in the 2-point conversion. But there was just under four minutes remaining in the game and after an unsuccessful on-side kick attempt, the Reapers were able to move the chains and end the game.

"I knew it was going to be a great game," said Eagles quarterback Jordan Roberts. "We knew they were a tough football team and we were going to have to really work to score on these guys. Both teams were really fired up and they were quick. They were faster than I thought they were going to be, they were blitzing all over the place.

"We knew they were going to blitz. They have been a blitzing team all year," said Beebe. "When we went to that no huddle (in the fourth quarter) we started to get into a rhythm. Maybe we should have gone to that earlier. You're always going to second guess yourself when you lose."

Another factor in Beebe's decision to go to his running game was the fact that Roberts missed the entire week of practice leading up to the game with a hip pointer.

"We didn't even think Jordan was going to play. It was a game-time decision," said Beebe. "We had a doctor come in and take care of him and get him ready for the game so we really weren't sure and if you miss a week of practice, your timing is off a little bit."

"These last three or four weeks have been amazing," said Eagles senior linebacker Tommy Velasquez. "We have grown close as a team, we all left it on the field and years from now we can say we were part of something special. You can't take anything away from Plano, they are a great team, they were just the better team tonight. They hit hard, we hit hard and we just have to understand that everything happens for a reason, this is God's plan for us and I just wish the best of luck to Plano."

Aurora Christian set a school record this year with 12 victories.

"These kids have nothing to hang their head about that is for sure," said Beebe. "They have worked hard and earned everything they have gotten and when you lay it on the field like that you go through the rest of your life having no regrets. I teach these boys that in life if you give it your all whatever you do, you can live with the result and tonight they can live with the result."

George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com

Aurora Christian's Joe Redmond catches a pass that set up the Eagles' fourth-quarter touchdown Saturday night in Plano.