Scouting: Cary-Grove at Crystal Lake South
CLASS 7A QUARTERFINAL
No. 2 Cary-Grove (11-0) at No. 6 Crystal Lake South (9-2)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday at Ken Bruhn Field
Road to the quarterfinals: Cary-Grove d. No. 15 Guilford 47-0, No. 7 St. Charles East 10-7; Crystal Lake South d. No. 11 St. Charles North 24-21, No. 3 Boylan 28-0
Playoff history: These Fox Valley Conference rivals are meeting in the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, the third time in a state quarterfinal. Cary-Grove beat the Gators in the Class 7A quarters in 2004, and finished as state runner-up. Crystal Lake South beat the Trojans in the Class 6A quarters in 2005 and lost in a semifinal. Cary-Grove won a second-round meeting between the schools in 2006. Since 2004, the Trojans are 11-4 in the playoffs; CL South is 8-4.
Outlook: This shapes up as a defensive battle between similar 3-3-5 defenses. The Trojans have 3 shutouts this season; the Gators tied a school record last week with their fourth shutout. Cary-Grove has held its last seven opponents to a combined total of 26 points. The fast Trojan defense last week held 1,900-yard rusher Wes Allen of St. Charles East to 87 yards by shedding blocks and pursuing relentlessly. In the regular-season meeting between these teams on Oct. 10, the Trojans held shifty Gators running back, junior Colin Masterson, to 42 yards on 16 carries and senior fullback Derek Mortensen to 38 yards on 11 attempts in a 24-7 victory. South's only touchdown came on a great play by sophomore quarterback Drew Ormseth, who moved out of a collapsing pocket and connected with Brandon Erickson on a crossing pattern for a 60-yard touchdown. Immediately after that game, CL South coach Jim Stuglis said the difference between winning and losing was the Gators' inability to hold blocks long enough to spring running backs into open space. He also said straight-ahead rushing by Masterson would be stressed if the teams were to meet again. How do the Trojans shut down Masterson, who has rushed for 928 yards (5.9 per carry) and 10 touchdowns, a second time? "First, you have to have the talent that can react properly to it, then you continue to practice your fundamentals," Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay said. "One guy cannot tackle him. You need a group of guys. That's what a great defense will do, get a group of guys to the ball. And you have to defeat blocks. He is dangerous out there, no doubt about it." Masterson is also Ormseth's top receiver with 14 catches out of the backfield for 283 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Gators' inability to run against Cary-Grove in Week 7 resulted in too many third-and-long situations. Ormseth was intercepted 3 times as a result, twice by Cary-Grove senior Matt Nelsen, who leads the Trojans with 6 of their 21 picks. Considering no team has run the ball effectively against the Cary-Grove defense this season, Ormseth (1,192 yards, 15 TDs) becomes a key figure in the rematch. "We're going to have to put our sophomore quarterback in good positions," Stuglis said. "That means throwing more on first and second down and not giving them the opportunity to pin their ears back and bull rush the quarterback. We need to keep them off balance. If we don't do that, it'll be a long day for us offensively. We have to do a lot of play-action. We're not going to be able to hand off the ball and run down their throat. No one has in a long time, and I don't think it's going to start this week." Defensively, the Gators must find a way to contain the Trojans' triple-option offense, directed by junior Tyler Krebs (608 yards rushing, 7 touchdowns). In the first meeting senior fullback Eric Chandler (1,168 yards, 16 TDs) rushed for 150 yards and scoring runs of 69 and 27 yards. Running back Alex Hembrey had a 55-yard run against the Gators in limited duty coming off an injury. The junior speedster is at full strength for this meeting.
Advancement: The winner will play on the road in a state semifinal at the winner of Saturday's 1:30 p.m. quarterfinal, No. 4 Carmel (10-1) at No. 1 Geneva (11-0).
-Jerry Fitzpatrick