Prairie Ridge wins to set up showdown with Cary-Grove
For the first time the Prairie Ridge football team will play in the state semifinals.
The Wolves overcame 4 turnovers, scored 21 fourth-quarter points and stopped a late 2-point conversion attempt that would have given Belvidere North the lead Saturday afternoon to advance by beating the Thunder 28-20.
"Best team in our school history. I'm so excited," said Prairie Ridge senior running back Justin Henderson, who rushed for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Prairie Ridge (9-3) had made the quarterfinal twice before, losing both times. The Wolves will play at District 155 sister school and top-seeded Cary-Grove (12-0) next week for the right to play for the Class 6A championship at Memorial Stadium. Cary-Grove dismantled De La Salle 42-0 Saturday.
The Wolves led 7-0 at halftime on a Henderson 6-yard touchdown run with 1:26 remaining in the first half, but could have been up a lot more. They moved the ball inside the Thunder's 15-yard line on each of their first three possessions, but turned the ball over each time, one interception and two fumbles.
"The defense saved us in the first half," Wolves coach Chris Schremp said. "We should have been up at halftime 14-0. The defense played hard in the first half, played hard the whole game. We were able to overcome it."
Belvidere North (7-5) scored on two of its first three second-half possessions, getting touchdown runs from Austin Smaha and Tony Tindle.
The Wolves answered by scoring the next 14 points, taking a 21-14 lead with 5:05 left in the game. Tim Deering, who finished with 117 yards on 21 carries, scored on an 18-yard run and Henderson added his second touchdown, a 9-yard run.
The Thunder came back with an 8-play, 80-yard drive. Tindle capped the drive with a 38-yard touchdown run with 2:18 remaining. Thunder coach Curt Tobin decided to go for the lead and the 2-point conversion. Tindle handed the ball to Smaha, but he was stopped by most of the Wovles' defensive line and linebackers.
"Our defense was gassed," Tobin said. "We felt our best opportunity to win this game was from 3 yards out than tying it and going into overtime."
"They are a risky team. I've heard about them," Wolves quarterback Jon Williams said. "Our defense was able to stop them when we most needed it."
Williams, out on the kickoff with the hands team, recovered the onside kick and returned it 50 yards for a score and a 28-20 lead.
A couple of sacks by Prairie Ridge kept the Thunder from being able to cross midfield on the final possession.