Listen up: Buffalo Grove's focused on the details
Buffalo Grove's goal is to leave no doubt when playoff selection Saturday arrives in late October.
Last year the Bison lost their last two regular-season games and waited agonizingly to find out they didn't have enough playoff points to make the 256-team field with a 5-4 record.
And the big hurt was the 4 losses coming by a total of 19 points.
"The attention to detail and all of the inches given away add up at the end," said BG coach Jim Farrell. "This group learned good lessons from last year as we have as a coaching staff."
Senior quarterback Mike Garrity (1,299 total yards, 16 touchdowns) has a full year of lessons behind him. He'll also get a lot of carries with a tailback-by-committee of Taylor Goyke, Connor Cheever, Jimmy Pinakidis, Brian Busch and Tyler Juckett replacing all-area picks Kevin Mulligan and John Angotti.
Garrity can throw to Brian Akialas and Dan Recht on the outside or Jeff Zabrin and tight end Kevin Tennenbaum inside. Joe Damisch, Keith Jones and Kalvin Booker return up front.
"We can go empty (backfield) to double-tight (ends) with the same kids in the game," Farrell said. "It's a good group of skill kids and Mike has the ability to put us in position to make positive plays."
Juckett should be able to create his share of negative ones at weakside linebacker in BG's 3-5-3 defense.
"He blitzes like a man on fire," Farrell said. "He has great speed and covers the pass real well."
Matt Dumelle and Osvaldo Picazo are part of a rotation up front with Jones, Damisch and Booker. Recht and Akialas are at outside linebacker and Cheever received some big-time help this summer at free safety.
"He has a great field presence and a real knack for the football," Farrell said. "(Former BG and Notre Dame star and Ravens safety) Tommy Zbikowski took him under his wing this summer and took him to his house to watch film."
Akialas returns to punt and kick as the seniors are ready to push themselves into BG's first playoff berth since 2003.
"The senior kids got a lot of playing time as juniors and they want to see it through as seniors," Farrell said. "They aren't giving up any plays out here and they don't want to rotate out of the game."
They know how close and yet how far away they were from last year's playoffs.
Bison at a glance
Coach: Jim Farrell (8-10, third year)
Last year: 5-4, 3-2 (T2nd East)
Probable starters
OFFENSE
Pos. Name Ht/Wt Yr.
QB Mike Garrity 6-2/200 Sr.
TB Taylor Goyke 5-11/185 Sr.
LT Joe Damisch 6-3/240 Sr.
LG Alex Festenstein 6-1/215 Sr.
C Trevor Chandler 5-11/220 Jr.
RG Tommy Sakkos 6-1/240 So.
RT Keith Jones 6-0/255 Sr.
TE Kevin Tennenbaum 6-4/220 Sr.
WR Brian Akialas 6-2/190 Sr.
WR Dan Recht 6-3/190 Sr.
WR Jeff Zabrin 5-9/170 Sr.
DEFENSE
Pos. Name Ht/Wt Yr.
DT Osvaldo Picazo 6-1/205 Sr.
NG Matt Dumelle 5-10/240 Sr.
DT Joe Damisch 6-3/240 Sr.
OLB Dan Recht 6-3/190 Sr.
WLB Tyler Juckett 6-0/195 Sr.
MLB Mike Catino 6-2/230 Jr.
SLB Blake Potash 5-10/200 Sr.
OLB Brian Akialas 6-2/190 Sr.
CB Jeff Zabrin 5-9/170 Sr.
CB Richie Zirngibl 5-11/175 Jr.
FS Connor Cheever 6-0/180 Sr.