Scouting Aurora Christian at DuSable

Posted August 26, 2010 11:00 pm

Aurora Christian at DuSable

Game time: 1:15 p.m. Saturday, Eckersall Stadium, 8300 S. Yates Blvd. at East 82nd Street, Chicago.

Last year: Aurora Christian 47, DuSable 0.

Outlook: Aurora Christian started another playoff season with a bang on Aug. 28, 2009, holding the DuSable Panthers to a state record minus-64 yards of total offense. Don Beebe's Eagles forced 11 three-and-outs, made 10 sacks and 7 more tackles for loss, and held DuSable to minus-90 net yards rushing, which ranks fourth all-time. (Luther North's minus-96 yards rushing also against the Eagles on Sept. 17, 2005, follows only the minus-97 yards Eureka was contained by PORTA in 1991, according to IHSA records.) DuSable, 1-8 last season with its sole victory a 12-6 decision over winless Bronzeville, plays out of the Chicago Public League's Great Lakes division with the likes of Bowen, Tilden and Phillips. There will be no sophomore game because, as athletic director Regina Huston stated in an e-mail to Beebe, there was uncertainty whether the Chicago Public Schools would fund sophomore levels and therefore "we were not practiced." As it was for Aurora Christian quarterback Grayson Roberts last season, this will be a nice tuneup for the Eagles' new quarterback, Anthony Maddie. As a sophomore last year Maddie completed 53 of 132 passes for 988 yards, 9 touchdowns and 10 interceptions at Class 5A runner-up Joliet Catholic, then midway through the spring semester transferred to Aurora Christian because, according to Beebe, Maddie sought to develop in a passing system. Thus Roberts, now a junior as well, will shift to receiver as part of an all-new offensive skill set and will also play in the defensive secondary. Several of the current Eagles will recall helping hold DuSable to that record low last year: returnees David Anderson, Todd Clapp, Mitch Holtz, Nate Jensen, Matt Luckman and Sam Miller, the linebacker who was third overall on last year's club with 81 tackles and joined linebacker Anderson third on the list in tackles for loss with 6.5. "Their schemes are wide-open on offense as they run a four- or five-receiver set almost every play," Beebe said of DuSable.

Next week: Chicago Academy at Aurora Christian, Sept. 3; DuSable at St. Francis, Sept. 3.

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