Scouting Aurora Christian at St. Edward
Aurora Christian (3-1) at St. Edward (4-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday at Greg True Field
Last year: Aurora Christian 23, St. Edward 18
Last week: St. Edward 28, Chicago Christian 6
Broadcast: WRMN AM-1410, also streamed live at www.wrmn1410.com, announcers Jeff Myers and Kyle Bault
Outlook: These schools have met three times in the last four years. Coach Don Beebe's Eagles came away victorious in each contest. St. Edward, ranked No. 10 in Class 4A, hopes to snap that streak in a Suburban Christian Conference crossover game on homecoming night in Elgin. The Green Wave defense has been exceptional. Only four schools statewide have held opponents to fewer points (19). "That to me is a huge turnaround," St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said of his junior-heavy defense. "We've always been relatively adequate on offense but we didn't always have enough athletes to be competitive on defense like we are now. Aurora Christian will give us a true test. They have a good quarterback (junior Anthony Maddie), who is a good runner, and speed at receiver. This will come down to extra points, turnovers, the little things that don't matter much in a 42-0 game." Maddie threw for 295 yards and 3 touchdowns last week against Walther Lutheran. St. Edward senior receiver/safety Sam Pozezinski left last week's game with an injury but will play against Aurora Christian, Rolando said. The St. Edward offense has rushed for 907 yards and thrown for 587. Senior quarterback Ben Lehman has completed 32-of-65 attempts.
Beebe called Lehman probably the best quarterback Aurora Christian has faced thus far. Defensively the Eagles must contend with St. Edward defensive linemen Evan Finnane (6-1, 250) and Derek Porto (5-10, 195) in protecting Maddie. Even when Maddie's in the grasp he's trouble. In addition to passing for 301 yards against Walther Lutheran - 8 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown to Don's sophomore son Chad - Maddie scrambled for 109 yards. Yet the best part of the Eagles' ground game, given a big boost by David Anderson at left tackle, was the emergence of Mitch Holtz, who carried 20 times for 128 yards and 4 touchdowns. Holtz was our defensive player of the week with a huge forced fumble, but it also could have been Anderson with 7 tackles and a forced fumble, or Quienten Boston with 5 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. "They're a lot like us," Don Beebe said of St. Edward, "and we've got to keep that offense off the field."