Three teams remaining in playoffs, three superstars to watch
Allen, Ratay and Roberts.
It sounds like a law firm or an investment company - and who knows, perhaps it will become one in the not-so-distant future.
But for now, we're talking high school football and these three names have been the talk of the area throughout the 2008 season.
With 11 players starting on each side of the ball, football can arguably be called the ultimate team game.
However, certain individuals stand out and draw more attention through their actions on the playing field.
Suffice it to say, it's highly unlikely that St. Charles East, Geneva or Aurora Christian would be preparing for this weekend's second round of the state playoffs without the superlative individual performances of Wes Allen, Michael Ratay and Jordan Roberts.
How terrific has this trio been this year?
Check out these mind-boggling, video game-like numbers - St. Charles East tailback Allen has rushed for 1,906 yards and 28 touchdowns on 291 carries heading into Saturday night's Class 7A contest at Cary-Grove.
Geneva takes an unbeaten record (10-0) and No. 1 seed into Saturday afternoon's 7A game at Rockton Hononegah with its standout running back Ratay, who has gained 2,207 yards on 230 carries (9.6-yard average) and scored 36 TDs (35 rushing, 1 receiving).
Roberts, a four-year starting quarterback at Aurora Christian, leads the undefeated, top-seeded Eagles (10-0) into Saturday night's 4A homefield clash with Coal City. All he has done this season is complete 137 of 237 passes for 2,022 yards with an amazing touchdown to interception ratio of 32:4.
If you haven't been able to get to a high school football game this season, now is the time to do it.
Take advantage of the opportunity because players like Allen, Ratay and Roberts don't come along very often.
"All three of them are special athletes," said Aurora Christian coach Don Beebe. "Most people like watching high school because it's the purest form of football.
"There's no better time to watch a high school football game with the playoffs here. I know that if our team wasn't playing this weekend, I'd still be going to watch a game.
"I'd probably go see Ratay play for Geneva."
St. Charles East coach Ted Monken has already seen enough of Ratay's abilities, as the Saints (8-2) suffered a 34-7 Week 2 loss to the Vikings. He could get another chance if St. Charles East and Geneva win their next two postseason games and meet again in the semifinals.
Monken has enjoyed a bird's-eye view of Allen the past 3 varsity seasons.
"Wes runs with such good determination," the coach said. "He's hard-nosed and he runs downhill.
"He's got a different style than Ratay, who is more like a Barry Sanders type with his footwork and fakes. Wes is more like Jim Brown where he runs over people."
Allen and Ratay have combined to score 384 points (more than 104 of the 128 teams remaining in the state playoffs) with 521 total carries (26 per game).
"They're both great high school running backs," said Monken. "And they're pretty durable.
"(Running backs) Coach Tim (Reber) and I played high school ball together and we grew up watching Walter Payton play. He never seemed to take a hit - he loved to administer hits and run over defensive backs.
"That protects you and helps get extra yards when you're the one dishing out the blows."
Ratay has gained plenty of extra yards this season for the Vikings. Two weeks ago, he rushed for a career-high 358 yards and 6 touchdowns in Geneva's regular season-ending triumph over rival Batavia.
And it wasn't even the first time he scored 6 TDs in a game this season.
Last weekend, he carried the ball 31 times for 255 yards and 3 more TDs in the Vikings' 27-7 first-round playoff win over Rolling Meadows.
On Saturday, he gets to run the ball against a Rockton Hononegah team that gave up 31 points to Prospect last weekend.
What makes these players special?
"Jordan has a lot of intangibles as a great quarterback," said Beebe. "One is his passion for the game. He studies film. We held a 3-hour practice Tuesday night and he stayed an extra half-hour later to throw passes to a couple of our receivers.
"Those are the little things most high school kids don't do. He's working to make himself better."
Beebe also likes the humility of Roberts, the state's career touchdown and passing yards record holder.
"The balls that he broke records for touchdown passes and yards - he gave them both to me and told me to put them up in the school office because they're team records, not individual ones," said the coach.
Allen, Ratay and Roberts - playing at a stadium near you. "People should flock to go watch them play," said Beebe. "Jordan holds two of the greatest records of all-time. I'd go spend $4 to watch him play."
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