Strong schedule should help Aurora Christian
No way is Don Beebe predicting a championship.
However, the Aurora Christian coach draws a parallel to 2008 Class 2A state champion Immaculate Conception, which battled bigger foes just to reach the playoffs, then ran the table.
Beebe's Eagles, who went 5-0 in the Suburban Christian Gold and were 6-3 overall against a schedule featuring only one school, IC, with a lower enrollment, are a No. 5 seed visiting No. 4 Winnebago (7-2) in Class 3A. Last season, Aurora Christian took its only loss, 37-28, in the 4A championship game to Bloomington Central Catholic.
"I am excited," Beebe said. "I think being in 3A and playing a 4A, 5A schedule all year helps. No doubt about it, it helps.
"Now, we've got to go in there and play hard and play smart," Beebe said. "If we don't turn the ball over, I like our chances. You just cannot turn the ball over in the playoffs."
Despite his excitement Beebe said that for the first time in his six years coaching the Eagles - all playoff campaigns, he's 10-5 in the playoffs - he is "really unsure" of how this will go.
That comes from fielding a fresh playoff roster. Only linebacker Dylan Smith and cornerback Donald Patterson saw starting time last year on defense, linemen David Benson, Matt Wilger and Dean Griffing on offense.
After nine games, experience is no longer considered to be a huge factor. However, the first pass Eagles sophomore quarterback Grayson Roberts throws Saturday in Winnebago will be his first in the postseason. After a 5-interception outing in Week 2, Grayson Roberts has settled down to accumulate 1,251 yards passing with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. You've got to start somewhere. Behind an offensive line that's allowed just 2 sacks is a good place to start.
Yet Beebe stressed the importance of the ground game in the playoffs - and, of course, the Eagles' defense against Winnebago's varied schemes. Winnebago coach Mark Helm will also stress Aurora Christian's ground game, since it nearly totally relies on Johnny Magee. He's run 161 times for 1,091 yards and 15 touchdowns, with games of 234, 220 and 204 yards rushing.
He's a junior, like many Eagles now entering the "second season."
"I think you can basically say we're battle-tested," Beebe said. "Now we've got to go in and play good football."