History for St. Edward
When Mike Rolando and his staff took over a St. Edward football program on life support in 2005, winning a playoff game was an unthinkable dream.
The Green Wave lost the first 24 games Rolando coached, a school record streak that started with the last two games of 2004 for a total of 26 straight losses, before they finally broke through in his third season with a win over St. Francis in overtime.
The program became more competitive little by little, year by year, finally improving enough to make the state playoffs in 2009. It was only the third time the Elgin Catholic school had reached the postseason since the playoff format was instituted in 1974.
Six years after the great rebuild began the unthinkable dream became reality Saturday, when St. Edward won the first playoff game in school history, 44-8, over Chicago Uplift at Lane Stadium in Chicago in the first round of the Class 4A tournament.
The victory ensured the Green Wave (8-2) a home game in Round 2 against Mendota (6-4), the team that knocked St. Edward out of the playoffs last year in the first round. It will be the first playoff game ever played at Greg True Field.
“For six years in a row we've gotten better and better,” Rolando said. “I'm just proud of these guys for accepting that challenge and taking it to the next level.
“They laid out their goals early in the season, and we don't let them set unaccomplishable goals. They wanted to win the conference, they wanted to win a playoff game, they wanted to get a home playoff game and they wanted to improve on last year's team. In one fell swoop today they took care of a home playoff game and a playoff victory. It's just an awesome day.”
Uplift (7-3), making its first playoff appearance, had the unenviable task of facing not only the 2010 Green Wave but all the ghosts of recent St. Edward teams that support them.
On the bus into the city Saturday morning, the St. Edward players watched the game tape of the St. Francis victory in 2007, just to remind them how far the program had come.
Rolando then read a letter from 2009 graduate Shane Finnane, who now plays at West Point, wishing the team luck.
And once the win was in the books, Rolando received an on-field hug from 2007 graduate Matt Ardiente, an undersized but tough-as-nails running back who suffered through three years of varsity football with only 1 victory to show for his efforts.
“This is for all the guys who came before us,” said senior Luke Duffy, who scored 2 rushing touchdowns. “It's for those guys, for coach Ro, for all the blood, sweat and tears of the last six years. This is all for them.”
“They are my idols, people like Matt Ardiente and Shane Finnane,” senior linebacker Jon Keokanlaya said. “They set the groundwork. We played for them; Everything is for them. They were the foundation of this program. They're the reason for everything.”
St. Edward, champion of the Suburban Christian Conference's Gold Division, grabbed an early lead and was never seriously threatened by the Titans. Duffy's 12-yard run and ensuing 2-point conversion run put the Wave ahead 8-0 just 1:13 into the contest.
Junior Ryan Johnson picked off a pass by Uplift quarterback Jameel Carter and returned it to the Titans' 19-yard line. The Wave scored 7 plays later on a 2-yard plunge by Maurece Jackson to take a 15-0 lead with 5:25 left in the first quarter.
Duffy would score on a 1-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal to make it 22-0, and the Wave increased its lead to 24-0 when Zack McQueen and Art Monsivais combined to sack Carter in the end zone for a 28-yard loss that resulted in a safety.
The Wave took a 31-0 with 5:58 left in the first half as quarterback Ben Lehman connected with senior Sam Pozezinski for a 12-yard score.
Lehman said the nerves associated with last year's playoff appearance moderated this time around.
“This year you come out expecting to win because you've been here before and you know how things roll,” Lehman said.
Touchdown runs of 37 and 19 yards by Jackson increased the lead to 44-0 and started a running clock with 1:35 left in the third quarter.
Uplift, which didn't gain a first down until its final drive against St. Edward's backups, scored on a 21-yard tipped pass with 25 seconds to play. However, losing the shutout hardly dampened the spirits of those dressed in green and gold after they accomplished something beyond the reach of all the players that came before them.
“These guys can say they're the best team in St. Ed's history,” Rolando said. “That's what they've been driving to do. They respect all the teams that have come before us and they've played for them, but they got the first playoff win and it's only the second team to ever win 8 games.
“It's just a lot of history and a lot of milestones that they set out to achieve. They're a darned good team the way they play together.”