Cary-Grove manhandles another playoff opponent
Ho-hum. Another one-sided playoff game for Cary-Grove.
The Trojans, who defeated their first 3 playoff opponents by a combined 147-49, breezed into the Class 6A state championship game by downing neighboring Prairie Ridge, 40-7, at Cary's Al Bohrer Field Saturday afternoon.
On the heels of the school's girls volleyball team winning the Class 4A state title last weekend, Cary-Grove, which also advanced to the state football title game in 2004, will face Providence, a 30-21 semifinal winner over Danville, at 1 p.m. next Saturday in Champaign.
The win was the culmination of a process that started even before the season began.
"Not only the whole year, but the entire four years I've been with this program, this is what I've dreamed of," said Cary-Grove quarterback Tyler Krebs. "It's amazing that we accomplished it, but from the beginning of the season I knew we were committed to do it."
This year's model took some inspiration from the Trojans' 2004 state finalists.
"What we were able to do this last year was because of the guys who came before us," said senior Eric Chandler. "Seeing all the guys from the 2004 state team, I think as a team we built a dream after seeing those guys do what they did in '04."
The Trojans (13-0) wasted no time on Saturday. Chad McCarron returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage to get things started. Not to be outdone, the first time Cary-Grove's offense got the ball, it marched in for another score. Chandler capped the drive with a 21-yard scoring run. He finished with 112 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19 carries.
"Normally, the offense starts out with points for the defense," said Krebs. "But it was the other way around and it really gave us some momentum before the offense even stepped on the field."
"Anytime you get 6 points from the defense, it's a great thing," said Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay. "And the defense played outstanding all day."
Alex Hembrey added 60 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 carries, and Krebs ran for 57 yards and another score as the offensive line opened holes all day.
"They're the catalysts on this team," Chandler said of the linemen. "They should get all the credit: Hayden Baker, Sean Considine, Ben Luedtke, Matt Leibforth, Rich Kersten and Cole Connington."
Krebs completed just 3 passes, but they covered 81 yards, including a 54-yarder to McCarron on which he outjumped 2 defenders.
Defensively, the Trojans held their fellow District 155 school to 147 total yards. Kyle Leibforth recovered a fumble deep in Prairie Ridge territory to set up a touchdown and the defense sacked Wolves' quarterback Jon Williams twice and stuffed the running game all day.
Justin Henderson, who finished with 67 yards, scored the lone touchdown for the Wolves (9-4) on a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Wolves' most valuable player might just have been punter Nick Margiotta. Cary-Grove muffed a short punt in the first quarter, giving the Wolves the ball near midfield. They reached the Cary-Grove 20 before being stopped on downs.
In the second quarter, Margiotta uncorked a 66-yard kick, pinning the Trojans at their 5-yard line with about 3 minutes left in the half. Cary-Grove elected to run out the clock rather than attempt to score again from 95 yards away.
Offensively, Cary-Grove rolled up 21 first downs and 388 yards, including 307 on the ground.