Crete-Monee stops Hinsdale South

There were five consecutive possessions resulting in second-half lead changes in the Class 6A football semifinal between Crete-Monee and Hinsdale South.

Unfortunately for the Hornets, the second Final Four game in program history ended on a down note.

Crete-Monee cornerback Kevin Pate picked off a badly underthrown Hinsdale South pass with a minute-plus remaining to seal the Warriors' 40-37 victory in Darien Saturday night. Crete-Monee will play Montini in the state championship game at 1 p.m. Nov. 28.

"I knew both teams were going to score points," Michigan State-bound Hinsdale South defensive end Josh King said.

Clint Ratkovich was the workhorse for Crete-Monee.

Playing both quarterback and running back, the senior had game highs of 219 yards on 37 carries.

"We have been doing it all season," Ratkovich said of his twin positions.

"(Ratkovich) carried the load for them," Hinsdale South coach Mike Barry said. "He's definitely the heart and soul of that squad."

But Hinsdale South (9-4) countered with superb efforts by quarterback Sean McCormack, wide receiver Ravon Johnson and halfback Marcus Curry.

McCormack, who finished with 248 yards passing, found Robert Hall from 11 yards out to negate a time-consuming Crete-Monee touchdown to start the second half.

The senior called his own number and scored on a 19-yard run one play after Johnson had the longest play from scrimmage - a 60-yard catch and run - in the game.

Johnson, who had 8 catches for 192 yards, was injured on the play and was badly missed on the Hornets' fateful final possession.

But the Hornets' 37-33 lead with less than four minutes to play did not hold as Crete-Monee (10-3) spoiled a potential all-DuPage County state championship by moving 53 yards in 6 plays to regain the lead for good with 1:41 left.

Hinsdale South scored 17 points in the first quarter after recovering back-to-back squib kickoffs.

Marco Ristic converted a 40-yard field goal, and Curry and Johnson had a ground and receiving score nine seconds apart to give the Hornets a 17-7 lead late in the opening quarter.

Ratkovich responded with a long touchdown run, though, and Juwaan Treadwell raced 95 yards with an interception return to give the Warriors the lead back.

"It went all downhill from there," Johnson said of the Hornets losing a 10-point lead. "We never got the momentum back."

The Treadwell return marked the first of seven lead changes on scoring plays.

Curry, who led the Hornets' ground attack with 119 yards on 28 touches, had his second touchdown of the first half to give Hinsdale South a 24-20 lead at halftime.

But Crete-Monee opened the second half with a 16-play drive after Hinsdale South dominated first-half time of possession.