Ben Coffman wanted to celebrate. But before the Prospect defensive end jumped up and down and high-fived his teammates for sacking Buffalo Grove quarterback Tom Zbikowski in the end zone, there was one more order of business: locating the football.
Coffman spotted the ball in the back of the end zone and pounced on it, which led to a much more raucous celebration. Coffman’s touchdown late in the fourth quarter cemented No. 9 Prospect’s 21-12 victory over No. 14 Buffalo Grove in the Class 7A quarterfinals Saturday before a packed house in Buffalo Grove.
It was the second time this season the third-seeded Knights (12-0) had beaten the Bison (10-2), the first coming in Week 8 when Prospect won 6-0 to decide the Mid-Suburban League East championship on a muddy and rain-soaked field.
“This is really big for us,” said Coffman, a 6-foot-1-inch, 190-pound senior who was seemingly in the middle of every defensive play. “We heard a lot of people talking that we won the last game because the field was wet. This game showed everybody who we really are, because the better team wins on a dry field.”
For the first time all season, Prospect found itself trailing in a game when Zbikowski (20 carries, 111 yards) ran 18 yards for a touchdown with 3 minutes 23 seconds left in the half. Coffman, who later batted down a two-point conversion pass, blocked the extra point to make it 6-0 Buffalo Grove.
“It was going to happen eventually–it’s the 12th game of the season,” said Prospect coach Brent Pearlman, whose team will host Bolingbrook in the semifinals. “They handled it well; there was no panic.”
Buffalo Grove’s lead was short-lived. On the ensuing possession, Prospect marched 45 yards, capped by George Smith’s 10-yard TD pass to Josh Flickinger to give the Knights a 7-6 advantage just before half. Mike Anderson set up the drive with a 42-yard kickoff return.
— Sean Duncan
Class 8A
Naperville C. 26, Conant 7
Things were different for Naperville Central this time.
The Redhawks, fell a year ago to the ninth seed (Naperville North) in last year’s quarterfinals while holding the Class 6A top seed. .
This year, Naperville Central, the top seed in Class 8A, won easily on the road and advanced to a semifinal meeting with DuPage Valley Conference rival Wheaton North.
Host Conant (9-3) had no solution for Naperville Central’s ground attack, which by Jason Paquette, who followed last week’s 215-yard, two-touchdown effort against New Trier with a 184-yard, three-touchdown performance.
While the defense held an opponent to single-digit scoring for the eighth time this season, Paquette gave Naperville Central (12-0) all the offense it needed in the game’s first six minutes.
The 6-1 senior barreled in from 5 yards out to cap the 12-play, 76-yard game-opening drive, to give the Redhawks a 7-0 lead 5:56 into the contest. Paquette later added touchdown runs of 2 and 9 yards.
Eric Small capped the scoring for Naperville Central with a 1-yard run.
David Francioni returned a fumble 47 yards to account for Conant’s scoring.
— Jonathan Schoenberg
Wheaton North 61, Warren 6
The host Falcons (9-3) started the rout early as A.J. Harris rambled 58 yards for a touchdown on the second play from scrimmage. Harris gained 142 yards in 11 carries and scored two touchdowns on the night.
The 20th-seeded Falcons then blitzed 21st-seeded Warren (8-4) with four touchdowns in a 4-minute 38-second span taking advantage of three straight Warren fumbles. Wheaton North led 33-0 just 29 seconds into the second quarter.
Zach Ullrich completed 10-of-11 passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for one touchdown.
“We were just clicking,” Ullrich said. “It was one of those nights.”
A 43-yard interception return by Mark Ryan gave Wheaton North a 54-0 halftime lead. Wheaton North (9-3) will play top-ranked Naperville Central in next week’s semifinal.
— Bob Skolnik
Class 6A
Providence 35, Prairie Ridge 3
When the Providence defense feels it plays a bad game, pity the next team in the Celtics’ path.
The No. 2 Celtics turned in a superb defensive effort in their 35-3 thumping of host Prairie Ridge in the quarterfinals after what they felt was a subpar performance in second-round win over Decatur MacArthur.
Providence held Prairie Ridge (10-2) to 150 total yards, 62 in the second half. The charge was led by the relentless linebacker duo of Rory Steinbach and Matt Eggert, who combined for 32 tackles and harassed every Prairie Ridge player who touched the ball.
Steinbach also blocked a punt, recorded two tackles for loss and sacked quarterback Judd Thompson once. The defensive line of Derrick Knapczyk, Mike Klimen, Chris Markelz and Mike Stephens controlled the Wolves’ offensive line to allow Steinbach and Eggert to play with abandon.
“We didn’t play that well last week and we just wanted to come out and play Providence football,” said Steinbach, who had 17 tackles. “[Eggert] and I get all the credit because we get all the tackles, but we couldn’t do it without the guys in front of us.”
Providence also won the battle of field position and special teams. Steinbach’s blocked punt, which was recovered at the Prairie Ridge 1 by Joe Lenahan, set up the second of Mike Mentz’s four touchdown runs. Mentz rushed 24 times for 126 yards and scored on runs of 4, 1, 2 and 3 yards.
— Sam Natrop
Carmel 34, Normal 21
Eric Luna rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns in 19 attempts as the No. 10 Corsairs (11-1) scored 20 third-quarter points en route to the victory.
Trailing 14-12, Carmel recovered a fumble on Normal’s first play of the second half. On the ensuing possession, Luna scored on a 7-yard run to put Carmel ahead for good.
Patrick Adrien added 110 yards and two touchdowns in nine carries for Carmel.
Carmel’s Dexter Reid made two interceptions in the fourth quarter to stop Normal drives.
Bloomington 22, Minooka 16
Preston Glover scored the game-winning touchdown with 3:03 left to lead Bloomington (12-0).
Minooka, which upset Freeport last week, finished 8-4.
Class 5A
Morris 27, Troy Triad 16
Eric Strait rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown in 25 carries, while Benji Kennedy scored two rushing touchdowns to lead No. 11 Morris (12-0). Kennedy, who finished with 96 yards in eight carries, scored Morris’ final touchdown with 10:20 to seal the victory for Morris.
Rochelle 46, Vernon Hills 16
Pat Brownson ran for 232 yards and three touchdowns in 21 carries as the Hubs (12-0) romped.
Matt Leffler rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown in 15 carries to lead Vernon Hills (8-4).
Class 4A
Driscoll 28, Pontiac 14
Victor Arlis ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns in 22 carries and Greg Turner caught two touchdown passes from Matt Mahaney to lead the Highlanders to the semifinals.
Pontiac (10-2) led 14-7 at halftime before Mahaney struck in the third quarter. Mahaney’s first TD pass to Turner–a 25-yarder–tied the game. Mahaney then hit Turner from 29 to put Driscoll ahead 21-14 late in the third quarter.
Pontiac had first-and-goal from the 2 at the start of the fourth quarter, but turned the ball over on downs.
Arlis scored on a 36-yard run with under three minutes left to seal the victory for Driscoll.
Huntley 35, Montini 25
Brett Borchart was 15-of-24 passing for 293 yards and four touchdowns to lead Huntley (10-2) to a semifinal matchup next week against Driscoll.
Borchart threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to give Montini a 21-3 lead. After Montini crept to within 21-18, Borchart hit Nate Berndt on a 69-yard touchdown pass play early in the fourth. Borchart’s fourth TD pass–a 17-yard strike to David Marshall–put the game away.
Scott Andriano was 15-of-34 passing for 207 yards and two touchdowns for Montini (9-3).
Class 3A
Stillman Valley 14, Fulton 0
Brad Kimball rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown in 15 carries as Stillman Valley (10-2) defeated Fulton (11-1).
Catholic Metro playoff
Holy Cross 23, Loyola 14
Garrett Wolfe rushed for 269 yards and two touchdowns in 32 carries as the Crusaders (7-5) won their second game in four days to advance to the Catholic Metro championship game against Mt. Carmel.
Wolfe scored on runs of 93 and 6 yards for Holy Cross, which defeated St. Patrick Wednesday.
