| LaSalle Peru not ready for prime time |
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Mike Menozzi Joliet CatholicFootball.com
Let’s recap for a moment shall we?
LaSalle Peru flexed it’s defensive muscle and crushed the running games of Rochelle and Rock Island Alleman – both averaging well over 300 yards per game rushing – but we’re held to 40 and 80 yards respectively.
Little wonder the Cavaliers felt unconquerable when the Hilltoppers rolled into town for the Semi-Final game Saturday at 1pm. Joliet Catholic is a run based team that LP felt they could control as well.
Oops . . .
LaSalle Peru was hit by a truck they never saw coming. That truck had “Hilltoppers” written all over it, and it wasn’t pretty from the Cavaliers standpoint.
Joliet Catholic ran for 316 yards, passed for 78 yards for a total of 394 yards. LP ran for 101, (but 72 of those yards came on a single carry with 2 minutes left against the substitutes). The Cavs were 1 for 8 passing for 10 yards, they ended the game with 6 first downs. Catholic never was forced to punt and scored on it’s first five possessions.
All of this in spite of Joliet Catholic playing without three starting defensive (All-Conference) players for the entire game, for disciplinary reasons.
5th street coming into town was lined with signs supporting the Cavaliers, red and green ribbons were everywhere. The Cavalier fans turned out in huge numbers, those that couldn’t get into the stadium lined the concrete wall around it, sat on RV’s parked near it, or sat on rooftops nearby to get a glimpse of the upset they expected. It never happened.
The Hilltoppers struck early and often, taking the vocal Cavalier fans out of the game before the first quarter ended.
The First Half
LP went 3 and out on the first series, after punting to JCA, a holding call preceded a McKeon run for 11 yards. Bourg followed that with a 25 yard run to the 19 of LP. A couple motion penalties temporarily set the Hillmen back before Bourg ran it down to the 8. With a 3rd and 5 from the 5 Kurt Kleeman went out with a hand injury but would return later. Bourg runs it in for 5 yards with 5:36 left in the first quarter, it was 7-0 JCA.
The Cavs advanced the ball to their own 36, and in the process got their first, first down at 3:36 left in the 1st Quarter. After that, they got nothing on first down, nothing on second down, and lost 14 yards on 3rd down, the ball was on their own 22. Catholic took over at LP’s 41 with 1:55 left in the 1st quarter.
JCA drove to the LP 8, but another holding call on JCA backed it up to the 18. Bourg runs in for a TD but another holding call nullified the TD run, the ball went back to the 32 of LP. 2nd down and goal from the LP 32.
Bourg hit Buchanan on the right sideline down to the 12, then a Bourg to Buchanan for a 12 yard TD on the left with 20 seconds left in the quarter, 14-0 JCA.
LP’s offense went nowhere again, and at 11:38 left in the half Pete Barney blocked the LP punt which rolled into the end zone and was recovered by senior linebacker Jeff Janicki for a touchdown. 21-0 JCA.
At 9:30 left in the first half LP was faced with a 4th and 1 from their own 34. Many of the Cavaliers looked gassed already, leaning on their knees, attempting to get any additional oxygen possible. LP decided to go for it, but a motion penalty backed them up another 5 to the 29 and they decided a punt was a better idea.
Eastman returned the punt to the JCA 46 with 8:38 left in the half.
Clancy had a 14 yard run and a first down, Bourg with a 13 yard run to the 28 yard line. McKeon gained 2, then Clancy followed it with 11 more to the 16, with 7:49 left in the half.
The physical play was starting to take it’s toll on the LP defensive front as they looked winded after nearly every play.
McKeon ran a reverse to the 10 yard line, but Bourg was pulled down 2 yards short of the first down. On 4th and 3 JCA lined up for a 25 yard field goal, but it was a fake. An inside pitch to Clancy and he ran in untouched on the left side for a touchdown. 28-0 JCA with 5:12 left in the half.
LP started it’s next drive at their own 31, Wes Kostellic had a 13 yard run and the Cav’s fans finally had something to cheer about. Nick hammers added 9 yards on the right side to the JCA 46. LP’s quarterback Steve Zidow kept it for a gain of 11 to the JCA 35. Then the Hilltopper defense started to stiffen. Kostellic added another 5 yards with two more runs but no gain by Hammer left LP with a 4th and 5. Motion on the Cav’s backed them up for a 4th and 10. LP punted to JCA again.
A late hit on the LP defense for hitting Brad Bourg out of bounds was nullified by another holding call on JCA two plays later.
Brad Bourg ran the ball to the 8 yard line with a 45 yard run on the left side, but it was just the beginning of his personal high-lite reel. The following play Bourg pitched to McKeon who threw back to Bourg in the left corner of the end zone. It appeared as though the ball would be batted down, or possibly intercepted. Instead Bourg out jumped the defender in front of him and wrestled the ball from him on the way to the ground – touchdown JCA. 35-0 with 3 seconds left in the half.
At this point, many of the Cavalier faithful had left the stadium, but most stayed, knowing the Cavaliers had the talent to pull it out, but it was not to be.
Second Half
Bourg had 101 yards in 8 carried at the half. LP was limited to 49 yards in the first half.
LP’s second half kickoff was out of bounds. JCA drove to the LP 35, and was faced with a 4th and 1, Bourg kept it himself for the first down.
But JCA fumbled on the LP 40 yard line for their first turnover. Kostellic had no gain, and an incomplete pass left LP with a 3rd and 10. Zidow threw a slant pattern over the middle that was intercepted by junior Alex Duffy who returned it to the LP 40.
Bourg completed a pass to Jake Trader, but the pass was nullified by another holding call on JCA. Penalty was declined making it 2nd and 14. A delay of game on JCA backed them up further prior to Bourg busting out for an 18 yard run. McKeon added a 9 yard run to the 20. Bourg ran in a 7 yard keeper making it 42-0 JCA, 2:42 left in the 3rd quarter.
On the following possession, Chris Jeske sacked Zidow for a 10 yard loss on a 4th adown with 9:06 to go in the game. Sophomore Billy McKeon was moved from wingback to quarterback and Sophomore Joe Benson came in at wingback.
LP got an unsportsmanlike penalty, just prior to Mike Hooks running it in for a 15 yard touchdown around the left side , 6:07 left in the game, 49-0 JCA.
With 3:40 left in the game LP completed it’s first (and only) pass for 10 yards. But Zidow fumbled the snap on the next play and JCA recovered on the 48.
The next play from scrimmage Sophomore Dan Hrvatin ran it in from 48 yards out 56-0 with 2:29 left in the game.
On the next possession, LP quarterback Steve Zidow kept it around the right side and scored from 71 yards out against the JCA substitutes, ruining the shutout with 1:40 left. Up to this point LP had 29 yards rushing in the game. JCA 56-7.
The ensuing on side kick was recovered by JCA and run back to the LP 40 yard line. Sophomore Luke Mussleman took a knee and it was over. 56-7 JCA in a rout.
Coach Sharp commented after the game:
Why the fake field goal at that point in the game? “I was never comfortable until we got up by 3 scores, we wanted to get the ball in the end zone. I know how they come back and never give up. If we don’t get it, they’d have to go 99 yards for a score.”
Brad Bourg had a heck of a game – “Yea, I’d say he’s healthy, his work ethic is unbelievable, he had exactly the same injury as Michael Vick and came back in half the time, and that’s a credit to Brad. With him in there we’re always in the ballgame because he can create so many wonderful things. Things break down and he can make things happen, we’ll definitely need him for Springfield Griffin that’s for sure.”
Did LP only have 10 guys on the field on the blocked punt? “We were actually in a cover, but Sophomore Pete Barney just has a nose for that, he blocked 6 punts on the sophomore team this year. He came off clean and was huge for us because it gave us the fourth score, one of the problem playing down here, it the noise, we couldn’t hear our own signals. If we don’t get a lead, it could have been a whole different ball game.”
The two linebackers for LP, Hammers, and Kostellic, can you comment on them? “Wes is as good a football player as we’ve seen and we’ve seen some good ones in our part of the state. Boy, I’m sure he’s a pleasure to coach, he does everything, runs, kicks, they’re best tackler, he probably sells programs before the game as well. He’s an all-state selection, and you can see why, he’s one of the best.”
What did you say to your players that they came out so fired up? “We talked all week about no one moving the ball on us, so it was a pride thing for our players, we worked hard, we knew every yard was going to be earned and we’d be hit hard on every play. Our players understood that because it’s how we play as well, so I think it was a pride thing to show we could move the ball on a great defense like LP’s”.
How much did Buchanan’s two plays mean to you today? “He makes those two plays and that opens up the running game. If they don’t double team him we throw that pass all day, when they double him, it opens things inside for the running game.”
Does Kurt Kleeman have a hand injury? “Kurt’s getting it x-rayed, but even if it’s broke it would take wild lions to keep him out of the game next week.”
You moved the ball pretty easily on these guys today – “Our kids took great pride in our ability to move the ball. And defensively, they have just as much pride stopping teams. No one has run the ball on this team all year, no one. Our line got a great jump of the snap. This is as good a line as we’ve had since I’ve been here in 7 years. That’s a good thing, because we’ll need to play even better against this Springfield team next week.”
Did Bourg run more than usual? “No, it was planned. He’s finally healthy and we planned on him running more today.”
You seemed to have a sigh of relief after the last play? “Like the weight of the world lifted off, this is the game that's tough, getting to this point, now we have one game to prepare for and we’re going downstate, we just came out and played one of our best football games against a very good defense. The only regret I have is my dad’s not here to see it. He loved smash mouth football, and this smash mouth.”
What got you this far in the playoffs? “Our kids really have played together great, Bourg was out in week 3, and Kiernan stepped in. Bourg is back and he provides a lift to the team, there were coaches that said you can’t run against this team and he did. Our linemen and backs took the game to heart and wanted to prove them wrong.”
Tell us about Brad Bourg – “He brings a certain energy, and charisma, much like Sopko did, he makes two perfect passes, and then runs the ball in, then catches a touchdown. He’s the leader, this is his team. He’s done a great job.”
Buchanan is such a weapon, tell us about him. “If you’re a defense coordinator, you put 9 guys in the box, and if he splits wide you go “Oh-ho”. Morris needed two guys to cover him. The safety needs to cover him and it opens up the running game. At safety, he’s a great cover man, good hitter, and can outrun anyone so few will get a long run against us. When he’s back as a punt return man, you don’t want to kick to him, it goes out of bounds, or they angle it away from him and it’s blocked. Most don’t notice the impact he has.”
What a great Sophomore class you have coming up. “I’ve got a great problem, I’ve got 6 running backs that can all score when they touch the ball, and I’ve got to find a place to play them all, but we’ll worry about that December 1st.”
“We’ll have to play even better next week, but we played great today, we scored off the run, pass, special teams.”
How much of a plus was it for the three kids that missed this game today to be able to play next week? “I’m very happy they’ll have a chance to play next week, their teammates rallied around them, and they had a week off so they’re fresh for next week. They made a mistake, they paid for it, and we move on.”
Tell me about Springfield – “I saw them week one against Montini, and they are scary, scary speed, the QB can fly, wide outs can run, big line. They can run or throw, or go two tight ends and smash you.”
“I haven’t spent any time looking at film so far, but we’ll start tomorrow. They’re about a 50-50 run/pass team.”
Like Morris then? “Yes, but faster athletes.”
But that’s next week – for now the players get a day off tomorrow and start ot prepare for the Cyclones on Monday.
Joliet Catholic will be making it’s 13th appearance in a state championship game (a record) and seeking it’s 11th state championship. (also a record).
Congratulations guys – one more.
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