| Hilltopper defense stifles Morris |
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Hillmen take Championship #12
Mike Menozzi JolietCatholicFootball.com
Throughout the game, a driving rain which at times seemed to be coming down horizontally, wreaked havoc on the offenses. No matter, the number 1 ranked team in 6A lived up to its billing. Conditions created a defensive struggle against what most Morris fans were calling the best Morris Redskin team ever.
The Redskins may not have been aware that the Hillmen – ranked #1 in 5A - had one of their best teams as well.
Walking off the field after the game I made a comment that all year long the offense seemed to steal the show in every game. That tends to happen though when you score an average of 46 points a game. Today was the defense’s day. They stood up to Morris’ running and passing attack and never gave an inch.
Oh, and the offense put together an 85 yard 11 play drive when they needed it most – just like the ”old days”.
“Coach Mac said they were going to shut them out,” Sharp said shaking his head, “I didn’t believe him. You know I’m a pessimist, and Coach Mac would say ‘ah, don’t worry about it’, he was making me crazy.”
Catholic won the toss and defended the south goal with the wind at their backs. Morris took over that the 30 yard line. Morris converted a first down on it’s first series, but failed on a 3 and 9, and punted to JCA.
JCA went three and out and punted to the 1 yard line .
Jones muffed the exchange and fumbled it into the end zone, Chris Jeske playing in his last game as a Hillmen pounced on it and Catholic had struck early. The kick was good, JCA led 7-0 with 7:48 left in the 1st quarter. It was Jeske’s only touchdown in his four years as a Hillmen.
Jeske was playing with a sore ankle he had rolled pretty severely after practice the day before, but you’d never know it by the way he was throwing himself around the field. Which is to say – his usual style of play.
If Jeske hadn’t jumped on it Joe Stasko was right there “just in case”.
Adam Saxon threw Dergo for a loss and Morris was kicking again.
Benson and Clancy were power running to the 25, but the drive stalled. Platt came in to attempt a 42 yard field goal and it was good. Catholic led 10-0 with 3 seconds left in the half. “I was just happy to see it go thru”, Platt said afterward.
The defense had the 6’7” Jones on the run all day. On the next series Jones scrambled and got the pass away moments before Metzger crushed Jones with a near knockout hit. Jones was visibly shaken and staggered to the sideline, but being a tough kid stayed in and kept the drive alive.
Morris drove to the 49, but fumbled and Pete Barney came up with the loose ball – it appeared the Hilltoppers were in business again and were threatening to blow the game open.
Catholic drove to the Morris 29, but were stopped on a 4th and four. “You have to hand it to their defense”, Coach Sharp said after the game, “it could have been very different if we go in to score right there.”
Kyle Doom nearly had an interception on Morris next possession and they were forced to punt again. But Morris pinned JCA at the 14 and the Hillmen were forced to punt.
Benson smoked a 46 yard punt to the Morris 40 yard line. This was key, nailing a big punt here kept Morris from gaining the field position game they were able to execute on previous opponents.
Morris drove to the 37 with the wind at their back, but a scrambling Jones flinched and threw the ball high and out of bounds with Joe Stasko coming hard – it was 3rd and 11. A shift to the shotgun and a shovel pass went nowhere. The Hilltopper defense was coming up big. Jones bobbled the shotgun snap but recovered and hit Edwards in the hands, good enough for the first down, but it was dropped, the ball went over to JCA.
At the half if I were to have told you before the game that the offense would have no touchdowns, it would have been hard to believe. But the driving rain and steady wind curtailed much offense on both sides, meanwhile the defense for both teams were front and center.
The Second Half
Things didn’t start well for the Hilltoppers in the second half. Going into the wind receiving the second half kickoff, the Hillmen promptly coughed up a fumble on their 20, and Morris was in business. It appeared on the replay that Benson fell back first on the turf with the ball, but it was ruled a fumble.
Stasko’s time to shine – he dropped Dergo twice after a no gain and it was 4th and 3 from the 13. Morris’ successful running game would seem to make this one sided, but the Hilltopper defense would have non of it. Cranmer burst thru and sacked Jones for a two yard loss and the ball was back to the Hillmen.
From the 25 facing a 3rd and 15 McKeon appeared to have enough for the first down, but Catholic was flagged for “aiding the runner”. With 5:54 Catholic was punting, A short punt gave Morris the ball at our 39.
Morris drove to the 26, but Hooks knocked down a pass at the line of scrimmage, then an incomplete pass to Cumby at the goal line who was blanketed by Doom. Morris picked up a first at the 12 on a completion to Cumby. Morris was stacking either side with two running backs when Jones was rolling one way or the other, due to the pressure that the Hillmen defense was putting on him.
Coach Darlington pulled out the “polecat” – Jones ran away from the stacked left formation and got nothing – the Hillmen were ready for it.
The ball was snapped over Jones head – which is difficult considering he’s 6’7” resulting in a broken play. On the play Cranmer was grabbed by the neck of his jersey, but there was no call. Morris was called for an illegal pass to a lineman. JCA declined the penalty placing the ball back at the 12 (because it was incomplete), and giving Morris great field position. Dergo sprinted on the field to attempt a field goal but the ball was bobbled by the holder resulting in a line drive kick wide to the left.
The Hilltopper defense had once again stifled the Morris offense with great field position.
Catholic couldn’t convert, and punted. Hustling down field making a pancake tackle was 6’3” 320 pound Steve Owens.
Morris drove to our 39, but was stopped again and punted to our 11. Time for some good old fashioned power football, Clancy powered off the right side for a 42 yard run. “That was an “old school blast” Coach Sharp put in the game this week. I ran them back to back and they worked” Chris Clancy would tell me later. At 6:03 Joe Benson left the game with a twisted ankle, and would not return. Catholic got a first down on the measurement on the 24. Dan Hrvatin came in on the wing, and Clancy shifted to fullback.
With 4:09 Clancy powered to the 17. Faced with a 4 and 3 with 3:26 remaining Billy McKeon put his head down and drove to the 11 for another first down. It was the same “old school blast” that was effective for Clancy earlier in the drive. “We’ve never ran that play against Morris, we just put it in this week, so they were probably caught off guard by it” Coach Sharp told me after the game.
Before the game Pat Ryan working the game with me as he usually does, said the key to the game for the Hillmen was “Kiernan’s legs”. He had no idea how right he’d be. Morris stacked the line of scrimmage, the line backers crept into the line waiting for what they knew would be coming Billy McKeon off right tackle. Kiernan handed the ball to McKeon in what appeared to be a doomed play from the start – but wait – it was a fake – Kiernan kept it on a bootleg around the left side. His only blocker, big Steve Owens, Steve’s assignment, the kickout block on the left side containment to allow Kiernan into the end zone. Owens nailed his block alright, he opened up the entire left side of the universe, and Kiernan waltzed into the end zone untouched. The kick by Platt was good and it was 17-0 with 2:32.
Platt kicked into the end zone and Morris was facing the wind which had increased, just as the rain had. Perhaps know that they needed three scores to win, which just wasn’t going to happen, Morris ran three running plays and punted to Catholic that just ran out the clock.
The Private school sweep in all 5 classes they participated in was complete. “After this weekend I expect the IHSA to make changes,” said Coach Sharp after the game.
At the post game press conference Coach Sharp spoke. “I’d like to congratulate Coach Dan Darlington and the Morris Redskins on an outstanding football game. I always enjoy our games with them, they challenge us and always give an outstanding effort. They test us as players and coaches. I certainly hope he’s back next year, Illinois High School football will lose a lot if he retires.”
“Billy McKeon’s quick kick was key, I always thought Billy could win any punt, pass, and kick competition if the state had one.”
“Our coaches prepared our defense very well for today’s game, we shut out one of the states best offenses – just an unbelievable job by the coaches and the lids on the field.”
“The wind and the rain made it very difficult to throw the ball, our defense stepped up and did what they’ve been doing all year long.”
“We had great coverage on their big receivers, but I thought our run defense was terrific.”
Where does this team stack up against the previous JCHS/JCA teams? “I think it ranks one of 12, he said with a laugh, “It’s sad that practice is over, these kids worked hard but had fun. I’d be worried, and these guys were playing practical jokes – especially this guy right here,” he said pointing to Clancy.
Do you ever wonder how well you’d do against 8A teams? “I think we’ll find out next year. We can compete with anyone, we may or may not win, but we can complete with anyone in any class. As can that other team you saw today – Morris can got toe to toe with anyone. There are a handful of private schools that won’t be effected by the change (which hasn’t be announced yet but is anticipated). JCA, Mt. Carmel, Carmel, Driscoll, Providence, Springfield Griffin – it’s the smaller private schools I feel bad for.”
“If they want to punish us, I’ll volunteer to go to 8A and they can leave everyone else alone, that’s fine with me. There’s no point in punishing everyone because of a few teams success. It would be a great challenge.”
“We’ll go where the IHSA puts us.”
Any changes to the offense today because of the elements? “I probably got a little conservative, we practice lots of things but go back to smash-mouth football I guess.”
You were concerned with their size before the game – how’d that go?
“I don’t think a lot of people knew how quick our team was this year, we were able to handle them with our speed. Our line play was great, coverage was great, linebackers were hitting hard.”
“We had a great defensive stand when they were at our 12 – this could have been a very different game if it were 10-7 and they were kicking with the wind – pinning us deep again.”
Number 12 – a great performance against the top ranked 6A team in the state – a shut out no less. Time to celebrate. Congratulations Hilltoppers – your 2004 5A Champions again. Speaking for the Alumni nationwide, you’ve made us all proud to be a Hillmen with your play throughout the year, we couldn’t be any happier for your accomplishments, or for us to call ourselves Hillmen along with you.
Thank you for a great, great season.
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