| Rock Island moves to 5A semifinals
By Marc Nesseler, Sports editor
November 14, 2002 10:07 PM
CRYSTAL LAKE -- It's crystal clear.
The offense, defense and special teams for the Rock Island Rocks were clicking on all
cylinders in their 14-8 Class 6A quarterfinal victory over Crystal Lake South on Saturday.
``I knew it meant the final four and I was as happy as I could be,'' said RI linebacker
Lawrence Davis of his game-sealing interception with 39 seconds left in the game.
``This is a final four team and I'm excited for all of the kids,'' said RI coach Vic
Boblett. ``It took a good game from our offense, defense and special teams. You don't get
to the final four with just one phase.''
The Rocks (11-1) return to the final four for the first time since 1997, when they
finished as the state runner-up in 5A. They'll travel again next Saturday, facing their
postseason nemesis over the past decade, Chicago Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel (11-1)
defeated Mundelein Carmel 28-21 on Saturday.
Two of Rock Island's five sacks against the 8-4 Gators set up the Rocks' two
second-quarter touchdowns. The first, by Daniel Payne on a CLS fourth-and-1, preceded a
69-yard, 11-play drive finished off by a two-yard touchdown run by Waylond Ryan. The
second, after an eight-yard sack by Chris Tuttle, put the Rocks in line for a five-play,
53-yard drive and a one-yard score by Dillon Smith.
Still, the pressure was all on the defense at the end, with the Gators pulling within
six points with 4:54 left in the game. Just when it seemed as if the Rocks would have
their way with the Gator offense, with punter Jason Reda pinning them back to the 5-yard
line, the Gators quickly made a game of it. Bouyed by a 50-yard run by 235-pound fullback
Brian Marx, Crystal Lake South traveled those 95 yards in six minutes.
``After that TD, we knew we had to make up for it,'' said Davis.
RI attempted to put the game out of reach on its next possession. However, a 50-yard
field goal by Reda was barely wide left.
``We knew that at the very least, Jason would reach the end zone with the try and
they'd have to go 80 yards for a score,'' Boblett said. ``There's the risk of a block, but
there's that risk with a punt, too.''
After three passes that put CLS on the RI 28, Brandon Jones came through with a big,
six-yard sack. Then, after a penalty on the Gators for having 12 players on the field,
Davis came up with his second interception of the game.
``We knew we had to stop the big play,'' said Payne, a defensive end who had two sacks
and one other tackle-for-loss, ``and we had to get the turnover.''
Except for that 50-yarder by Marx, the Rocks seemed to have the big defensive play at
their calling. Ten times the Rocks tackled the Gators in the backfield. That left Crystal
Lake South with 149 yards rushing on 43 carries, despite running backs Trent Steckel (66
yards, 19 carries) and Marx combining for nearly 2,000 ground yards during the season.
With two sacks, Tuttle became the state's No. 2 all-time sack leader with 24.5 for his
career.
``I didn't want to leave this field with any regrets,'' said Tuttle. ``And now, I just
want to keep building on it.
``We want to keep winning. The sack number is just a bonus on top of the wins.''
The Rocks had one other opportunity to pull away. Facing a fourth-and-1 from the CLS
8-yard line on their second drive of the second half, the Rocks sent Dillon Smith, the
Rocks' leading ground-gainer with 90 yards on 19 carries, up the middle. CLS stopped him
for no gain.
``Those are all judgement calls, the fourth-and-1s,'' Boblett said of forgoing a short
Reda field goal that would have given his team a three-score advantage. ``I liked every
one of the decisions we made today, because the game turned out the right way.''
Crystal clear, that would be.
Copyright 2001, Moline Dispatch
Publishing Co. |
