GAMEDAY PREVIEW CAPSULES
Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Thursday, November 28, 2013
| IHSA FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
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CLASS 2A STAUNTON BULLDOGS (9-4) vs. STERLING NEWMAN CENTRAL CATHOLIC COMETS (12-1)
Bill Rosemeier – Rockford Register-Star
Lena-Winslow’s Tyler Oakley (right) blocks as quarterback Ben Moest looks for an open receiver during a Class 1A quarterfinal game against Stockton on Nov. 16 in Stockton.
Game time: 1 p.m. Friday Coaches: Mike Paramentier (53-40 in ninth season at Staunton; 93-69 overall); Michael Papoccia (286-92 in 34th season at Sterling Newman Central Catholic) Conferences: Staunton from South Central; Sterling Newman Central Catholic from Three Rivers Playoff road to DeKalb: Staunton defeated Fairfield (8-0), Carlyle (19-14), Gillespie (30-14) and Auburn (32-28). Sterling Newman Central Catholic defeated Fieldcrest (41-0), Eastland-Pearl City (35-12), Momence (34-33) and Mercer County (14-0). State championship appearances: Staunton – First appearance. Sterling Newman Central Catholic – Seventh appearance (four titles). Other key players: Staunton – RB / MLB
Dustin Scheller (169 attempts, 811 yards, 11 TDs, 136 tackles), WR Marcus Sitko (34 catches, 592 yards, 13 TDs), Sterling Newman Central Catholic – RB Jake Snow (168 attempts, 1,584 yards, 28 TDs), OLB Brady Rude (105 tackles, six sacks), ILB Mac Olson (96 tackles, three sacks). Fun fact: In each of Sterling Newman Central Catholic’s four state title victories, it has allowed seven points or less. Why you should watch: Staunton is the true underdog of the state championships. They lost four of their last five games in the regular season to barely qualify for the playoffs at 5-4, but have since won four consecutive games to reach the state finals for the first time. – Ross Jacobson, rjacobson@shawmedia.com
CLASS 1A DOWNS TRI-VALLEY VIKINGS (13-0) vs. LENA-WINSLOW PANTHERS (10-3) Game time: 10 a.m. Friday Coaches: Josh Roop (52-21 in seventh season at Downs Tri-Valley); Ric Arand (13653 in 17th season at Lena-Winslow) Conferences: Downs Tri-Valley from Heart of Illinois; Lena-Winslow from Northwest Upstate Illini Playoff road to DeKalb: Downs Tri-Valley defeated North Greene (56-14), Argenta-Oreana (23-7), Casey-Westfield (48-27) and Maroa-Forsyth (14-6). Lena-Winslow defeated Forreston (24-10), Freeport Aquin (48-20), Stockton (24-14) and Chicago Leo (45-22). State championship appearances: Downs Tri-Valley – First appearance. Lena-Winslow – Second appearance (one state title). Other key players: Downs Tri-Valley – RB Braden Herrman (128 attempts, 1,398 yards,
22 TDs), RB Caleb Wilson (154 attempts, 1,235 yards, 18 TDs), RG/DL Lucas Hammer (88 solo tackles); Lena-Winslow – RB Tyler Oakey (210 attempts, 1,506 yards, 16 TDs), WR Luke Schubert (29 catches, 634 yards, 12 TDs) Fun fact: Downs Tri-Valley won a state championship as part of a co-op with Leroy in 1996, but decided to break away from the co-op in 2001 to start its own program. Why you should watch: This game will feature a trio of 1,000-yard rushers as both teams excel in the ground game. For those fans who love with smashmouth old-school football, this game will showcase the true talents of the offensive line more than the quarterbacks. – Ross Jacobson, rjacobson@shawmedia.com
Philip Marruffo – pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Sterling Newman Central Catholic running back Jake Snow breaks a tackle in a game against Erie-Prophetstown on Oct. 11.
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