St. Edward dealt crushing defeat
ELGIN -- This was no time to gnash teeth and rehash mistakes.
St. Edward had just been blown out Friday night in non-conference play 48-7 by Marian Central at Greg True Field, and the Green Wave had more to worry about than giving up one big Hurricanes play after another.
"We wanted to be in a playoff situation," coach Mike Rolando said. "It's win or go home next Friday.
"Five wins and we go home."
In essence, the playoffs have come early for the Green Wave by one week because it knows that with a 5-4 record its season is almost assuredly complete due to a lack of playoff points. If it beats visiting Wheaton Academy next Friday, St. Edward will be in the playoffs for the first time since 2003.
"I know our team has got heart," wide receiver Zack Von Ahnen said. "It may not have looked like it tonight, but we'll get the sixth."
No. 6 didn't just elude them Friday -- it was never within reach after Marian Central quarterback Ben Krol went play-action on the Hurricanes' first play from scrimmage and threw a bomb down the middle of the field to a wide-open Andrew Stone for a 57-yard touchdown pass.
The scoring occurred at a rapid pace thereafter, until a running clock started 1:11 into the second half after Jared Koch broke off a 67-yard touchdown run for a 41-0 lead.
"That's a good team, but we're not this bad of a team," Rolando said. "High school teams aren't that far apart in talent. You have to show up and play. We'll try to do it again next week."
Marian (6-2) got 104 yards on 12 carries and touchdown runs of 2 and 41 yards from Corey Cavitt in gaining 170 rushing yards as a team. Krol threw for 109 yards, including a 13-yard TD pass to Koch just before halftime.
It wasn't so much the offensive scores that destroyed St. Edward as it was the big defensive plays. St. Edward (5-3), committed four turnovers, including two for Marian scores.
Koch delivered a big hit on Von Ahnen after a catch with 9:12 left in the second quarter at the Green Wave 41. It jarred the ball loose and into the air, allowing Stone to pluck it from the air and race 43 yards for a TD and 28-0 lead.
Down 41-0, St. Edward moved to the Marian Central 1-yard line but Kevin Bussey picked off a short pass over the middle and took off into the open field for a touchdown on a 103-yard interception return to close Marian's scoring.
"Tonight anything was our weakness," Rolando said. "We couldn't play pass defense, we couldn't play run defense, we couldn't make plays on offense, we couldn't make plays on special teams."
They did score on a 9-yard pass from Ben Lehman to Sam Pozezinski with 9:40 to play. Jordan Torres rushed for 85 yards but the Wave will need greater production to make the playoffs next week.
"I think for sure we'll definitely come out to play," Von Ahnen said. "We'll have the home crowd coming to support us. We've just got to get six."
MARIAN CENTRAL 48, ST. EDWARD 7
Marian Central 14 21 13 0 -- 48
St. Edward 0 0 0 7 -- 7
M -- Andrew Stone 57 pass from Ben Krol (Coltin Wenstrom kick) 10:12
M -- Corey Cavitt 2 run (Wenstrom kick) 3:23
M -- Cavitt 41 run (Wenstrom kick) 10:43
M -- Stone 43 fumble return (Wenstrom kick) 9:12
M -- Jared Koch 13 pass from Krol (Wenstrom kick) 4:15
M -- Koch 67 run (kick failed) 10:49
M -- Kevin Bussey 103 interception return 4:51
S -- Sam Pozezinski 9 pass from Ben Lehman (Jim Cholewa kick) 9:40
MC STED
First downs 11 13
Rushes-yards 25-170 21-96
Passing 6-8-0 10-29-2
Passing yards 109 100
Total yards 279 196
Fumbles 4-0 2-2
Penalties 3-34 6-50
Punts 3-33.3 5-28.0
Individual statistics
Rushing
Marian Central: Cavitt 12-106, Koch 4-57, Krol 4-(minus)5, Ryan Wiznerowicz 1-5, Zachary Benkert 1-(minus)1, Adam Szudarski 3-8.
St. Edward: David Hoebbel 12-26, Jordan Torres 7-85, Lehman 3-(minus) 15.
Passing
Marian Central: Krol 6-8-0-109.
St. Edward: Lehman 9-28-2-100.
Receiving
Marian Central: Stone 1-57, Szudarski 2-14, Koch 1-13, Cavitt 1-9, Curtis Price 1-16.
St. Edward: Zack Von Ahnen 5-37, Nick Kerger 1-6, Mike Ellis 1-8, Hoebbel 1-1, Pozezinski 2-22.
