High school football preview: Cary-Grove sets sights on FVC title

QUICK HITS

Coach: Brad Seaburg (eighth season, 69-17)

2017 record: 7-4 overall, 6-2 FVC

Fast fact: Cary-Grove football been to the playoffs 14 consecutive seasons, currently the best streak in the area, and have not lost a first-round game in that stretch.

SCOUTING REPORT

• C-G lost to Prairie Ridge and Huntley in the FVC regular season but almost derailed Prairie Ridge’s run toward back-to-back Class 6A state championships in the second round of the playoffs. The Trojans return most of the backfield from that team, with the exception of fullback Max Skol. QB Quinn Priester (638 yards), FB Max Buss (483) and RBs Danny Daigle (429) and Zach Perrone (290) all return.

• Junior Blake Skol FB-DB stood out on defense last season and also could step in at fullback for his brother. Skol, Daigle and Priester could see action on both offense and defense.

• LB Ben McDonald is a returning starter but will have a different role to begin the season at quarterback. McDonald has taken most of the repetitions there this summer as Priester, a baseball commit to TCU as a pitcher, has competed at numerous high-level showcases. Priester will not be available for the season opener, as he was unable to attend the IHSA-mandated 12 practices before the first game because of baseball.

• OL Addison West (6-4, 270) is one of the area’s top big men and committed to NCAA Division I Western Michigan. West and Jason Petko return to lead the line. DB Michael Boyd is another returning player on the defense.

• Seaburg thinks the team depth is better, so there could be fewer Trojans playing both ways this season. “We have a lot of skilled seniors who gained quite a bit of experience last year,” he said.

• C-G should benefit from a tough nonconference matchup in Week 9 with Naperville Central, a team often ranked in Class 8A.

UNDER THE RADAR

Jake Johnson, jr., LB

Ian Masukevich, sr., WR-DB

Johnson was injured during his freshman and sophomore seasons. He served as manager last year but listened and studied what was happening on the field. Seaburg said he plays fast and can make an impact this season. Masukevich is working at split end, also after coming off two injury-shortened seasons. “He has worked extremely hard and is hungry to play,” Seaburg said.

SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time

Aug. 24 Crystal Lake South 7 p.m.

Aug. 31 @ Crystal Lake Central 7 p.m.

Sept. 7 Hampshire 7 p.m.

Sept. 14 @ Huntley 7 p.m.

Sept. 22 Dundee-Crown 1 p.m.

Sept. 28 @ McHenry 7 p.m.

Oct. 5 Jacobs 7 p.m.

Oct. 12 @ Prairie Ridge 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 Naperville Central-* 7:30 p.m.

* Nonconference game

- Joe Stevenson

joestevenson@shawmedia.com