High school football: With offense clicking, Prairie Ridge trying to shore up defense

Prairie Ridge free safety Kyle Koelblinger, one of the few returning starters from last year’s Class 6A state championship team, likes where the Wolves are at 4-1.

“We’re in a good place to make a run to the playoffs, and hopefully make a deep run in the playoffs, as well,” Koelblinger said.

The offense has produced at a high level, having scored 57 or more points in four games and put up an area-best 276 points. The defense has had its moments, particularly a strong second half against Huntley, but is looking for more consistency heading into the regular season’s final month.

That starts when the Wolves (4-1, 4-1 Fox Valley Conference) face Jacobs (3-2, 3-1) at 7 p.m. Friday in a conference game at Jacobs Athletic Field.

“I definitely think we’re improving,” Wolves linebacker Josh Crandall said. “We still have a lot to work on as far as pass coverage goes. We’ve been working hard in practice. We’re getting better every week.”

Prairie Ridge allowed four first-half touchdowns against Huntley in Week 3, then tightened things in the second half to give up only one score. The Red Raiders put together a 19-play, 85-yard drive for the winning touchdown with 41 seconds remaining, but the Wolves’ defense rebounded nicely after a tough first half.

The next week, however, they allowed 697 total yards to Dundee-Crown in a 70-55 victory that was the highest-scoring game in FVC history. Then, the Wolves led McHenry, 28-21, in the first half last week before pulling away for a 63-21 win. One of the Warriors’ touchdowns came on Braden Crowley’s 86-yard kickoff return.

Wolves coach Chris Schremp said the defense’s biggest problem has been third downs.

“It’s been an issue getting teams in third-and-long, and we just can’t finish the series,” Schremp said. “It’s something we’re working on, something that with a young team we have to make them throw something incomplete and punt. We have to finish the fourth-down series. Hopefully, we’ll get that together.”

Koelblinger thinks it comes down to basic fundamentals.

“We need to tackle better,” he said. “Better coverage, better tackling, taking the right angles – the basic things we need, and then we’ll be fine.”

Crandall believes the problems are fixable, even with so many new players.

“We do so well, then we get to third-and-longs, and we need to work on our pass coverage more,” Crandall said. “Our coaches are so good, it doesn’t really matter who’s in the game, they teach us everything. We should be able to compete with anyone.”

Even without three-time Northwest Herald Player of the Year Samson Evans, who quarterbacked the Wolves’ option on teams that were 39-2, the offense has been highly efficient. Fullback Jackson Willis leads the area with 1,040 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.

“Last year, it was Samson and his cousin (running back Zach Gulbransen) with most of the carries,” Jacobs coach Bill Mitz said. “Now Willis has carried 90 times, and the quarterback (Connor Lydon) has carried 39 times. If you’re going to beat this team, you’re going to have to be able to stop the fullback. They’re solid on everything they do.”

Mitz learned Monday that senior quarterback Anthony Wilson, who also started last season for the Golden Eagles, would be out for the season with a knee injury. Junior Cole Bhardwaj will step in at that position.

“We felt like we had two very good quarterbacks,” Mitz said. “Cole has a very strong arm. He may not have the speed Anthony has to break one as far as running. It’s always tough to lose a senior, especially a guy like Anthony who has put so much into the program. We’re going to miss Anthony, but now it’s Cole’s opportunity to lead the show.”