High school football: Cary-Grove's 2009 championship still having impact on current Trojans

Shortly after Cary-Grove won the 2009 Class 6A state championship, third-grader Quinn Priester went to Jimmy John’s in Cary with his father, Andy.

There, behind the counter wrapping up the Priesters’ sandwiches, was Eric Chandler. For Quinn Priester, an aspiring football player in the Junior Trojans program, Chandler was a larger-than-life figure.

“I actually asked him for his autograph,” said Priester, who had seen the Trojans beat Providence Catholic for the title at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium.

It’s a story Priester and Chandler occasionally joke about now, since Priester plays split end for C-G and Chandler coaches the Trojans’ split and tight ends.

Players such as Chandler, Tyler Krebs, Alex Hembrey and others became heroes for those youngsters by winning the school’s first football state championship. Now, Priester and his teammates will get a chance to replicate that. C-G (13-0) faces Crete-Monee (10-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium for the 6A state title.

Chandler, Krebs and Hembrey, three-fourths of the 2009 starting backfield, often are on the C-G sideline together. Chandler and Krebs are assistant coaches, while Hembrey is a physician’s assistant with Centegra Physician Care-McHenry County Orthopedics and sometimes works the Trojans’ games.

Chandler was the grinding fullback for the 2009 team, Krebs ran the triple-option at quarterback and Hembrey, a speedy game-breaker, was one of the wingbacks.

“I looked up to [Chandler] ever since I started playing football, and now being coached by him is special,” Priester said. “It’s something I really value. He and Coach Krebs know what it takes to be state champions and win the whole thing.”

Priester worked closely with Krebs last season when he was quarterback. Ben McDonald moved to quarterback this season and has thrived under Krebs’ tutelage.

“It’s really all I could ask for,” said McDonald, who has more than 1,000 yards both rushing and passing. “I really like to follow in his footsteps. He was a leader despite his size (5-foot-8). He was a great leader and teammate. I try to play like him and follow his legacy.”

Chandler is in his fourth year on the C-G staff; Krebs is in his second. Trojans coach Brad Seaburg, who was the sophomore coach in 2009, was excited to add the former C-G players to his staff.

“They bring a ton of knowledge on our offense,” Seaburg said. “They really know what to expect and how to prepare. Tyler talks to Ben all the time, maybe some things that aren’t X’s and O’s kind of things, the more intricate details or mental approach with things.”

Chandler, who teaches English at C-G, is not that far removed from his high school days, but notices some things from the current players he did not see as a Trojan.

“A cool thing to see is the perspective of growth of the players and getting to see the buy-in and the work ethic,” Chandler said. “When you’re in as a high school player, I don’t know if you take the time to appreciate that, but seeing them grow and improve and have great character are some of the coolest parts I see as coach.”

Krebs worked as a paid assistant last year and is volunteering this season because he sensed this team was going to be special.

“It’s been a fortunate situation,” he said. “When you’re winning, you can overlook those things. It’s been really cool building relationships with the players and giving them guidance and perspective on the tradition that started growing since 2004.”

That was the year C-G became a state football power. Former coach Bruce Kay’s team was Class 7A state runner-up to Libertyville, which set the Trojans’ standard. They have made the playoffs 15 consecutive seasons, reached 11 quarterfinals and now their fifth championship game since then.

The 2004 team, led by Brian Mitz, Will Yocius, Andrew Bures and Vince Filipp, became heroes to future Trojans. The 2009 team raised the standard by winning the title.

The Trojans played for the Class 6A state championship in 2012, losing to Crete-Monee, 33-26, and current Minnesota Vikings receiver Laquon Treadwell. In 2014, the Trojans lost to Providence, 31-28, in the 7A title game.

“For our program, (2009) was getting to the pinnacle,” said Seaburg, who took over as head coach in 2011. “We just felt that sense of achievement. For the kids, it was setting that goal and achieving it.”

Hembrey, who had a crucial 66-yard touchdown run in the 2009 title game, worked the first three playoff games since the Trojans were at home. He would love to work every game, but CPC-MCO covers 10 schools, so he moves around.

“If I could cover them every week, it’s not really work at that point,” Hembrey said. “When they’re playing another team in the area, you try to be unbiased, but you can’t help but get excited for them.”

Hembrey is surprised how much the 2018 Trojans remember his team.

“Even being on the sideline, the players are like, ‘That’s Hembrey,’ ” he said. “They still watch our film. You wonder ‘Do they still remember our team?’ It amazes me that they still do.”

Priester recalls that running back-defensive back Danny Daigle was there with him two days after Thanksgiving watching C-G bring home the championship. They have since dreamt about doing that themselves.

Krebs didn’t think about being a hero to the current players until recently.

“It’s really cool to have the players do that,” Krebs said. “They’re at the point where they’re kind of equalizing what we did. Hopefully, we get one more win. To have the second 14-0 team would be outstanding.”