IHSA Class 6A playoffs: Cary-Grove’s defense looks strong heading into semifinal at Lake Zurich

Trojans allowing 16.6 points per game this season

Cary-Grove’s Jack Rocen pulls in an interception against Geneva in IHSA Class 6A quarterfinal playoff football action at Cary Saturday.

CARY – Cary-Grove’s defense prides itself on the effort and physicality it consistently brings.

Trojans defensive back Corey Adams has noticed another aspect of the defense that has improved in C-G’s three playoff games.

“Execution over the season became more valuable, and we’ve had that in most games,” Adams said. “That’s been the big difference in these playoff games. Getting our jobs done. Combining the effort with the execution is really paying off.”

No. 3-seeded C-G (10-2) visits No. 1 Lake Zurich (11-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mel Eide FIeld in a Class 6A semifinal game. The Trojans’ defense seems to be on top of its game heading into the matchup, particularly after a dominant performance in last week’s 41-7 win over Geneva.

C-G limited an offense led by Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State quarterback Nate Stempowski to 255 total yards and came up with four takeaways. Two early turnovers helped the Trojans to a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter, and the VIkings never recovered.

“Geneva was a talented team,, and we worked together well and got our [win],” middle linebacker Will Barcy said. “We’re all locked in mentally to do our own job and not worry about making a tackle, worried about taking care of our own job and all working together.”

Cary-Grove's Connor Anderson jumps on top of h34\ as he tries to tackle him during a Fox Valley Conference football game on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, at Cary-Grove High School.

The Trojans have played strong defense all season, allowing 16.6 points a game. They have not allowed 30 points in any game and have given up more than 20 in only four games.

C-G has held its three playoff opponents – Libertyville, Highland Park and Geneva – to 841 total yards and 42 points. Highland Park had 409 of those yards and 29 of those points.

Trojans coach Brad Seaburg feels like what his defense saw in the regular season, going 7-2 in the Fox Valley Conference, was good for the postseason. Prairie Ridge and Jacobs thrive on highly productive running games, Crystal Lake Central and Crystal Lake South are proficient passing teams, and Huntley provided a good mix of the two.

“We’ve prepared well throughout the season and gotten better throughout the playoffs,” Seaburg said. “Our conference prepared us for a lot of different styles of games.

“What we did on Saturday [against Geneva], which we haven’t really done a lot, was get turnovers. We haven’t gotten four in a game yet this year. To do that was huge.”

C-G stopped Geneva’s first drive at its own 30 with a strip and fumble recovery by defensive back Jack Rocen. Defensive back PJ Weaver had a 42-yard interception return a few minutes later, and Rocen added another interception before halftime, at which point C-G led 34-0.

Cary-Grove’s Connor Mattran, Thomas Battaglia, Charlie Ciske, and Kyle Jarecki swarm Highland Park’s David Finfer in second-round IHSA Class 6A playoff action at Wolters Field in Highland Park Saturday.

“That was one of our better performances of the year,” linebacker Ian Moran said. “I really think it was the mindset going into that game. We were level-headed.

“We’ve been preparing like we always do. We prepare the same. Throughout the year our defense has been improving. For me, it’s simple things, the little details, where you take on the block, how you take on the block. It’s stuff we go over every day, keep working on it.”

Seaburg also said the players’ video study was crucial against Geneva.

“The pursuit our kids have to the football and the relentlessness and the never-quit attitude has been great,” Seaburg said. “On top of that, lining up in the right spots against teams that have multiple formations. Geneva and Highland Park and Libertyville and South have so many formations and you have to be so sharp. I think our kids have really done a nice job of film study and preparation.”

C-G missed the playoffs last season for the first time in 18 years. The Trojans beat East St. Louis 37-36 for the 2021 Class 6A state championship and take an eight-game playoff winning streak to Lake Zurich on Saturday.

That playoff success, an offense that has produced 139 points in three playoff games and a confident defense is a tough combination to beat.

“[Lake Zurich] is a talented team with good passing and good running. We have to focus on stopping all of it really,” Barcy said. “It’s up to us to work together. We’ve improved everywhere. We’re always still looking to get better and never satisfied.”

Adams said the Trojans want to be relentless and level-headed.

“If they score, we come back with same mindset to stop them,” Adams said. “We play with physicality every single play, every single snap we try to do our best. At the end of the game we come out satisfied.”