Kendall County notes: Brady Behringer, Sandwich execute two-minute drill to perfection in game-winning drive

Brady Behringer’s favorite play from Sandwich’s game-winning drive last Friday wasn’t one of his two throws.

It was his block.

Yes, that’s right. It was Sandwich’s 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior quarterback who sprung Nick Michalek’s 10-yard touchdown run with a pancake block.

“It felt amazing. Right when I got home, that is the first play that I knew to look at,” Behringer said. “Blockers up front did a good job, I followed Tate Frieders, guy came over to the right, and I did what I was taught to do and ended up pancaking and led to a TD.”

Michalek’s TD was the capper to Sandwich’s drive in the final minute of a come-from-behind 42-35 win at Woodstock North.

“Had to restart my heart after that game,” Sandwich coach Kris Cassie said. “It wasn’t quite last team with the ball wins, but in the end it came down to simple things and executing.”

Sandwich, known for its ball-control wing-T offense, showed itself more than capable of executing a two-minute drill.

The Indians got the ball at their 20-yard line with 1:15 remaining in a 35-35 game after Cole Leeper’s interception and a touchback.

Behringer hit two big pass plays to Michalek and Simeion Harris, and Michalek wasn’t to be denied on the 10-yard power sweep.

Just like Sandwich practices it. Cassie said they practice running the two-minute drill every Thursday in Sandwich’s football stadium.

“We make it as close to a game-like situation as possible,” Cassie said. “We have a couple coaches on the field spot the ball. I can hear Coach [Dusty] Behringer yelling that the clock stops while chains are moving, calling out to spike the ball.

“It’s situational awareness that we practice. They know their markers, their play calls, and they know when to spike it. We try to put them through as many game-type scenarios on Thursday so they are are prepared Friday.”

Brady Behringer said he’ll wear a wristband with plays to call during the two-minute drill. He said Sandwich has run it “maybe one other time, but never as successful as Friday.”

“Coaches do a good job of preparing us on Thursdays so it’s like practice, basically,” Behringer said. “It goes back to our preparation. When Nick or Sim have a big run, they go out of bounds.”

Behringer isn’t tasked to throw the ball often in Sandwich’s offense, but he knew what to do with it Friday. And what not to do.

“He hit the two big passes, but he also had one where he rolled out, didn’t see anybody open, didn’t want to lose time so he threw the ball away,” Cassie said. “He’s just a smart ballplayer, smart kid, 4.0 GPA. He threw it away and saved the time, and very next play was the big pass to Sim.”

Cassie likewise wasn’t surprised to see his second-year starting QB deliver the big block. Behringer said he’s put on 15 pounds of muscle since he started playing football at Sandwich.

“Brady, he has all the physical tools, the strong arm, and he has tremendous work ethic in the weight room,” Cassie said. “I teach weightlifting class, and I have the data. The kid is getting stronger every week.”

Cassie’s only quibble with his two-minute offense Friday? It was almost too efficient, leaving 38.5 seconds after Michalek’s TD.

“Unfortunately for my heart we scored a little too fast and left them 38.5 seconds,” Cassie said. “Once they got down to our 20 the pass defense stepped up, got three incomplete passes. They did what they had to do in a game like that.”

Oswego East keeps playoff hopes alive

Oswego East, once 0-2, has kept its playoff hopes alive with back-to-back wins over Bolingbrook and Yorkville the last two weeks.

The Wolves (4-4) could conceivably get in the playoffs with a 4-5 record and a healthy dose of playoff points, currently 44, but would breathe easier by beating Oswego this Friday.

“We’ve played a little bit better offensively, and our defense has continued to do some things,” Oswego East coach Tyson LeBlanc said. “It’s a credit to our guys and to our coaching staff to continue to challenge our guys. The guys have done a good job of accepting the challenge to grow day by day.”

That’s been the case up front, where an entirely new offensive line has grown week by week under a new offensive line coach. And it’s come behind center, where junior QB Niko Villacci had perhaps the best game of his varsity career last week. Villacci was 11-for-19 passing for 245 yards and two TDs, and also ran for 59 yards and a TD.

“That’s his biggest game of the season so far, first time over 200 yards passing,” LeBlanc said. “He’s played a full season now, a little more comfortable with things, has more trust in his receivers. He has always been a fairly athletic kid running the ball a little bit. He is now making better decisions.”

Raising Cain

Oswego senior Jeremiah Cain had a highlight reel catch last Friday that wasn’t ruled a catch.

During the second quarter of a game with Minooka, the Northern Iowa recruit soared over a defender for a spectacular one-handed catch. One that was ruled incomplete, much to Cain’s dismay.

“That wasn’t an incomplete pass,” Cain said. “I had the ball in my hand, and it bounced, but it was in my hand. Ruled incomplete. That crushed my heart.”

Cain, though, is used to making plays like that.

In a game last season, he went up for one-handed touchdown in the back of the end zone. That he can make the spectacular look routine is no accident.

“I practice those all the time,” he said. “At practice, just high-pointing the ball. We have drills for it. Try to be as realistic as I can for the games. Outside of practice, I’ll throw the ball to myself whenever I am bored and have nothing to do.”

Cain scored two TDs in the 42-10 win over Minooka, the second a 59-yard sparkler. He adjusted on a deep ball while speeding up, hauled it in and took it 40 yards to the end zone, then dunked it over the goal post for good measure.

Oswego, one of just 27 undefeated teams remaining statewide, will go for the program’s first 9-0 regular season on Friday at Oswego East.

“It would be amazing, doing something that hasn’t been done in a pretty long time,” Cain said. “I’m feeling good about our season, but also not satisfied. I want more. I feel like we can go far as a team.”