Post by momto4 on Oct 23, 2008 8:24:11 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/sports/highschools/1237917,2_2_AU23_FBFOCUS_S1.article
Humming along
After some fine-tuning, Warriors have turned the corner
Walking off the practice field Wednesday evening, Waubonsie Valley's Sherrod Stancil couldn't help but let out a few melodies.
You would be singing, too, if your team were coming off its fifth straight win with eyes on a sixth.
"There's definitely excitement and some relief," senior quarterback Tyler Castro said. "To go in an 0-3 hole, you know the pressure's on and you can't stumble anymore."
Give the Warriors credit for beating teams they should -- the combined record of their last five opponents heading into Friday is 14-26, with only Neuqua Valley (4-4) and Bloom Township (4-4) having a shot at finishing above .500.
Waubonsie should beat a 4-4 Larkin team this weekend and secure an automatic playoff berth and second place in the Upstate Eight Conference. It would also mark the second straight season in which the Warriors won their final six regular-season games.
The turnaround this year after an 0-3 start was beating rival Neuqua Valley 28-26 in Week 4.
"If we didn't have Neuqua that week, it would have been rough," Castro said. "The attitude is completely different now -- these guys are working hard and they know they can win."
The team has relied on Castro and a solid group of receivers to lead an offense averaging 36.4 points per game since being shut out in Week 3 at Prairie Ridge.
Castro has completed 61 percent of his passes (132-of-218) with only three interceptions. His 1,716 yards rank third in the Beacon News coverage area and his 19 touchdowns are good for second.
"He understands the offense very, very well," coach Paul Murphy said. "He understands the secondary reads he has to make and he has some receivers that are making themselves available. We're also taking advantage of the opponents' defenses when they put seven, eight guys in the box."
The group of Andrew Szott, Anthony Wolf, Mike Barnett, Brett Hanson and Tim Homan aren't the same earthmovers as last year's massive offensive line, but they have given Castro all the time he's needed to find Mark Hilgers (47 catches) and Scott Kuehn (48).
"They're doing a great job now. They've really stepped up the last couple of weeks," Castro said. "And they're also opening holes for the running backs."
While the team has been pass-oriented, the ground game has picked up in recent weeks and four Warriors runners have topped 100 yards on the season.
Stancil leads a group defensively that may not dominate, but has found an identity.
"After those first few weeks, we realized we didn't have the team we had last year so it's up to us to do this job," said Stancil, a senior defensive lineman. "And coming off that big Neuqua Valley game we decided that you know what, we're not going to let people score. And if they do score, it's not going to be easy."
Waubonsie intends to finish the regular season with a win, but it is looking somewhat head. Last year, Hinsdale Central beat the Warriors 12-10 in Aurora to end their season after those six straight victories. This year's group remembers that and doesn't want a repeat.
"This group is not going to be satisfied just getting into the playoffs," Murphy said. "We want to be able to compete and make amends for not getting past the first round last year."
GAME OF THE WEEK
On Friday, interact live with staff writer Jim Owczarski from the
Beacon News' Game of the Week -- Batavia at Geneva -- at
www.beaconnewsonline.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. Senior success
Waubonsie quarterback Tyler Castro is having a terrific season thus far. Statistically speaking, the senior is one of the top passers in the area.
Here are Castro's stats and area rank:
61% completion percentage* (2nd)
1,716 yards (3rd)
19 touchdowns (2nd)
3 interceptions* (1st)
* -- minimum 100
attempts
Humming along
After some fine-tuning, Warriors have turned the corner
Walking off the practice field Wednesday evening, Waubonsie Valley's Sherrod Stancil couldn't help but let out a few melodies.
You would be singing, too, if your team were coming off its fifth straight win with eyes on a sixth.
"There's definitely excitement and some relief," senior quarterback Tyler Castro said. "To go in an 0-3 hole, you know the pressure's on and you can't stumble anymore."
Give the Warriors credit for beating teams they should -- the combined record of their last five opponents heading into Friday is 14-26, with only Neuqua Valley (4-4) and Bloom Township (4-4) having a shot at finishing above .500.
Waubonsie should beat a 4-4 Larkin team this weekend and secure an automatic playoff berth and second place in the Upstate Eight Conference. It would also mark the second straight season in which the Warriors won their final six regular-season games.
The turnaround this year after an 0-3 start was beating rival Neuqua Valley 28-26 in Week 4.
"If we didn't have Neuqua that week, it would have been rough," Castro said. "The attitude is completely different now -- these guys are working hard and they know they can win."
The team has relied on Castro and a solid group of receivers to lead an offense averaging 36.4 points per game since being shut out in Week 3 at Prairie Ridge.
Castro has completed 61 percent of his passes (132-of-218) with only three interceptions. His 1,716 yards rank third in the Beacon News coverage area and his 19 touchdowns are good for second.
"He understands the offense very, very well," coach Paul Murphy said. "He understands the secondary reads he has to make and he has some receivers that are making themselves available. We're also taking advantage of the opponents' defenses when they put seven, eight guys in the box."
The group of Andrew Szott, Anthony Wolf, Mike Barnett, Brett Hanson and Tim Homan aren't the same earthmovers as last year's massive offensive line, but they have given Castro all the time he's needed to find Mark Hilgers (47 catches) and Scott Kuehn (48).
"They're doing a great job now. They've really stepped up the last couple of weeks," Castro said. "And they're also opening holes for the running backs."
While the team has been pass-oriented, the ground game has picked up in recent weeks and four Warriors runners have topped 100 yards on the season.
Stancil leads a group defensively that may not dominate, but has found an identity.
"After those first few weeks, we realized we didn't have the team we had last year so it's up to us to do this job," said Stancil, a senior defensive lineman. "And coming off that big Neuqua Valley game we decided that you know what, we're not going to let people score. And if they do score, it's not going to be easy."
Waubonsie intends to finish the regular season with a win, but it is looking somewhat head. Last year, Hinsdale Central beat the Warriors 12-10 in Aurora to end their season after those six straight victories. This year's group remembers that and doesn't want a repeat.
"This group is not going to be satisfied just getting into the playoffs," Murphy said. "We want to be able to compete and make amends for not getting past the first round last year."
GAME OF THE WEEK
On Friday, interact live with staff writer Jim Owczarski from the
Beacon News' Game of the Week -- Batavia at Geneva -- at
www.beaconnewsonline.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. Senior success
Waubonsie quarterback Tyler Castro is having a terrific season thus far. Statistically speaking, the senior is one of the top passers in the area.
Here are Castro's stats and area rank:
61% completion percentage* (2nd)
1,716 yards (3rd)
19 touchdowns (2nd)
3 interceptions* (1st)
* -- minimum 100
attempts
