Cary-Grove finished with fewer first downs than Highland Park on Saturday, and less time of possession than the Giants. However, the stat that went CG’s way was the point total.
The Trojans notched 49 for a second straight week. Highland Park scored 29.
“[We] had a good day,” Coach Brad Seaburg said. “Executed a lot of phases of our offense. Peyton, Logan, and then our two slots. We were able to throw the ball a little bit too.”
The two main sources of offensive success continued to be senior running back Andrew Prio and sophomore fullback Logan Abrams, as they both hit paydirt at least twice in the second-round win and continued their weekly success.
“They kind of give us a mix of inside and outside, and [it’s] just been good to see those guys go this year,” Coach Seaburg said.
CG’s defense started strong in the first half, and although they struggled a bit in the second two frames, Coach Seaburg liked their overall efforts.
“We got two turnovers from them,” he said. “We had those stops when we needed them, and I think if we eliminated a couple of big plays that they had, the second half may have gone a little differently.”
The Trojans were able to force multiple fourth-down stops in the first half, and overall they did well enough to let the offense breathe a little and give them room to roam about with different play calls and different players getting the football.
As for CG’s quarterfinal opponent, the Geneva Vikings, they are very similar to the Trojans in some notable facets.
“We know they play in a tough conference. They have lost a couple of close games just like us, and they’re very, very talented. We’ve gotta have a great week of practice, and have at it,” Coach Seaburg said.
Another quality performance from Cary-Grove has them in the quarterfinals for the 15th time in the last 19 seasons, per Shaw Local’s latest article on the squad.
It’s Geneva @ Cary-Grove, 1 p.m., Saturday. A win for the Trojans would vault them one win away from state, as they would either face off against Lake Zurich or Belvidere North in the 6A semifinal.