It may sound cliché, but negative times can find a way to mold you into something bigger and better. After a state championship in 2021, the Trojans reset their entire starting offense and suffered their toughest season in the 21st century at 3-6, missing the postseason and ending an 18-year playoff streak.
It wasn’t easy at times. A five-game losing streak can deflate a team.
It’s no secret that this team was stunned, shocked, crushed, by what happened last year as the season closed out. What’s different about the Cary-Grove Trojans, though, is how they respond to trials and tribulations.
Most teams would take that 3-6 season and still work hard, but always think about it, always ponder the “What if’s.” “What if we made this play?” “What if we scored more points in this game?”
Cary-Grove certainly had last season as something to think about, but based on the fact this team is going right back to the state championship game, the memorable pieces from 2022 only motivated this group even more.
A 3-6 record can be the start of a downward spiral for a program. But not for Cary-Grove.
This is the CG way, and it’s something that can’t be stated enough: Adversity creates triumph.
No matter what happens on Saturday against East St. Louis, this season is a huge win for this football program.
“It’s quite a reversal of fortunes,” Coach Brad Seaburg said. “Just our kids. They buy into the things we tell them and they work extremely hard in the off-season. When you have enough talent, good things happen, and that’s what happened this year.”
The Trojans had a successful regular season with a 7-2 record, and this team could be undefeated if not for a mere two points going in the opposite direction. This team, led by senior running back Andrew Prio, sophomore fullback Logan Abrams, an improved Peyton Seaburg at quarterback, and a stingy defense, have marched their way back to the IHSA state game, as their squad is set to face off against the team they were able to conquer two years back in the East St. Louis Flyers.
For the Trojans, their offense has once again been the X-factor of success, as long and big plays have gotten things done. However, it was a bit different against the Bears of Lake Zurich in the semifinal game last weekend, as a 10-minute third quarter drive of 19 plays in total for CG all but sealed the deal in a dominant 28-10 win.
This drive is a strong indicator that Cary-Grove can adjust their offense to what the trends of a game end up being, and this possession for the Trojans was the cherry on top of another notable offensive change.
Usually CG takes the success of Prio and Abrams and goes from there. However, the Lake Zurich defense found a way to shut down Prio, so Abrams grabbed the microphone and accounted for every touchdown the Trojans had against Lake Zurich, with a few large runs in between the plethora of scores he notched.
“Just being a physical and tough runner,” Coach Seaburg said. “Just really proud of him.”
The Trojans defense, which allowed a mere 42 points in their first three playoff games combined (average of 14 points a game for opposing offense), kept their gritty defensive performance in the 2023 playoffs going, only allowing one touchdown and a field goal. The touchdown came late in the fourth, and the field goal came in the second right after Cary-Grove stopped a driving Bears offense.
“It was a physical game,” Coach Seaburg said. “Kids played their butts off. Couldn’t be more proud.”
Looking ahead to the Flyers, it’s a rematch for the Trojans, as alluded to earlier. Two years back, CG knocked off East St. Louis by a final of 37-36 in arguably the best high school football game of all time.
Fast forward to the here and now, the Flyers are without current Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, their best player from two years ago, who is likely to make it to the NFL in 2025. Quarterback Robert “Pops” Battle is now a senior, and he will certainly be looking to get revenge on Cary-Grove. ESL still is led by head coach Darren Sunkett, and the Flyers are aiming to repeat as state champions after beating Prairie Ridge in the IHSA state game last year.
The Trojans are the Trojans, as tough a team as there is, and they will be the underdog once again going into this matchup against East St. Louis, trying to ground the Flyers for a second time in three years.