Elk Grove motivated by adversity

What was potentially devastating is motivating Elk Grove’s football team and encouraging head coach Brian Doll.

The good news is the broken collarbone do-it-all Dejan Basara suffered Friday may not be a season-ender. Doll said Basara, the quarterback, linebacker, kicker and punt long snapper, could return in a limited role by Week 8 and do even more if the Grenadiers make the playoffs.

Elk Grove also lost middle linebacker Alfonso Lavin to a torn ACL and defensive back and backup quarterback Dylan Edwards for two weeks to a dislocated elbow. But Doll found out a lot about his team in the way it closed out a 20-7 win over Schaumburg and its demeanor going into Friday’s Mid-Suburban East opener at Buffalo Grove.

“It was rough on the team but we played well and a lot of guys stepped up,” Doll said as the Vikings improved to 3-1. “It was probably the best job the coaching staff has done and the kids have done in my three years at Elk Grove of everybody coming together.

“I was happy with the way our kids played and found a way to win and their competitive spirit. The kids are pretty excited about the challenge of the next couple of weeks.”

A lot of the Grens’ spirit was personified by Basara, who broke his collarbone in the first quarter last week but stayed in the game until the third quarter. With Edwards also out, Doll liked the way junior Jon Ebert ran the offense.

Doll said Ebert and sophomore Adam O’Malley will compete this week to start Friday. One of the positives for whoever is at quarterback has been the high level of play of Greg Johnsen and Dan Egan up front.

And the Grenadiers don’t seem to have a problem with the perception people may have of them without Basara.

“One of the kids said, ‘Nobody thought we’d be good this year anyway,’” Doll said, ‘“so what’s the difference if nobody thinks we’re going to be good now?’

“They’re playing hard and they don’t quit.”

Palatine defense: Coaches in many sports often talk about the defense being ahead of the offense early in a season.

For Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly, it’s the defense being ahead of the defense from last season.

“We didn’t reach this point until the Barrington game (Week 9) or the first round of the playoffs,” Donnelly said of a group that has allowed 21 points in a three-game winning streak. “Not that we don’t have things to improve on, but the speed and hitting has been there every week.”

Safeties Cam Kuksa and Jesse Bobbit each have 3 interceptions. And the defensive line is getting deeper with offensive linemen Josh Baldus and Nathan Gerdes joining the rotation.

“This is as talented as we’ve been since I’ve been here on defense,” Donnelly said. “We’re pretty solid at most positions.”

Weapons aplenty: One of the area’s top receivers was missing in action last Friday.

But the extra attention Hoffman Estates paid to shutting out Artie Checchin didn’t cost Rolling Meadows at all as it hit the half-century mark for the second time this season in a 53-7 victory.

“They did a really good job of taking him out of the game,” Meadows coach Matt Mishler said of Hoffman’s double teams. “But it’s tough because if you want to take Artie away, if we execute, we’re going to hurt you with other guys.”

Jack Milas was on target with 16 of his 20 passes and spread the wealth to Ryan Gundersen (4 catches, 92 yards), Tyler Bobowski (3 catches, 44 yards), John Burkiewicz (3 for 39), Steven Royster, Derek Heer and Jacob Grant.

Grant, cornerback John Ott and safety-receiver Derek Heer have helped take some of the workload off two-way threats Gundersen and Checchin.

“Derek goes in the game and seems to do something big and that’s a big key for us,” Mishler said. “We definitely have guys stepping up and allowing us to give some guys a breather.”

Bison inspiration: Buffalo Grove had an inspiring visitor at practice Tuesday.

Grant Blaney, the school’s first head coach, came to talk to the Bison. Blaney will be honored at Friday’s 7:30 p.m. home game with Elk Grove as the stadium will be named after him and his undefeated 1986 Class 6A state championship team will be honored.

“It was awesome to have him out,” said BG coach Jim Farrell of Blaney, whose 1978 team was second in the state. “The kids were listening to every word out of his mouth. It’s important for them to realize they’re playing for generations of Bison players and decades of guys who are going to be back.

“Grant did amazing things here. He gave a pretty good speech and we had a great practice.”

There will be a pregame reception Friday at 5 p.m. in the BG library and the dedication ceremony of Grant Blaney Stadium is scheduled to begin at approximately 7 p.m.

The ceremony recognizing the 1986 team which was the first MSL football champion will be held at halftime of the varsity game. There will be a postgame reception at Fox and Hound at 910 W. Dundee Road in Arlington Heights.