Football: Week 5 MVPs
Elk Grove senior quarterback Adam O’Malley and Cary-Grove junior defensive back Larkin Hanselmann have earned Daily Herald MVP honors for their football performances in Week 5.
O’Malley threw for a career-best 340 yards and also had a 55-yard touchdown run to spur Elk Grove past Buffalo Grove 47-21.
Hanselmann recovered a fumble, interecepted a pass and made 9 tackles as Cary-Grove pitched a 6-0 shutout against Prairie Ridge.
Offensive players of the week
Adam O’Malley, Elk Grove: The Grens senior quarterback had his best overall effort against Buffalo Grove, throwing for a career-best 340 yards and also breaking off a 55-yard scoring run to power Elk Grove to a 47-21 win in a Mid-Suburban East divisional opener.
Ben Klett, Lake Zurich: Ben’s been special. The sophomore running back hiked his season touchdown count to 11 in helping the Bears rally past Lake Forest 21-10 to remain undefeated. He caught a 27-yard TD pass and then scored the game-tying and go-ahead scores on runs of 13 and 77 yards, respectively, in the second half. He rushed 10 times for 99 yards and caught 4 passes for 91 yards.
Bret Mooney, Jacobs: This 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback stayed red hot in a 43-21 homecoming victory over Woodstock. The senior rushed 12 times for 87 yards and completed 17 of 23 passing attempts for 277 yards, including touchdown strikes to four different receivers of 39, 23, 14 and 32 yards. In his last 3 games Mooney has completed 49 of 65 attempts for 779 yards and 11 touchdowns without an interception.
Legend Smith, Aurora Christian: Crafty Eagles coach Don Beebe didn’t fully unleash his 5-foot-8, 176-pound senior tailback until a 24-14 Suburban Christian Blue win at St. Francis. Smith had career highs of 22 carries, 183 yards, with a quick 32-yard touchdown run. A three-year starting cornerback, he added 5 tackles and 3 pass breakups.
Clayton Thorson, Wheaton North: The 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior quarterback put the Falcons on his back in a 42-17 win over Lake Park. Thorson, committed to Northwestern, had a hand in five of his team’s 6 touchdowns. He threw for 273 yards and 4 touchdowns while running for 90 yards and a fifth score.
Defensive players of the week:
Larkin Hanselmann, Cary-Grove: This 5-foot-8, 133-pound defensive back made a huge impact in Cary-Grove’s 6-0 victory at rival Prairie Ridge. Hanselmann finished with 9 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception. The junior also knocked down a pair of passes, including one on fourth down, to lead Cary-Grove to its second straight shutout.
Gary Koehring, Kaneland: Rochelle passed more than usual but its strength remains the run. A three-year starting linebacker, Koehring stopped it with 15 tackles in Kaneland’s 49-20 Northern Illinois Big 12 East victory. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior helped limit the Hubs to 101 yards rushing, zero third-quarter first downs.
Christian Norris, Antioch: There are “Chuck Norris Facts” and then there are Christian Norris facts. The senior cornerback came up with 2 interceptions and 9 tackles — no exaggeration — in helping the Sequoits earn a much-needed 41-6 win over Round Lake. Norris’ defensive effort helped the visitors build a 41-0 advantage by halftime, as Antioch improved to 2-3.
Sadarriss Patterson, Schaumburg: Patterson’s all-around effort helped Schaumburg keep a potent Barrington offense under wraps for most of the game as the Saxons prevailed 33-21 in a matchup of unbeatens. The senior strong safety finished with 10 tackles (3 for loss) with 3 QB pressures, 1 sack, 1 fumble caused and 2 passes defended.
Edgar Ruano, Montini: A former running back turned two-year starting defensive tackle, the 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior flashed his speed on a 43-yard return of a fumble for a touchdown, the pivotal play in the Broncos’ 27-3 Suburban Christian Blue win at Marmion. Also stuffing the middle, Ruano made 5 solo tackles, 6 total.