Miller thrills as Barrington rolls again
Barrington receiver Scotty Miller had the kind of game Friday night that most players can only dream of.
The senior hit pay dirt on three long scoring plays in the first half, and his effort helped lead the visiting Broncos to a 55-14 Mid-Suburban West win over Hoffman Estates.
Miller caught a 38-yard touchdown toss from Johnny Davidson in the first quarter, then added a 61-yard TD catch plus a 59-yard scoring run in the second stanza to set the tone for what turned out to be a relentless offensive attack from Barrington (7-0, 3-0).
Still, after the win was complete, the senior was more concerned about what he felt was a less than stellar showing on "D."
"It wasn't up to our standards," said Miller, a two way player. "I'm a defensive back, and I felt that my play was a little lacking.
"Every time out we want to come out and pitch a shutout but hey, it was a 'W' so we'll take it."
Tight end Dante Cleveland led the Hawks with two touchdown catches, the first an acrobatic masterpiece in which he leaped high in the corner of the end zone and corralled a Jeff Mayes pass one-handed for the score.
"I thought we showed a lot of good things tonight," said Hoffman coach Mike Donatucci, "things that we can build on for the future.
"We came out with a lot of composure and played fast, but there's no denying the speed of this Barrington team. Their speed is legit."
Broncos senior Dumaso Mkwananzi added a 1-yard scoring run in the first half, while Matt Moran had a 16-yard run from scrimmage for a TD as the visitors opened up a 34-7 halftime advantage.
JT Henderson had two strong, overpowering touchdown runs (from 5 and 4 yards out respectively) after intermission, while teammate Dylan Abel added a 19-yard TD run
The second half was also highlighted by some outstanding defensive plays on both sides, as Barrington held Hoffman (3-4, 0-3) on a goal-line stand thanks to some strong play in the defensive backfield by Connor Warman, while the Hawks' Cliff Eiring recorded an interception.
Davidson finished with 286 yards through the air for Barrington.
"We knew Hoffman was going to come with a lot of energy tonight," said Henderson. "It was their homecoming, there was big crowd, it was very loud and we had a hard time getting the plays in and out."
"This was a great test for us," added Henderson, "playing it what you might call a hostile environment. This is something we can build on and carry over into the rest of the season."
Another receiver for Hoffman in addition to Cleveland enjoyed a successful outing as Brandon Hall caught 5 passes for 73 yards.
"It wasn't much fun coming out here tonight and getting our butts pounded," said Donatucci. "It was a difficult night, but we know that if we win the next two weeks we'll been in the playoffs and that's what it's all about."