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Barrington outruns OPRF

With the high winds and cold temperatures, the concern was how Barrington's pass-first, run-second offense would be able to adjust to the elements.

The Broncos reversed that thinking with complete success Friday.

They rushed for a season-best 326 yards and rolled past Oak Park-River Forest 39-15 in the opening round of the Class 8A state playoffs in Barrington.

The No. 6-seeded Broncos (9-1) will travel to Maine South or Niles West for second-round action next weekend.

"We came out with a focused energy," said Barrington coach Joe Sanchez. "Our coaches did a great job preparing the team."

Barrington used six different running backs, with five gaining at least 50 yards. Sanchez said the offensive line of Nick Bart, Matt Robinson, Alex Serrano, Brett Morrison and Bobby Siebt was a main key to the victory.

"We know what people think," Sanchez said. "But tonight when it mattered, the kids stepped up. Our offensive line did a fantastic job and our backs did a great job of reading the holes."

Morrison said the offensive line had something to prove.

"We like to run the ball," Morrison said. "Our offensive line is big enough and physical. We all love pushing around people."

Wide receiver Scotty Miller and running back JT Henderson had hat tricks with 3 touchdowns each.

Quarterback Johnny Davidson didn't let the high winds bother him as he threw for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns.

"Everyone was clicking," said Davidson, who also rushed for 50 yards. "Players out there made plays when they had to. Overall it was just a great team effort."

Barrington came out as strong as the northerly winds whipped through the field throughout the game.

After stopping Oak Park on its first series, the Broncos put together an impressive scoring drive.

They went 78 yards in 5 plays, capped by Davidson connecting with Scotty Miller on a 31-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0.

Barrington had an opportunity to put the game away early.

But a 34-yard touchdown run by Davidson was negated by a holding call.

Later, a wide-open touchdown pass was dropped.

Oak Park (7-3) used those miscues to gain some momentum and climb back into the game.

Led by quarterback Lloyd Yates, the Huskies drove 69 yards in seven plays with Antonio Cannon scoring on a 15-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7 with 8:06 left in the first half.

Barrington controlled the ball for nearly the balance of the quarter, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the process to take a 20-7 halftime lead.

After the Oak Park touchdown, Barrington drove into the wind to take the lead. Davidson again connected with Miller, this time from 27 yards out on a nice stop-and-go play to cap a 12-play, 80-yard drive.

On the ensuing kickoff, Chase Lesniak popped the ball up and the wind knocked it down, where Barrington's Julius Smith was the first to reach it at the Oak Park 33.

Barrington moved the ball to the Oak Park 20 and faced a third-and-10 situation when the Broncos used a bit of trickery.

They pitched back to Dylan Bingham, who then reversed his field and stopped and threw to a wide open Dylan Abel, who was tackled at the 2-yard line.

Henderson, who is 5-foot-7 and 235 pounds, came in as the designated scorer.

He made sure that he didn't disappoint, blasting his way in from the 2.

"When my number is called, that is what I have to do," Henderson said. "I know where I have to go when I get into the game."

On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Miller showed how speed can kill.

He took a jet sweep 72 yards as Barrington opened up a 26-7 lead.

"This was our best running game we've had all season," Miller said. "And that opens up things for us in the passing game."

Oak Park made it interesting by scoring a touchdown and a 2-point conversion on its next possession.

Yates ran 23 yards for the touchdown and also ran in the conversion to make it 28-16 with 9:04 left in the third quarter.

But Barrington's defense, led by Jake Coon, Grant Elliot, Mark Bornhofen and David Danhauer, had other ideas.

They kept the Huskies off the scoreboard from there and limited the Northwestern-bound Yates to 74 yards rushing and 192 yards passing, with many of those passing yards coming on the last series of the game.

"We were just swarming to the ball and tackling," Coon said. "We kept giving them much different looks with our ends and linebackers, so they couldn't get into any rhythm."

Sanchez was impressed with his team's defensive play, which held an Oak Park team well below its 40-point average.

"I was really proud of our kids defensively," Sanchez said. "To contain that offense, that really speaks kudos to our defense and to our players and coaching staff on how they executed the game plan."

Meanwhile, Henderson, aka "The Poacher," was doing his job for the Broncos.

He scored on another 2-yard run late in the third quarter and then help put the game away with a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter. He also thrilled the sparse but loyal crowd when he broke off a 43-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Images: Barrington vs. Oak Park River Forest football

  Barrington's Scotty Miller hauls in a second-quarter touchdown pass against Oak Park-River Forest in the Class 8A football playoffs Friday at Barrington. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Barrington coach Joe Sanchez embraces JT Henderson after a fourth-quarter touchdown against Oak Park-River Forest in the Class 8A football playoffs Friday at Barrington. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Barrington's Scotty Miller breaks up this end zone pass play intended for Oak Park-River Forest's Ke Juan Ratcliff in the fourth quarter of their Class 8A playoff matchup Friday at Barrington. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Barrington's Scotty Miller hugs teammate Blake Jacobs at the end of the Broncos' 37-15 victory over Oak Park-River Forest on Friday at Barrington. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Barrington's Mitch Pfeiffer picks up 20 yards in the first quarter against Oak Park-River Forest in the Class 8A football playoffs Friday at Barrington. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
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