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Cary-Grove runs by Geneva and into 7A semifinals

Cary-Grove quarterback Jason Gregoire changed things up a bit after Geneva sliced a 19-point lead to 6 in the third quarter of Saturday's Class 7A quarterfinal in Cary.

Gregoire - who in the first half carried the ball only 4 times for 23 yards while sophomore fullback Tyler Pennington was doing all the damage by rushing for 111 of his 131 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns - took matters in his own hands after the intermission.

The 6-foot-4 senior carried 14 times in the second half for 108 of his 131 yards, including touchdown runs of 9, 4 and 18 yards to lead the Trojans to a 44-26 triumph.

The victory advances No. 1 Cary-Grove (12-0) to a state semifinal for the fifth time in program history, an accomplishment coach Brad Seaburg called "pretty sweet." The Trojans travel next week to Libertyville (9-3) in a rematch of the 2004 Class 7A state title game. The Wildcats defeated Fenwick 28-10 on Saturday.

Leading 25-19 late in the third quarter, Cary-Grove drove 66 yards in 8 plays, 5 of them rushes by Gregoire for 41 yards, culminating in his 9-yard scoring run.

The Trojans got the ball back when Zach McQuade intercepted Justin Taorima's halfback pass at his own 1-yard line, McQuade's third interception of the day. Cary-Grove won the turnover battle 6-2.

"We got pressure on the quarterback," McQuade said. "You can't get those picks without a good pass rush."

The Trojans then embarked on a 99-yard, 14-play scoring drive that ate 7:05 off the clock and broke the Vikings' spirit while lifting the Trojans'.

"Anytime you run the triple option offense and you can take it 99 yards, that, I think, is the biggest morale booster you can go through," Cary-Grove guard Michael Gomez said.

Gregoire factored in the mammoth drive by carrying 4 times for 34 yards. His 4-yard touchdown run gave Cary-Grove a 38-19 lead with 3:13 left in the game.

"They were giving me kind of hanging read in between where it's kind of like a give or a pull," Gregoire explained of his decision to hand off or keep the ball. "In the beginning (of the third quarter) I was giving it to Tyler and they were tackling him. Then I just had to pull and the offensive line did a great job of opening up holes."

George Hartke made his second interception of Geneva quarterback Daniel Santacaterina on the ensuing possession at midfield and returned it to the 18-yard line. Gregoire scored untouched on the next play to give Cary-Grove a 44-19 lead with 2:04 to play.

"They're one of the best in the state," said the NIU-bound Santacaterina, who completed 14 of 30 attempts, was intercepted 4 times and lost a fumble. "You had to play a perfect game, really, to beat them. We knew they were talented. They were tough and they were fast."

Cary-Grove staggered the Vikings with 3 touchdowns in the game's first 11 minutes. The Trojans capitalized on George Hartke's interception at midfield by driving 41 yards in 6 rushes by Pennington, who scored on a 1-yard run.

Due to a penalty on the extra point, Cary-Grove coach Brad Seaburg decided to go for the onside kick, a gamble that paid off when McQuade recovered at the Geneva 28. Pennington scored 5 plays later on a 3-yard run.

Cary-Grove's defense forced Geneva to punt after a three-and-out. The Trojans subsequently drove 75 yards in 12 plays. Pennington rambled 16 yards to the 1-yard line to set up his 1-yard plunge a play later. That staked Cary-Grove to a 19-0 lead with 1:13 left in the first quarter.

"We pretty much couldn't start any worse than that," Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said.

After the teams traded interceptions, Geneva broke through offensively. Santacaterina rolled right and lobbed a 26-yard pass to the end zone, where 6-foot-6 senior Michael Landi outjumped a defender for the touchdown.

However, leading receiver Pace Temple injured his left knee on the point-after attempt when the holder pulled down a high snap and made a dash for the end zone that was stopped short. He did not return.

"It's the MCL," Temple said after the game, walking on crutches and wearing a knee brace.

No. 4 Geneva (10-2) executed the two-minute drill to perfection after regaining possession with 2:05 left in the second quarter. Buoyed by a fourth-down conversion catch by Landi, the Vikings drove 85 yards in 10 plays, helped by a pass interference call.

Tight end Jack Mayes capped the drive with a 6-yard scoring reception from Santacaterina, and Brendan Hines' extra point drew the Vikings within 19-13 with 17.6 seconds left in the second quarter.

"Their kids really responded," Seaburg said. "They could have folded at 19-0. It could have been a blowout but, man, they really fought back and played hard."

Cary-Grove moved 68 yards on its first drive of the second half and grabbed a 25-13 lead on Matt Sutherland's 14-yard run.

However, Geneva again made it a 1-possession game by capitalizing on a fumbled Cary-Grove pitch. Taorima finished off a 4-play, 33-yard drive with a 16-yard scoring run up the middle. The touchdown drew the Vikings within 25-19 with 4:29 left in the third quarter, but Gregoire rattled off 19 straight points to end Geneva's deepest playoff incursion since 2008.

"It was a lot of fun to get a playoff run again," Wicinski said. "Hopefully, we'll have a few more down the line. I forgot. I took those few at the beginning a little bit for granted. I really had a lot of fun with these guys down the stretch here."

Images: Geneva vs. Cary-Grove, quarterfinal football playoffs

  Geneva's Brock Perry, left, and Nick Carlton console each other as teammate Marcus Crescenzo and coach Rob Wicinski embrace as as well after the Vikings' 44-26 loss to Cary-Grove in the Class 7A quarterfinals on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Geneva's Mike Landi hauls in a pass in the end zone for a second-quarter touchdown as Cary-Grove's Matt Sutherland, left, defends along with teammate Zach McQuade in Class 7A quarterfinal play in Cary on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Geneva's Mike Landi makes a catch in the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter as Cary-Grove's Matt Sutherland takes him down in the Class 7A quarterfinals Saturday in Cary. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Geneva quarterback Daniel Santacaterina is tackled by Cary-Grove's George Hartke before he can pass in the second quarter of the Class 7A quarterfinal in Cary on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
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