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South Elgin wears down, beats St. Charles East

New offensive and defensive schemes helped St. Charles East keep it close until late in the season opener at South Elgin on Saturday, but the bigger, faster Storm wore down the Saints late in a 28-6 nonconference victory.

St. Charles East debuted its new triple-option offense and 3-3-5 defense, changes that "were directed at the personnel we have," Saints coach Bryce Farquhar said.

Each unit acquitted itself well at game speed, especially considering top linebacker Mitch Guillaume missed the game due to injury and leading rusher Cam Canales left in the first half with a day-to-day injury and did not return.

South Elgin led 14-0 midway through the third quarter and was threatening to pull away when the St. Charles East defense stuffed a 13-play drive at its own 6-yard line.

The Saints subsequently drove 94 yards in 11 plays, drawing within 8 points of the lead on an 8-yard touchdown run by quarterback Zach Mitchell with 5:01 left in the fourth quarter. The score remained 14-6 when South Elgin's Justin Nutof blocked the point-after try.

However, it took only a play for South Elgin's explosive offense to steal momentum back. On the first snap of the ensuing possession, senior tailback Shawn Griffin followed a dive-play block by 6-foot-6, 245-pound guard Brian Medina and raced for a 60-yard touchdown. Nick Farfan's kick made it 21-6 with 4:41 left in the third quarter.

"(The line) got it going and it was really just them getting a good push," said Griffin, a three-year starter. "I saw a nice hole and just hit. I just saw green grass."

Griffin rushed for 155 of his 172 yards in the second half. He was limited to 5 first-half carries for 17 yards as the Storm came out throwing with 15 passes before halftime compared to 10 rushes.

"I'm a fool if I don't give him the ball," South Elgin coach Pat Pistorio said.

Mitchell was hit and fumbled on the Saints' next play. Two-way lineman Mike Ribando recovered for South Elgin. The Storm, winners of the turnover battle 3-1, drove 31 yards in 6 plays, culminating in a 1-yard run by quarterback Jake AmRhein to make it 28-6 with 1:09 left in the game.

Sophomore Nate Gomez started the game at quarterback for the Storm and played two series, as scripted. He completed 4 of 6 attempts for 52 yards and rushed 3 times for 19 yards but was unable to guide the offense to points.

AmRhein, a 6-3, 220-pound senior who played several games at the position last year before an ACL tear, sparked the offense on his first drive. He connected on 3 passes with 6-3 senior Derek Kumerow, highlighted by a 55-yard bomb caught in stride for a touchdown with 1:38 left in the first half. A bad snap caused the extra point to fail, leaving the Storm with a 6-0 halftime lead.

Kumerow finished with 10 receptions for 198 yards and a touchdown.

"He put it right where it needed to be," Kumerow said of AmRhein's deep throw. "I have trust in my quarterback. Wherever he's leading me, I go catch it."

Unwilling to play without a 7-to-10-yard cushion against Kumerow and Andrew Kamienski (6 catches, 46 yards), the Saints dropped back into cover-3 in the second half. Rather than force the deep ball, the Storm ran more and took the short passes the defense gave them. They drove 83 yards in 11 plays to take a 14-0 lead, though none of the 7 passes during that drive were longer than Griffin's 16-yard touchdown.

"We started baiting them in, running the short routes all the way down the field," said AmRhein, who completed 18 of 24 attempts for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns against 1 interception. "Then one big play. They'll bite; You've got to make it."

Though St. Charles East dropped the season opener to South Elgin for the second consecutive season, Farquhar saw promise in the way his offense and defense played in entirely new systems, though the Saints were outgained 472 total yards to 205.

"I think it was a nice transition," the second-year coach said. "We're really looking at the triple option to fit where we're at as a program and the students that we have. And it's really the same thing on defense.

"South Elgin is a good team and we competed with them for three and a half quarters. We just didn't finish."

Images: South Elgin vs. St. Charles East, football

  St. Charles East running back Cameron Canales dives to get a few more yards during St. Charles East at South Elgin football Saturday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles East quarterback Zachary Mitchell (17) barely gets off a pass before being hit by South Elgin defensive back Aaron Fillipp (28) during St. Charles East at South Elgin football Saturday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  South Elgin quarterback Nate Gomez (8) during St. Charles East at South Elgin football Saturday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  South Elgin wide receiver Derek Kumerow (14) pulls in a long touchdown pass in front of St. Charles East defensive back Sebastian Grohe (23) late in the first half during St. Charles East at South Elgin football Saturday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  South Elgin quarterback Nate Gomez (8) looks to make a pass as St. Charles East defensive back Aiden Wright (7) puts on some pressure during St. Charles East at South Elgin football Saturday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  South Elgin defensive back Derek Kumerow (14) pulls in a pass intended for St. Charles East's Jack Macklin (85) during St. Charles East at South Elgin football Saturday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
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