Jacobs comes back to down McHenry
This appeared to be a nice postseason tuneup for Jacobs when it hosted McHenry in a Fox Valley Conference Valley Division football finale on a rainy Friday night in Algonquin.
But the Golden Eagles sputtered to a 14-point deficit early in the second quarter and trailed at halftime. Then they hit a higher gear in the second half and ultimately cruised to a 38-14 victory.
"Anything can happen - it's football," said Jacobs senior linebacker Kyle Rominger, whose fumble recovery set up the go-ahead touchdown. "I give a lot of respect to McHenry because this was their playoff game. We came out flat and they didn't and at halftime we had to regroup."
Sean and Mat Barnes each ran for 2 touchdowns and combined for 224 of the 324 rushing yards by the Golden Eagles (7-2, 3-2). They also overcame 3 first-half turnovers as junior quarterback Chris Katrenick ran and threw for second-half scores.
And the Jacobs' defense allowed only 33 of the 163 total yards by McHenry (1-8, 0-5) after intermission.
"We were a different team in the second half," said Jacobs coach Bill Mitz. "In the first half we didn't come out too well. We just weren't in sync..
"Nobody panicked. We got turnovers and things started going our way. In the first half nothing was going our way and that's a credit to them. This was their playoff game."
Matt Spooner (4-for-14, 80 yards) connected with Michael McInerney for a 59-yard touchdown and fullback Sam Pautz plowed in from 2 yards to put McHenry up 14-0 one play into the second quarter. Jacobs countered with a 33-yard touchdown run by Mat Barnes (10 carries, 84 yards) but its next three possessions of the half ended with 2 interceptions and a fumble.
"I don't think we came out strong, but in the second half we came out and did our thing," Mat Barnes said. "In the first half I don't know what happened."
A three-and-out to start the second half led to a 9-yard run around left end by Katrenick. Rominger fell on a ball that slipped out of Spooner's hand and Sean Barnes (14 carries, 140 yards) scored from 9 yards for an 18-14 lead.
"In the first half we came out flat," Sean Barnes said. "I told a lot of the seniors we have to step our game up. We brought the intensity in the second half."
Two more three-and-outs set up Barnes for a 6-yard touchdown run two plays after a 64-yard jaunt up the middle.
"When we came in the weight room (at halftime) we knew a couple of things weren't working, especially with the defensive line," Rominger said. "We saw the things that worked and the things that didn't work. We came out with the things that worked and a higher intensity."
That was evident on the next kickoff when Loren Strickland's crushing hit led to a fumble and recovery by Conrad Beech, who also had a first-half interception. Mat Barnes scored from 6 yards, Jacobs recovered the ensuing kickoff, and Katrenick (5-for-18, 152 yards) completed the turnaround with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Copeland with 8:37 to play.
But the early deficit was also a good reminder as Jacobs now prepares for what Mitz called a return to the real season.
"We have to really come out strong," Mat Barnes said. "We can't let that happen. Against a good team in the playoffs they'll get up on you fast."