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Success continues in earnest at Cary-Grove

The Cary-Grove football factory keeps churning out wins.

Despite suffering heavy graduation losses from the 2014 team that finished runner-up to Providence, Cary-Grove found a way to return to the upper echelon of Class 7A this season.

The Trojans managed to win 8 regular-season games for the ninth time in the last 12 seasons, though they returned only two starters on either side of the ball. Their only loss was to Fox Valley Conference Valley Division champion Huntley (9-0), which earned the No. 2 overall seed in Class 8A.

Seeded fifth in 7A, Cary-Grove (8-1) hosts No. 28 Belleville West (5-4) in the opening round on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

How have the Trojans maintained the look of a contender despite such roster turnover?

"I think we play as a team really well," fifth-year Cary-Grove coach Brad Seaburg said. "The only way we have a chance to compete is to play as a team on offense, defense and special teams, and all three have to be in sync for us to do well. I don't think anyone would look at us and think, 'Wow, that guy is a division-I player or has freakish size or speed like we've had the last three or four years.'

"I'm proud of this group. We have a lot of blue-collar, hardworking players who get the job done and that's what we want out of our football players - good guys who put team first and play as hard as we can so we can go as far as we can."

Cary-Grove has won a first-round playoff game every season since 2004. With a victory Friday, the Trojans would advance to the second round to face the winner of Saturday's game between No. 21 St. Charles North (7-2) and No. 12 Benet Academy (7-2) at Benedictine University in Lisle.

Not in the lineup: St. Edward will be a bit short-handed and Westminster Christian might be missing a key player when the Elgin private schools take the field for their respective playoff openers on Friday.

No. 13 Westminster Christian (6-3) is preparing to compete without starting quarterback Tannor Park when the Warriors travel to No. 4 Polo (9-0) to open the Class 1A postseason.

Park injured an ankle late in Saturday's loss to Alden-Hebron while playing cornerback and had to be helped off the field. "His return to play is questionable," Westminster Christian coach John Davis said Tuesday.

The news is better concerning two-way lineman Zach Anderson (6-0, 200), who was helped off the field Saturday with a second-half knee injury. "We're hoping he's able to recover," Davis said.

St. Edward will open the Class 4A playoffs without middle linebacker Patrick Brown, who also carries the ball on offense occasionally. Brown is St. Edward's third-leading tackler (55) despite missing two-plus games due to injury.

In the waning minutes of Friday's 34-13 win over Elmwood Park, Brown was involved in a shoving match with an Elmwood Park player and was flagged for a personal foul, his second of the game. By rule, he drew an automatic ejection and a suspension for the following game. Thus, the senior must sit out when the No. 11 Green Wave (6-3) visit No. 6 Richmond-Burton (8-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Going deep: When St. Charles North Rob Pomazak told his team to treat Week 7 as the midpoint of a 14-game season, it was his way of mentally preparing his players for a deep playoff run.

To make such a run a reality, the North Stars must upset some higher-ranked opponents. No. 21 St. Charles North (7-2) opens the Class 7A playoffs against No. 12 Benet Academy (7-2) at Benedictine University on Saturday at 1 p.m.

A win would advance the North Stars to a second-round game, most likely against 2014 Class 7A runner-up Cary-Grove, the No. 5 seed. Batavia or Simeon could await in the quarterfinals.

"We're not just in this for one and done," Pomazak said Tuesday. "The idea is to take this as far as we can go by outpreparing our opponents.

"This week someone is having their last Monday practice, their last Tuesday practice, their last Wednesday practice. We're doing everything we can to make sure that's not us. We have some kids who can do some damage if we play our best football."

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