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I PLAIN DEALER HERALD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9,19t4 Sports On the Sideline Dick Rabbitt Comeback lifts Warriors The come-from-behind win by the Warriors over Cary-Grove last Friday night ensured them of a winning season, closing out the slate with a 5-4 record. Winning seasons don't come too easy for McHenry, but maybe this is the turnaround the program needed. Their thrilling win was still the talk of the Fox Valley Conference Monday night at the annual coaches' meeting. Coach Mike Buck of the Cary-Grove Trojans was still in shock about the game's outcome. He had nothing but praise for the Warriors, and admired them for coming back ffom a 24-6 deficit in the last five minutes. It will have to go down as one of the greatest comebacks in Warrior history. You can bet the seniors on the McHenry squad will remember that game for a long, long time. Had to eat a little crow Saturday morning while at breakfast at a local restaurant. Our good friend, Vicki Bottari, a true Marian Cen­ tral fan, really gave it to me for my selection of Lake Zurich over Marian. What can I say? You can't win 'em all. Steve Carby, former Warrior cross-country runner and track star, qualified for the junior college nationals at Twin Falls, Idaho tomor­ row. Steve is a student at New Mexico Military Institute, where another former Warrior -- Marty Zeller -- is the head basketball coach. Carby finished fourth in Region 5 at Ranger, Texas last week. His time for the five-mile run was a nifty 26.10. We, along with all War­ rior fans, are wishing the young lad the best in Idaho this weekend. And speaking of cross-country, Chris Creutz of the Warriors is returning to the state meet in Peoria for the third time in his high school career. Chris was the lone Warrior qualifier at Niles West last Saturday. Conant High School won the meet, and is one of the teams that may give Joe Newton's York Dukes some trouble. York is looking for its fifth straight state title, which could become a new record. Coach Mike Shanahan's McHenry High girls' swimming team finished fourth in the first-ever Fox Valley meet. Dundee-Crown, as expected, won the meet with 82 points. We would like to toss out a few more bouquets to Tracey Hoffman, Monique Betancourt and Colleen Samen, who were honored as All-FVC selections. ' A tip of the old fedora to five young Warriors who were picked for the Fox Valley all-conference squad at Monday's meeting. Craig Hill, the fine field general of the Warriors, and Brad Snyder were unanimous selections. Pat Dunne, Pat Gorniak and Curt Justen were also honored. The champion Crystal Lake South Gators had nine honored on the team. When you look over the list of players chosen, you can see there's a lot of football talent in the conference. The squad is dominated by seniors, and as in almost any league, senior ballclubs win you championships. To illustrate the point, the Jacobs High School sophomores were 9-0 in 1983. This season, the Jacobs varsity was 2-7, going 0-6 in the Fox Valley. I'm sure glad that I'm not picking against Chris game by game in the IHSA playoffs. When you take a look at the list of teams com­ peting, especially in 6A and 5A, you could lose your mind. Blast St. Louis -- by some reports the third-best high school team in the coun­ try -- should win Class 6A. Joliet Catholic looks like the outstanding team in 5A. Classes 4A, along with 3A and 1A, you can put them in a hat and draw. Anyone can win those titles. Marian Central should be the class of 2A, and if no injuries beset them, the Hurricanes should repeat as state champs. They've been playing a 4A schedule all year, and now the tough competition you've been playing will pay off, as was evident in the Hurricanes' exciting 14-7 win Over Richmond-Burton Wednesday night. Chris Jvxwik Sports Editor V. , . , Marian - R-B game one for the books Wow. Marian Central and Richmond-Burton played a football game for the ages Wednesday. Those who were fortunate enough to see it will undoubtedly not soon forget it. Marian won by 14-7, but that's not really the story. The perfect superlative to describe this game has not yet been in­ vented. Suffice it to say, you won't find a better football game. Anytime, anywhere. And, yes, it's really too bad there had to be a loser. Marian Central was able to win, despite a rather lackluster per­ formance. Richmond-Burton played error-free football for 46 minutes. The last two minutes, however, told the tale. The Hurricanes were calm, in control, and never really appeared to be too concerned. Converting a fourth-and-12 with under a minute to play in a first-round playoff game? No problem. It was clear this isn't the same overpowering Marian team it was last season, but it doesn't need to be. This one has more heart, more courage, more determination. The final tick of the intense fourth quarter incited a mini-riot by the Marian fans, and led to tears of frustration by the R-B participants. The will, the determination of prep athletes make high school sports the best ticket around. They're not playing for bigger incen­ tive clauses, or to assure themselves of being a high draft choice. No, they're out there for themselves, their school, their team, their community. In the end, that'sv/hai it's all about. CRYSTAL LAKE - The Fox Valley Conference's lone representative in the IHSA playoffs was demolished in first round Class 5A play here Wednesday. The CL South Gators, who finished the season with a 7-2 overall record, 6-0 iq the FVC, were soundly beaten by Gurnee Warren, 30-0. * Warren (9-1) will move on to play Deerfield in quarterfinal action Saturday. The Gators trailed by just 7-0 at halftime. ' "Yeah, it was close," said South coach Bob Hight. "We got beat by a good football teim." Southwas the smallest school in the Class 5A playoffs. South's all-conference tailback Greg Schultz was held to just 60 yards on 13 carries. Gator quarterback Kevin Beck .was intercepted three times by a staunch Warren defense. South managed just 78 yards in total offense. Marian Central shocks R-B • . . » Powers' late TD rescues Hurricanes By SamNatrop PUiPdsalr-Hwljl Ntwi Strvlct RICHMOND Hurricanes' senior quarterback isn't going to send too many people running scared. But, Powers, the guy his teammates RICHMOND -- George call Kermit. responded with a Powers was still standing in the play that will forever put No. 11 end zone of the dark Richmond- into the Hurricane history books. • When only : 17 remains in the game, your team is trailing by a point, and you have no timeouts left, the options avilable are few. But to Powers, "it was the season. Our whole season came down to that one play." That play, a two-yard touch­ down run around left end with lust : 10 remaining, didn't look like it was even going to get off the ground, so to speak. Powers took the snap and headed toward the left corner of the end zone and, truthfully, he looked like dead meat. Three Richmond defenders swooped Burton High School football field more than 20 minutes after the IHSA preliminary-round playoff game. He was doing more than just standing there, of course. He was talking to players, fans, Krents, coaches ana reporters, t the thing Powers was doing more was savoring. He was savoring one the most outstanding individual efforts on any one single play Marian Central has had this year. He was savoring his own play. At all of 5-feet-10 and 160 pounds,, the sight of the down upon, Powers like a jungle preadator on its prey. Since he couldn't simply cut back into the end zone because of the wall of maroon shirts awaiting, Powers improvised. He faked a cut to his right and tried to outrun R-B defensemen to the goal. He was grabbed by two of them at the four-yard line and seemed ready to be tackled. But somehow, he wriggled free, did a 360-degree spin and dived across the goal line with only :10 showing on the clock. His touchdown, and Andy Hartlieb's two-point conversion run, gave Marian Central a heartstopping 14-7 victory over the Rockets in the Class 2A preliminary-round playoff game, but this was, indeed, a. where the only loser was jgame v justice. If somehow, .two teams advance to the quarterfinals, the IHSA couldn't pick a pair of better representatives than the two that battled Wi night. The hard-hitting cont featured several plays, several heroes, that won't show up in the box score. The Rockets dominated the contest for the most part, and the Big Eight Conference champions used an old sports adage to their benefit: when you have the ball, the other team can't score. ' Richmond-Burton held the ball 30:20 of the guile to Marian's 17:40, but eventually it was the final 1:31 of the game that sends the Hurricanes into the quarterfinals against Polo Saturday afternoon at Marian. . It was a fumble, a freak occurrence in the R-B offensive scheme, that set up 'Marianas game-winning ariye. A (Please turn to page 19) Marian Central players swamp Hurricane quarterback George Powers as stunned Richmond-Burton players look on. Powers / t • • v \\ '••if I •» Five Warriors named to All-FVC grid team scored on a two-yard dash with 10 seconds to play, lifting Marian to a 14-7 preliminary round victwy in the IHSA Class 2A playoffs. South blanked by Warren By Chris Juzwlk Plslnrtsslnr HdfiW sports editor Prepare yourself for a multiple choice quiz: Q: What do Pat Dunne, Curt Justen, Craig Hill, Pat Gorniak and 'Brad Snyder have in com­ mon? a) They all play football for McHenry High School. b) They've all caused assorted headaches for Fox Valley op­ ponents in 1984. C) McHenry coach Joe Schlender can't say enough about them. d) They were selected to the All- Fox Valley Conference football team. e) All of the above. If you chose 'e' your knowledge of the Warriors and of the five players mentioned merits an 'A' rating. THE FIVE Warriors (all are seniors except for Justen, a junior) were tagged All-FVC by the conference coaches earlier this week. Quarterback-safety Hi l l and o f fens ive t ack le - l inebacker Snyder were unanimous selections. Schlender heaped praise upon all five after the dream team was released. "They're all great kids," Schlender said. "Hard workers too. It's a tribute to them and to the rest of the team." Dunne , a t a i lback and linebacker, had ah outstanding season at both spots for McHenry. "He may not have been the best rusher in the conference, or the best pass-catcher," Schlender said, "but in my opinion, he was the best all-around running back. Blocking, rushing catching. He really did it all for us." DUNNE WAS the conference's third-leading rusher, behind CL South ' s Greg Schu l tz and Woodstock's Warren Wolschlager. The Warrior back was also the confe rence ' s second- lead ing scorer, doubling as McHenry's placekicker. "He has such a great attitude," Schlender noted. "And he's ex­ hibited that throughout the year. No matter the odds, he always gives his all." Dunne rushed 122 times for 829 yards in '84. His 10 rushing touchdowns were second only to Schultz. He kicked seven extra points, and added a two-point con­ version to his totals. H^also had 10 receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown. His rushing average was a nifty 6.7 per carry. "That's the kind of production you want out of your tailback," Schlender said. The McHenry coach added Dunne is a good safe­ ty prospect for a Division I col­ lege. GORNIAK, WHO played tackle both ways for the Warriors, was lauded by Schlender for playing with injuries all season. Gorniak was named on five of the six ballots. He missed the final game against Cary-Grove due to an in­ jury. • "He's very dedicated. He's shown leadership skills, maturity and poise." Gorniak, along with Hill, were the McHenry co-captains. "He was an inspirational and on-field leader. His performance for the team will stand him in good stead no matter what he chooses to do," Schlender said. For the McHenry defense, Gor­ niak had 19 tackles, 45 assists, one fumble recovery and one knockdown. Schlender said Gorniak is a top Division I prospect as an offensive lineman. , JUSTEN WAS the top pass receiver for the Warriors this season, corralling 20 passes for 381 yards, a 19.1-yard average. "Curt's symbolic of the hard work and determination of our team this year," Schlender said. (Please turn to page 19) Schlender \pleased9 with 484 campaign By Chris Juzwlk PlBhuWlhf HlTlhl sports editor It was quite an intriguing season for the McHenry High School football team. Tossed into the 5-4 campaign were a couple of losses that could easily have been wins, a pair of others which featured big McHenry offensive out­ bursts, a shutout, and a second straight homecoming victory after a drought of 14 years. Yes, 1984 really had it all for Coach Joe Schlender's War­ riors. But he would prefer not to dwell on it. "Losers say 'what if,"' Schlender said. "Winners look down the road. We're happy with oiir effort, if not with our record." STILL, IT'S fun to speculate. The Warriors lost a 13-6 non- conference decision to Grant in the season's second fracas, and a 21-19 hea r tb reaker to Woodstock two weeks ago. Eleven more points would have made this season one for the McHenry record books. "Yes, it would have been nice," admitted Schlender. "But, it didn't happen. I can be satisfied that our kids went out and played hard in all nine games." . Schlender noted the Warriors really only played one bad half of football all season. After holding an 8-7 halftime lead against eventual Fox Valley champion Crystal Lake South, the Gators stunned the War­ riors, dominating the" third period en route to a 31-8 thrashing. • "We played 8fc good, halves of football. 1 said prior to the season.we could go 9-0,0- 9 or anywhere in between. I'm just pleased with the winning record, and the fact we went out a winner." THE PROSPECT of either of solid those coming about appeared out of the question as McHenry trailed Cary-Grove 24-6 with under six minutes to play last Friday, but the Warriors roared back to win 28-24. "It was definitely the most exciting six minutes of football I've ever been involved in," Schlender said. "Cary-Grove probably played the best they have all year. But our kids saw the visions of a winning season slipping away, and they really came on. It's a tribute to their dedication. They really deserv­ ed it. McHenry can be proud. This is an outstanding bunch." Schlender said he believes the foo tba l l p rogram a t McHenry has 'made "signifi­ cant strides" this year. "We know now that we can play with anybody, anytime. There are some good football teams in the Fox Valley, and we know we're right there with. them. It's not 'we could've' or 'we should'ye.' The bottom line is we can." Schlender sees the future as bright for McHenry. "It's the first time since I've been here we've had winning teams on both the varsity and sophomore levels. (The sophs were also 5-4). We have a lot to look forward to. . . "We'll lose a lot of seniors, but we have a good group com­ ing back." Yet, the nagging 'what if still surfaces. "We could have won two more ballgames. I would have liked to. But we didn't. ' "One of my beliefs Is you play a team on the date they're scheduled, and you play with who you have. We won fair and square, and we lost the same way. I have no regrets at all.? 1 The Warrior mentor said his next task is to help the players make their college choices, and to look ahead, always ahead. "It really doesn't do any good to look back. We did our best. We expect good things in 1965."