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The
Nation Makes A Statement At Dwight
Reapers Terrorize Trojans With Ground Game And Defense For Monster Win
By Bill Lidinsky
One of the keys in all of sports and what ultimately decides whether a team
will be of championship caliber, is how they respond to adversity and what is
learned from lessons during the inevitable valley’s all great ballclubs
face throughout a title run.
After last week’s narrow escape on Homecoming versus Coal City, the Plano
High School varsity football team was left with some questions that needed to
be addressed.
Some asked whether the game was a letdown of sorts against the Coalers. Others
questioned if the Reapers were really the team of destiny on the IHSA 3A gridiron
in 2006 and whether they really had the heart and the talent to win a championship.
At Dwight High School last Friday evening, the Nation emphatically erased any
doubt that some might have had after the narrow win versus Coal City.
Behind a bruising running attack that totaled 483 yards rushing and a ‘Doberman’
like attack defense that held the Trojans to 53 yards total offense, Plano provided
a statement to all who questioned their mettle with a resounding 47-0 demolition
of Dwight. The win moved the Reapers to a perfect 8-0 for 2006 and the number
one ranking in the IHSA Class 3A points race at 37 with one week to play. Plano
also secured the undisputed championship of the Interstate Eight Small Division
with a 5-0 mark. Dwight fell to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the I-8 Small.
“I don’t like to use it as an excuse, but we had plenty of distractions
on Homecoming week and against Coal City,” said Plano head football coach
Jim Green. “We were lucky to pull that one out, happy to get the win,
and glad to have learned some lessons. With all those distractions out of the
way we focused much more intently on football and I think we made a statement
as to what we’re all about. We wanted this game in a bad way and we certainly
gave notice as to that.”
The Nation started the onslaught on the very first drive of the game. It took
only three minutes and two seconds to travel 66 yards on eight running plays.
Senior running back Jared Ferguson capped the drive with a two-yard run at 8:38
of the first quarter. Sophomore kicker Kevin Jernigan’s kick was good
and the Reapers were flying out of the gate 7-0.
After holding Dwight to only three offensive plays on their first series, the
Reapers took the Trojans punt and started another drive that moved deep into
Dwight territory.
But Plano senior quarterback Brook Bott was picked off by the Trojan’s
Colton Tambling at the Dwight 11 and that briefly stalled the Reaper momentum.
After another three-and-punt by the Trojans, Bott again suffered a miscue fumbling
at midfield with Dwight recovering. The quarter would end with Plano still up
by seven, but it could’ve been much more.
“Unfortunately we had a couple of turnovers in the first period when we
were driving. But we really picked it up in the second quarter and started to
dominate the game,” Green said.
After another three-and-out for the Trojans, the Reapers took over, first-and-10
on their own 20. And on the first play from scrimmage, the ‘bulldog’
decided this would be a night to run wild. Finally free from the shackles that
an ankle brace had held on him for the past few weeks, senior running back Nick
Nasti exploded through a giant hole and rambled 80-yards for a touchdown at
10:24 of the second quarter. Plano’s two-point conversion failed, but
the Reapers owned a 13-0 advantage.
“My line gave me a great hole and I bolted through it and all I saw was
open field in front of me,” Nasti said. “I started slowing down
as I was approaching the end zone. I didn’t realize their guy was so close
behind me. But I made it and it felt so much more natural running tonight without
all that ankle wrap.”
On Dwight’s next possession, the Trojans got one of only two first downs
on the night. But their offensive success was very short lived. Nation senior
defensive lineman Ben Quintero bolted through the Dwight offensive line and
sacked quarterback Zach Myers for a huge loss. Quintero had three sacks on the
night.
“I could just feel it tonight. I wanted to come out and play and show
that last week against Coal City was a fluke,” Quintero said. “We
needed a performance like this tonight and we all picked it up as a team.”
On the very next Plano series, the Reapers used a 84 yard drive that culminated
in Nasti’s nine-yard touchdown run at 2:41 of the second quarter. Jernigan’s
kick missed, but the Nation was cruising up 19-0.
Then on the ensuing kickoff by Plano, a little trickery by Green who also calls
the special team plays.
The Reapers executed a perfect onside kick that was recovered by senior Steve
Eaves at the Dwight 35 yard line.
“We were talking about going for it on the phones and then they got a
15 yard penalty to push us up to the 50,” Green said. “At that point
we said “what the heck” and our kids did a fabulous job with it
and recovering.”
On the very next play from scrimmage, Ferguson scored his second touchdown of
the night on a 35-yard run with 2:31 to go in the first half. Jernigan’s
kick proved to be true and the Reapers took a 26-0 lead.
“Every game our ‘O’ line is getting better and better. All
the props go to them for opening that huge hole for me to score,” Ferguson
said. “It came together tonight in a big way right when we needed it.”
Plano did have one more chance to score before the intermission after quickly
holding Dwight to three-and-out courtesy of another sack by Quintero and junior
Randy Niles.
On third-and-11 from the Trojans 27, Bott pitched to Nasti who pulled up and
threw a nice ball toward wideout Matt Smith in the end zone. But Dwight had
two guys on Smith and the ball was picked off.
From there the half quickly ended with the Nation holding a commanding 26 point
advantage.
“I’ll have to give Nick some garbage about that. He’s 0-for-1
with a pick,” Green said. “It was a good throw, but they had it
covered well. I liked it because it now gives other teams something to think
about when playing us in the future. We had three turnovers in the first half
and yet we were still up big 26-0.”
The Nation left no doubt and put a strangle hold on the game in the third quarter.
On their first series the Reapers took only four plays to travel 54 yards scoring
on junior running back Luis Alvarado’s seven-yard run at 10:06. Jernigan’s
kick was good and Plano led 33-0.
Once again came another nice defensive series that held Dwight to three-and-out.
The Nation then went 70 yards on five plays, the final 26 coming on Nasti’s
third touchdown of the game with 4:59 to go in the third quarter. Jernigan’s
kick again was aces and Plano was up 40-0.
By IHSA rule the referees went to a running clock and the game was all but over.
Ferguson added his third touchdown of the game at 2:34 of the final period on
a 46-yard scamper to give the Reapers a dominating 47 point victory over a quality
opponent.
Nasti and Ferguson blitzed the Dwight defense with 213 and 188 yards rushing
respectively. Each had three touchdowns, while Alvarado notched the other with
79 yards toting the ball.
But it was the reemergence of Nasti, who stepped out of his ankle brace that
he had worn over the past few weeks due to a sprain and back into the offensive
limelight.
“During the week we noticed how hard he was running in practice. We hadn’t
seen him run that way since before the injury. He was really going after it,”
Green said. “I said all week that he was going to have at least 150 yards
rushing. He was frustrated like all of us after last week and he wanted to make
a statement and he certainly did.”
Plano implemented a new ‘power I’ formation with Nasti at the tail
of the I. The new offensive scheme was right up ‘the bulldogs’ alley.
“We put the ‘power I’ in this week and with it I get a much
different look at what’s going on and I can see the holes a lot better,”
Nasti said. “I’m not totally used to it yet, but I really like it
and I hope we can keep it going as we move forward.”
The Nation will now move ahead with their final regular season game at home
this Friday against Manteno who currently stand with a record of 4-4.
The Panthers need a win in order to qualify for the IHSA post season, so the
Reapers can’t afford another close game like the one versus Coal City.
In addition, a Plano victory would insure the Nation of the top seed in 3A entering
the playoffs a week from Friday. A letdown now is not an option in the race
toward a title.
“After such a big win hopefully we’ll keep riding the wave now.
Our offense was great and our defense was spectacular,” Green said. “A
win versus Manteno is a must in all our minds. With us all being refocused now,
I don’t see a letdown. Hopefully we’ll be going into Saturday night’s
playoff pairing as the top seed.”
Lesson’s learned during a championship season are inevitable and always
prove vital on the road to glory. With those revelations clearly in mind and
the task firmly in hand, the Nation is now poised to move forward and complete
the regular season in style, with an eye on the prize being a trip to Champaign
on Thanksgiving weekend.
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