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Lisle Lions at Plano Reapers
IHSA 3A Playoffs Round 1
Game Time: 7:00 p.m. Friday at Reaper Stadium
Records: Plano 9-0 (5-0, Interstate Eight Small)
Lisle 5-4 (4-1, Interstate Eight Large)
Last Meeting: Plano 42, Lisle 0 (August 25, 2006)
Player To Watch: Plano senior running backs Nick Nasti and Jared Ferguson both have more than 800 rushing in 2006.
Lisle senior running back Josh McLeod has over 1,000 yards toting the ball for the Lions this year.
Plano Poised For Second Season
Reapers Rev Up For Championship Run As Top Team In 3A
By Bill Lidinsky
As the Plano High School varsity football team was putting the finishing touches on a 47-12 dismantling of Manteno last week in the 2006 regular season finale, all of Reaper Nation was starting to prepare for yet another run at an IHSA 3A State Championship.
In 2005, Plano fell one game shy of the title game with a state semifinal loss at Tolono. But there’s a big difference going into this post season over last.
This year, the Reapers own a perfect 9-0 record and are currently ranked as the top squad in the IHSA’s 32 team 3A playoff field.
The spotless 06 mark saw only one close game, a week seven 24-20 nail-biter against Coal City. Other than that, the Nation blitzed the rest of the field in the Interstate Eight Conference to the tune of 307 total points scored and a stingy 69 points allowed. Plano notched three shutouts, and never allowed their opponents to tally in the first quarter all year long.
Week one of the second season and the Reaper’s championship push starts this Friday, as Plano will play host once again to Lisle High School (5-4). In week one on Aug. 25, the Nation completely demoralized a shell shocked Lions club with 21 first quarter points on their way to a 42-0 running clock cruise. Lisle just barely made it in to the playoffs despite losing to Dwight in overtime last week 20-14.
“When we lost last Friday to Dwight, we went from a possible hosting team in round one, to playing the top team in the state,” said Lisle head football coach Dan Sanko. “We made our own bed and now we have to sleep in it. We played scared back in week one. Maybe we will again? But hopefully we’ll give a better accounting of ourselves this time around.”
After the near miss against Coal City in week seven, the Reapers have awoken and have been a juggernaut in the last two games, putting up over 500 yards in total offense in each of the contests.
Nick Nasti, Jared Ferguson, and Luis Alvarado have combined for one of the best backfields in 3A football. Couple that with the play of three year starting quarterback Brook Bott and a host of fine receivers and Plano has proven to pack a fine offensive punch.
But the Plano defense is what really stands tall in Reaper Nation. Nasti once again leads the 11 man ‘Doberman’ squad that kicks butt and takes names.
“It would be nice to get some first downs unlike in week one,” Sanko said. “Plano’s defense just flies to the ball. It’s tough to run plays against such a swarming defense. On offense they’re like a machine, methodically moving the ball down the field with Nasti and Ferguson and then they’ll throw a big play at you for a touchdown. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Lisle is led by senior running back Josh McLeod who has amassed over a thousand yards rushing in 2006. He has also proven to be a catalyst on defense for the Lions at the defensive back position.
All in all, it would seem to be a no brainer for Reaper Nation in week one of the second season. But after the close call against coal City, nobody in Plano figures to take anyone lightly on the way to what could be a historic year for the Reapers.
“We’ll continue to do what we’ve done all year and what we did to be successful in week one against Lisle,” said Plano head football coach Jim Green. “They know that they’re probably better than that 42-0 loss earlier in the year. And they’ve gotten a lot more healthy than they were in week one. McLeod was dinged up at that time and I’m sure they’ll try to throw the ball a lot more on Friday.
Nine and 0 is nice, but now we have to gear up to go 5-0 in the playoffs and complete our dream of becoming State champions.”
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