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Deja vu of the Finest Kind

Plano Bests St. Joseph-Ogden Once Again in Another Playoff Thriller

 

By Bill Lidinsky

 

  Technically it wasn’t the ultimate football championship game as it was on Thanksgiving weekend of 2006. But for many who witnessed the Plano, St. Joseph-Ogden matchup in this years IHSA 3A quarterfinals on Saturday November 10, would tell you, it came mighty close in terms of sheer excitement, tremendous play, and ultimate success once again for Reaper Nation.

  Because for the second matchup in less than a year, the Reapers bested the Spartans this time on St. Joseph-Ogden home field in a game eerily similar to last season’s state title game at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

  From the exact same officiating crew that presided over the two clubs in 06, to the way the game unfolded and eventually ended, Plano experienced some great deja vu often limited to the most fortunate, but also to the most talented and well prepared. The Reapers happened to be both on the day.

  Behind quarterback Brian Green’s four touchdown, 101 yard rushing effort, and a stellar defensive game plan, Plano knocked off this season’s number one ranked and undefeated 3A school 26-22 in a contest loaded with similarities to the two team’s last meeting at the University of Illinois in November of 06.

  “If they would have had another quarter, who knows. Just like in last years title game, who knows what would have happened if there was another quarter,” said Plano head football coach Jim Green. “I hope to God we don’t see these guys until game 14 next year or if we don’t have to see them again, I’ll be happy. I have the utmost respect for their program. You just feel proud of your kids to beat a program like this not once, but twice within a year. You feel for them because they are a fantastic team. But I’m certainly happy with the way things turned out once again.”

  Plano asserted their rushing dominance early in the contest just like they did in the championship game last season. The Reapers called upon a familiar face in senior fullback Luis Alvarado. As a junior last year, Alvarado scorched the Spartans for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the title matchup and once again he set the tone against St. Joseph-Ogden with an awe inspiring 70 yard run from scrimmage on the first play of the game. On a hand-off up the middle, Alvarado seemed to be stopped, but carried the pile of Spartan defenders well ahead before remarkably breaking free for a run that set up Brian Green’s two-yard touchdown run at 10:10 that gave Plano an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

  “I just kept my feet going and before I knew it, I was in the open field,” Alvarado said. “Their guy caught me before I could reach the end zone, but Brian punched it in and we were ahead early.”

  St. Joseph-Ogden countered quickly on their initial possession, getting a 43-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tyler Johnson to wideout Lukas Graves to tie the score at seven at 7:59 of the opening period.

  “We had a hiccup on their first score, but their quarterback (Johnson) put the ball on the money. Al (Haws) was right there, but they took advantage with an opportunity to score and they did,” Jim Green said.

  After Plano failed to move the ball on their next possession, the Spartans tallied again on a 17-yard touchdown run by Johnson with just 47 seconds left in the first quarter. St. Joseph-Ogden led 14-7 going into the second stanza.

  But the Reapers capitalized on a fine drive to open the second period and scored on Brian Green’s second touchdown courtesy of a 9-yard scamper at 6:47 of the second quarter. Kevin Jernigan's point after kick was blocked and Plano still trailed 14-13.

  The Reapers however, continued to feature Brian Green rushing in the offensive set which was unusual to what they have done so far this season, Their strategy paid off again at 1:21 of the opening half as the senior quarterback notched his third touchdown on a 40-yard scamper around right end that gave Plano a 19-14 lead after a two-point conversion try failed going into the locker room at the intermission.

  “It made us look good today, but it doesn’t take rocket scientists to figure out that they were going to key on the double drive we ran on them in the championship game last year,” Jim Green said. “They were able to stop Luis a couple of times early, but we kept them honest with Brian carrying the ball and we were able to execute our game plan pretty darn well in letting Brian be a big part of our offense today.”

  After the defenses dominated in the third quarter, the Spartans took the lead late in the period as Johnson hit Cullen Hesterberg on a 15-yard scoring strike at 1:03. Johnson’s run for the two-point conversion was good and St. Joseph-Ogden was up again 22-19 entering the final period.

  On their first possession of the fourth quarter, Plano seemed primed to score, but Brian Green was intercepted by Johnson on the Spartan 10 yard line with 9:14 to go in the game and the Reapers seemed somewhat dejected.

  “I said to Brian that here you were going in to the fourth quarter with three touchdowns and I almost made you into the goat calling a pass play when we were moving the ball so well on the ground,” Jim Green said. “Fortunately for us our defense held on their next set and we had another shot to win the game.”

  Indeed they did. After Plano held St. Joseph-Ogden to three-and-out on their next series, the Reapers took over for the game winning drive.

  Plano chewed up better than six minutes of the final 7:12 on the clock all on the ground. Brian Green capped the 13 play march with his fourth touchdown of the game on a 4-yard jaunt at 1:12. Kevin Jernigan's kick was true and Plano had once again bested St. Joseph-Ogden in the biggest of games.

  “It was huge, especially after I threw an interception on our previous possession,” Brian Green said. “I told my teammates in the huddle that we needed a championship drive right here. There was no doubt this time that we were going to keep it on the ground and we did just that.”

  The Spartans gave the Reapers a scare late in the contest as Johnson just missed Graves on a deep touchdown try with 15 seconds left to go in the game. But from there, the Plano defense proved their metal as they once again closed out a big time battle much like they did against St. Joseph-Ogden in the State Championship game in 2006. The good type of deja vu was again realized in fine fashion for Plano.

  Alvarado led Plano with 144 yards rushing on 17 carries adding to his dominance over St. Joseph-Ogden dating back to the 2006 championship game.

“This game today against St. Joe ranks up there because of what happened in the championship game last fall against them,” said Plano defensive head coach Steve Lucas. “We knew what St. Joe was the number one ranked team in the state. But our guys rose to the challenge and we knocked off number one. They reacted really well and I’m very proud and believe we can repeat again as state champs if we play like we did today.”

  The Reapers (11-1) now move on to the IHSA 3A Semifinals at home on Saturday November 17 versus Aurora Christian (12-0) at 5 p.m.