Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008

Region sends 4 to state football semifinals

East St. Louis, Mater Dei, Cahokia, Columbia advance

For the first time since 1989, the metro-east will have four semifinalists in the state football playoffs.

Besides geography, the other common bond between East St. Louis (7A), Cahokia (5A), Mater Dei (4A) and Columbia (3A) is the color blue. All four teams have blue in their color schemes, not that it will help them against some of the top competition in the state Saturday.

"We're trying to make this a blue thing and bring it all home," said Cahokia coach Antwyne Golliday, whose 11-1 Comanches are on the road against defending 5A state champion Metamora (12-0). "I'm so proud of our area. But we've all got to take care of business this weekend, one step at a time."

In 1989, East St. Louis and Althoff won state championships, while Highland and Dupo each reached the semifinals.

The area has sent three teams to the semifinals on five occasions, the last time in 1993. While no metro-east team has won a state football championship since 1991, there were two years when area teams brought home two titles.

East St. Louis and Mascoutah brought home the big trophy in 1979, while East St. Louis and Althoff did it again 10 years later.

Cahokia already has a school-record 11 victories but now has chance to end the Metamora Redbirds' 26-game winning streak. Metamora has outscored its first three playoff opponents 125-33.

"We've been kind of under the radar all year, and we like it like that," Golliday said. "We believe in ourselves."

Cahokia's defensive unit was the unsung hero in the Comanches' 31-6 quarterfinal win over the Decatur MacArthur Generals.

The Comanches forced four turnovers -- three interceptions and one fumble recovery -- and sacked MacArthur quarterback Robert Smith five times.

Jimmie Hunt, Dedric Gibson and Morris Hobson all picked off passes for the Comanches, while Donald Collier had the fumble recovery and Chris Crimm accounted for two of his team's sacks.

The Comanches also held the Generals to 0-for-6 on fourth conversions.

"Defense has been my strong point all year," Golliday said. "Offensively, we know we were going get to some things done, but sometimes it takes the offense a little while to kick in. The defense has been flying around; they've been really moving. They've been saving us all year."

The Comanches have really dialed up their defense in the playoffs, allowing only 23 points in three postseason games.

And they've done it behind junior quarterback Patrick Ivy, who replaced injured former starter Darien "Doc" Donald when Donald went down with an offseason knee injury.

Golliday said Donald, also one of the state's top track sprinters, had knee surgery last month and is expected to be ready by spring.

"I knew my quarterback was done pretty much in June," Golliday said. "I was just hoping on a wing and prayer, that's why we were working with Ivy. Doc could have played this year, but I refused to do it with a knee brace.

"He's done too much for our school to put him out there. He's been traveling with us, and he's still one of our team captains."

Extra motivation for Flyers

If playing in Class 7A quarterfinals against the top-ranked team in the state before a near-capacity home crowd wasn't enough incentive, the East St. Louis Flyers had some motivational help against the St. Rita Mustangs.

That motivation came from the return to the sidelines of injured linebacker Demond Hunt Jr.Wearing his orange No. 13 jersey under a heavy coat on a cold afternoon, Hunt was at a Flyers game for the first time since Oct. 3. Hunt suffered a seizure shortly before halftime of the Collinsville game that night.

He no doubt liked what he saw in his first trip back as the Flyers rallied from a 21-point deficit in the third quarter to post a 35-28 victory.

Hunt chatted with teammates and coaches and received a standing ovation when introduced to the crowd before the game.

"I'm feeling good and glad to be back with the guys on the team and the coaches," Hunt said. "They supported me when I needed them, so I just wanted to come out and be part of this and support them. They aren't just my teammates, they are my friends."

Hunt suffered a blood clot in the brain and spent several weeks at Cardinal Glennon Medical Center. He is being home-schooled and hopes to return to East St. Louis High when the second semester begins in January.

East St. Louis got huge plays down the stretch against St. Rita from seniors Terry Hawthorne, Kraig Appleton and Ty Phillips.With East St. Louis trailing 28-7, Hawthorne scored three times, twice on scoring passes from quarterback Detchauz Wray and once on a 17-yard interception return.

Appleton, who earlier had a 40-yard scoring reception, gave the Flyers the lead for good when he caught a 15-yard pass from Wray late in the third quarter. Appleton and Hawthorne already have been selected as All-Americans.

Phillips, who transferred to East St. Louis from Belleville East before the season began, came up with a big quarterback sack on the Mustangs' final drive to end their hopes.

Semifinal history

East St. Louis travels to picturesque Duchon Field at Glenbard West for the semifinals, a name that might be familiar to fans who have followed Belleville West for a long time.

Belleville West lost 13-10 to Glenbard West in the 1976 Class 5A semifinals.

Columbia is back in the semifinals for the second year in a row and third time in school history. The Eagles finished second last year.

Mater Dei also is making its third semifinal appearance and finished second in 2006.

This is the 14th semifinal appearance by East St. Louis, which owns six state titles.