FRIDAY NIGHT REWIND: Spartans' stout defense ready for postseason
By JON STYF
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jstyf@daily-chronicle.com
SYCAMORE – Victor Bundy tipped the ball in the air and Eric Ray was able to finish by picking off Glenbard South quarterback Trace Wanless' pass on Friday night.
It was the second time Bundy had a chance to pull off an interception – the other slipped through his hands – on a slick night at Engh Field.
Ray, who also plays wide receiver for the Spartans (6-3, 4-3 Western Sun Conference), was the only defensive back who had the hands to make a play like that in Friday night's 32-20 loss to Glenbard South.
The interception was the second of the second half of the season for Ray – who also intercepted Batavia's Noel Gaspari in the end zone two weeks before.
"I think E. Ray has played well all year," Sycamore coach Joe Ryan said. "Sometimes you get more interceptions, and he's gotten interceptions late, but he's played really well all year for us."
Now Ray and the Spartans' defense, which allowed the least amount points in the WSC this season (113 to Kaneland's 114), will be up against the Knights' top-flight passing game again when the teams face off at 6 p.m. Saturday at Kaneland in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.
In the Spartans' 21-14 loss to the Knights (6-3, 5-2 WSC) in Week 4, it was Ray who got a hand on a third-down pass that Kaneland wide receiver Ryley Bailey caught, after three bobbles, to seal the game.
"We forced some turnovers in the first half that gave us some chances but we just weren't able to force any in the second half," Ryan said.
Injury update
The Spartans lost defensive lineman Christian Copple for the season last week, but saw fellow defensive lineman Taylor Dillon return from injury.
Running back Patrick Eby also is out for the season with an ankle injury suffered against Batavia, while starting quarterback Ryan Bartels sat out Friday night as a disciplinary action and also will miss this week's game based on the school's athletic code. He'll be eligible to return if the Spartans reach the second round of the playoffs.
Trevor Mathey will get his fourth start of the season in Bartels' place. Mathey ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to C.J. Compher on Friday and is 2-1 in his first three starts.
Conference honors
Teams voted on conference awards but they cannot announce the all-conference awards or offensive and defensive MVPs until every WSC team's season is done.
You won't have to wait for this, though. It's safe to say that Sycamore running back Marckie Hayes is the conference's offensive MVP after running for 1,201 yards and 10 touchdowns in seven WSC games and his center, Alex Calendo, is probably on the all-conference first team with him for a second straight season.
The bigger question is WSC defensive MVP, for which Geneva's Frank Boenzi, Glenbard South's Austin Teitsma (missed few weeks with injury), Sycamore's Harlan Johnson (nine sacks) and DeKalb's Dylan Donnelly were some of the candidates.
Conference champs
While the Sycamore varsity team fell short of its goal of a WSC title, the sophomore team won the final WSC title after a 28-14 win against Glenbard South on Friday night.
The Spartans' only two losses on the season came to Batavia (on a Monday) and Burlington Central. They beat Geneva when a Vikings' game-winning field-goal attempt with time expired bounced off the crossbar and back in what was the most exciting sophomore game of the season.
Player of the Week
Offense – Tight end C.J. Compher caught a 19-yard pass from QB Trevor Mathey right before halftime and made an athletic move to get into the end zone.
Defense – Eric Ray's interception turned into a Sycamore touchdown drive that tied the score at 14-all just before halftime against Glenbard South.
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