Anywhere, anytime
By JON STYF
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jstyf@daily-chronicle.com
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| Sycamore's Justin Longua works against the defensive line at practice on Nov. 4. (Rob Winner – rwinner@daily-chronicle.com) |
SYCAMORE – Justin Longua watches football practice a little different than his teammates.
Because Longua knows that the next play he could be coming in, anywhere.
So the 5-foot-9, 205-pound Sycamore backup offensive lineman uses his time to watch the starters. One play, he’ll watch tackles Zach Fraedrich or D.J. Yunek. The next, center Alex Calendo. After that, he’ll watch guards Steve Boekenhauer or Adam Dobson.
Longua is the rarest of offensive linemen, one that can play all five positions. And this season, for a Spartans (7-3) team that will host Wheaton Academy at 1 p.m. today in a Class 5A second-round playoff game, he’s played all five positions.
“I don’t know how difficult it is to know the rule [on playing each spot], but to know the rule and apply it is very difficult,” said offensive line coach Chauncey Carrick, who has never had a player like Longua before. “We pull our guard, we pull our tackles. He needs to know when he needs to downblock, when he needs to combo off. There’s a lot of little things that he has to take care of.”
Those little things are what Longua has been so solid at, which is why his coaches praise his intelligence despite his lack of height.
Longua started the first two games at center for Calendo, filled in for Yunek when he had shin injuries, the guards due to illness and has finished the last three games while Fraedrich battles ankle issues.
“The coaches told me. I may not be the biggest guy, but the more places I know the more chance I’ll get to play,” Longua said. “I’ve always had a pretty good memory, so I can memorize all of them.”
Along with that memory, Longua has also worked to become technically solid in his form while blocking.
“He’s probably our best technician blocking-wise,” Carrick said. “He stays low, which his height helps him do.
“He’s not only smart smart, but he’s also football smart. It allows him to pick up the idiosyncrasies that the guy who plays there every down already has.”
Longua has also shown his talents on the defensive end, where he’s one of six players who rotate in on the interior of a line that’s improved immensely in run-stopping this season.
While the Spartans will be facing their second-straight spread offense, they know that stopping the run will remain important. And a player like Longua can help on any play.
“He’s a nose guard that analyses things and that’s rare,” Sycamore coach Joe Ryan said. “He understands blocking schemes so much that he understands what they are trying to do to him and he gets himself in the right position to avoid it.”
While learning so many spots without any stability in playing time can be rough, Longua is fine playing his role on this team. Because the next play, he always knows he could be headed into the game.
“Anything he gets, he deserves,” Ryan said. “Everything is for the team for him. Not all kids think that way.”
Wheaton Academy (6-4) at Sycamore (7-3)
Game time: 1 p.m. today
Radio: 1360-AM WLBK and 1360wlbk.com at 12:35 p.m.
First meeting
Scouting the opposition: The Warriors have given up an average of 27.2 points per game while scoring 27.9. Their main offensive threat is QB Brian Pell’s arm. He threw TDs to Luke Thorson, Brian McDonald and Anthony Ritchie in last week’s 20-19 OT upset of top-seeded Hillcrest in the school’s first playoff football game. Ritchie is also a top defensive player along with Kai Libby (also RB), Jimmy Johnson (Also WR), Jon Fink, Thorson and Sam Cote (also kicker).
Keys for the Spartans: Last week Sycamore was able to stop Kaneland QB Joe Camiliere and his high-powered spread offense in a 40-13 first-round win. This week, they’ll have to do it again when they host their first playoff game since a loss to St. Viator in 2000. The Spartans moved Brandon Larsen in to start at free safety last week for the first time and it was a huge success. They also brought five pass rushers at times, allowing senior DE Harlan Johnson to get his 10th sack of the year along with a few hurries while OLB Sam McRickard got a sack and hurry of his own. The key for Sycamore will be how their shorter defensive backs can match up with the taller Warriors receivers. There is little doubt the Spartans will be able to run on a team that gave up 52 points to St. Francis, 42 points to Montini and 48 points to Aurora Christian in losses this year.
Prediction: Sycamore 34, Wheaton Academy 13
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