Healthy bodies will come in handy

Rolling Meadows' Dan Lynch (43) rushes Buffalo Grove's Kevin Alvarez and applies pressure on Buffalo Grove quarterback J.P. Kulick during the Mustangs' win Friday that clinched them a spot in the playoffs.
(Jerry Daliege/for Pioneer Press)

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The return of Jordan Farnum and Erick Louis-Charles should provide a spark for Rolling Meadows' defensive line against top-seeded Geneva.

The 16th-seeded Mustangs (5-4) will face one of the Chicago area's top running backs, so the health of Meadows' bookend junior defensive ends is a case of perfect timing.

Meadows' mission at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Fox Valley is simple. Stop 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior Michael Ratay, although no other team has been able to this season.

The Mustangs' 3-4 defense will attempt to shut down the undefeated Vikings, who have won five consecutive Western Sun Conference titles and captured their 18th consecutive conference game with a 47-14 victory over Batavia to end the regular season. Geneva has gone undefeated in back-to-back regular seasons.

Ratay enjoyed a career day against Batavia, rushing for 353 yards on 18 carries and six TDs, including an 86-yard dash on the game's first play from scrimmage. Ratay has rushed for 1,943 yards and has 32 TDs this season.

Geneva's other offensive weapons are running back Drew Fagot, receiver Jason Holmes and quarterback Brandon Beitzel. The defensive leaders are Cory Hofstetter and Sean Grady.

The 6-1, 223-pound Farnum (shoulder), a Prospect transfer, and 5-11, 257-pound Louis-Charles (ankle) missed the Week 9 win over Buffalo Grove. Their reappearance will free up T.J. Kropp and Ricky Allala to return to the offensive line. Meadows' nose tackle is 5-10, 242-pound senior Ernie Woodbury.

"I believe our run defense is pretty strong," said linebacker Tim Herff, Meadows' leading tackler. "We'll put linebackers in the gap probably. (Linebacker) Brett Lettieri's shoulder hurts, but he'll tough it out."

Linebacker Thomas Davidson (center), cornerback Mick Viken (receiver) and safety Steve Orchell (receiver) are the only two-way starters for the Mustangs.

Viken made a devastating hit on Buffalo Grove's Matt Stadler that forced a dropped pass reception to end the first quarter Friday. BG eventually scored on a 23-yard TD pass to Josh Hampton when cornerback Craig Jefferson slipped on the play.

"We're on a three-game win streak. We've got all the momentum in the world," Viken said. "I'll go into to battle with every one of these guys. We went from 2-4 to 5-4."