Bulldogs held scoreless as Eagles advance

Senn's Marcos Alexis rushes around the Taft defense in last Saturday's game at Lane Stadium.
(Eric Davis/For Pioneer Press)

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After pounding Juarez in its final Second City game, Senn entered its Chicago Conference playoff game against Taft on a high note.

The Eagles quickly ended the Bulldogs' momentum with a 34-0 victory last Saturday at Lane Stadium.

Senn, who allowed eight points or less four times this season, had given up only 34 or more points once this season. The Bulldogs' defense was no match for Taft's explosive offense. The Eagles had scored 12 or more points in six of their first eight games.

Taft's defense, which hadn't posted a shutout all season and only held one opponent to single-digits, held Senn scoreless for the first time this season.

Senn (3-6, 2-3) finished fourth in the Second City and will return to that conference next season.

A furious fourth quarter comeback wasn't enough to end the Rangers' six game losing-streak as Corliss held on for a 24-22 win Saturday at Eckersall Stadium.

Corliss took a 12-0 lead in the second quarter, but Mather cut the deficit to 12-8 at halftime. The Rangers' first-half score was set up by a fake punt at midfield.

The Trojans, who hadn't scored in their previous two games, extended the lead to 24-8 midway through the fourth quarter. But the Rangers stormed back -- scoring two touchdowns in the final five minutes.

After a Ranger touchdown cut the deficit to 24-14, quarterback Brian Shaw found Stephan Olopo for a 60-yard pass. Olopo was brought down at the Corliss three yard line and Mather eventually scored a touchdown and two-point conversion to cut the lead to 24-22 with 1:43 left.

The Rangers attempted an onside kick, but Corliss recovered and ran out the clock.

"It was a great game for the fans," Mather head coach Paul Swiatly said. "The kids played hard and came back strong. We went out and battled as well as we could. We never gave up."

Next season, Mather -- for the first time in school history -- will play in a conference where the winner is not eligible for the state playoffs.

"You have to make plays to win, and we just didn't do that this year," Swiatly said.

Juniors Bruce Hawk (running back-linebacker), Darius Camara (lineman) and Jesus Gurrola (lineman) should get the Rangers back in the Illini conference quickly.

"I really like my junior class," Swiatly said. "There are not many of them, maybe five or six, but they work very hard. The legacy these kids want to leave behind is that they put Mather back into the Illini conference.

Senior lineman Levi Ball and running back-linebacker David Odukayu will be missed in the Rangers effort to return to glory.

"David filled in at running back for our best offensive player in the second half of the year," Swiatly said. "He did a great job. He's only 5-foot-2, but he works hard in the weight room."