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October 31, 2022

Huntley senior Jacob Zastrow completes a run after a catch of a Sam Deligio pass against Andrew in the Class 8A playoff game Oct. 28. The Huntley season ended with a 28-18 loss and an 8-2 record.
Steve Peterson
Huntley senior Jacob Zastrow completes a run after a catch of a Sam Deligio pass against Andrew in the Class 8A playoff game Oct. 28. The Huntley season ended with a 28-18 loss and an 8-2 record.

Sports • October 31, 2022

Huntley’s squad goes out with heads held high

By

HUNTLEY – Huntley senior defensive lineman CJ Filipek as well as the more than 30 Class of 2023 members’ football careers came to an end in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs. But that moment after a 28-18 loss to Andrew won’t define the journey.

“The past four years have been a blast and so much fun,” Filipek said.

The return to the IHSA playoffs did not go as hoped despite a promising start. The Red Raiders saw a 10-point lead flipped to an 28-8 scoring spree by the Thunderbolts and an 8-2 season came to an end Oct. 28 at Red Raiders Stadium.

“I never lost confidence but their fullback is among the best we’ve ever seen,” Filipek said. “We knew they would be good and we just made too many mistakes.”

Andrew’s Mike Barberi was the fullback Filipek was referring to, who hurt HHS with 146 yards and two touchdowns leading to  almost 300 yards rushing by the visitors.

The HHS senior group includes some quick learners. Case in point was an 80-yard kickoff return by Connor Ardell, leading to a Janke three-yard TD run,  and a two-point conversion pass catch by Jaden Laramie for a 21-18 deficit early in the fourth quarter.

“It was my first game returning kicks,” Ardell said. “I just worked on the position in warm-ups, and had some great blocks ahead of me. I felt confident we were still going to win.”

Ardell, a senior, added 29 yards rushing, including a 20-yard run.

Huntley junior standout running back Haiden Janke rushed for two touchdowns of three yards each, on a 112-yard game on 27 carries. He pushed it across after a penalty on Andrew, HHS’s senior Jaden Laramie caught a two-point conversion toss from Sam Deligio for a 21-18 deficit after three quarters.

Senior quarterback Deligio finished 4-of-12 passing for 51 yards and two interceptions. Jacob Zastrow had a 29-yard catch that set up a score.

The game started well for the HHS offense, as Janke scored from three yards out for a 7-0 lead to end a 70-yard drive after the defense stopped Andrew’s fourth down try. A 20-yard field goal by Mason Wojtas and a 10-0 second quarter lead.

HHS had a chance to extend the lead after an Ari Fiebig 40-yard  interception return but the effort fell short when a fourth down pass fell incomplete. The visitors from Tinley Park began to eat away with momentum, ending the half with a 44-yard touchdown run.

“I felt good about the way we were playing defensively in the first half. We had kept them mostly off the field with a couple of long drives,” Huntley head coach Mike Naymola said. “But they did to us what we’ve done to other teams to win close games, by wearing the opponent down. We just had too many mistakes and our biggest problem all year was shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties at the worst times.”

Andrew’s defense was able to snuff out any fourth quarter comeback hopes, although the margin was just a field goal, thanks to two interceptions. The 7-3 Thunderbolts earned the trip to Gurnee for the second round clash with Warren (9-1).

Huntley senior Dashaun Manning led defensively with nine tackles. Senior Joey Arvidson added six tackles.

Naymola, in his first year as head coach, praised the culture of the program that turned around a 3-6 season in 2021 to an 8-2 campaign and a co-Fox Valley Conference championship.

“I’m super proud,” Naymola said. “The cards did not fall in our favor tonight but we had a great off-season, summer camp and the guys really bought into the culture. I’ve been incredibly blessed to have a great group of guys. They are extremely coachable and they really wanted to be relevant in the football world again because of what happened last year. They did anything we asked them to do. They recommitted themselves and bought in.”

The outlook for Huntley in 2023 is bright with talented players returning. Janke completed a 1,200-yard, nine touchdown season to lead the returnees. “We have Janke back and a big chunk of our offensive line and they’ll be a competition at quarterback,” Naymola said.

Playoff notebook

The Red Raiders’ neighbor, Jacobs, and co-FVC champ, fell in the first round of Class 7A, to Brother Rice, 27-0 Friday. Prairie Ridge was the lone winner of the three co-FVC champs with a 63-56 thriller over Crystal Lake South. HHS stands at 8-11 in nine IHSA football playoff appearances, with the best a semifinal advancement in 2001-02.