PR can solidify FVC’s reputation

Prairie Ridge's Jordan Getzelman (right) is pulled down by Batavia's Robbie Bowman (left) and Mike Moffatt in the first quarter last week during the IHSA Class 6A semifinal. The Wolves defeated the Bulldogs, 33-22, and will play for a state title today. (Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@shawmedia.com)

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

CHAMPAIGN – Prairie Ridge junior safety Sean Folliard was quick to pay his elders their proper respect after last week’s IHSA Class 6A semifinal victory at Batavia.

“Our seniors are the greatest group of guys you can be with,” said Folliard, whose interception helped seal the Wolves’ 33-22 win. “They play hard. They showed us how to play this summer, and all we can do is play as hard as we can for them.”

The underclassmen play for the seniors, the seniors will play for Prairie Ridge alumni who helped foster the tradition, and they all will play for the Fox Valley Conference in today’s 1 p.m. Class 6A state championship game against Peoria Richwoods at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium.

Prairie Ridge becomes the fifth FVC team to play for a state title: Woodstock won Class 4A in 1983 and Class 5A in 1997; Cary-Grove lost in Class 7A in 2004 and won Class 6A in 2009. A second FVC winner in three years would further establish the FVC Valley Division as one of the state’s better leagues.

The Wolves have six starters – fullback Connor Greenwald, guard Tom Evans, tight end Nick Margiotta and linebackers Collin Corcoran, Corey Peterson and Brad Simms – playing in their 13th playoff game. Prairie Ridge has been on a mission to get to the state title game since its 14-7 loss to Boylan a year ago.

“This was the hardest thing to overcome,” Evans said after the semifinal victory. “All our hard work and dedication have gone into this and it just feels so great for it to work out.”

Now, the Wolves can bring home the FVC’s fourth state championship.

Richwoods, like Prairie Ridge, won in its third consecutive trip to the semifinals. The Knights lost the past two years in Class 5A, but nipped Lemont, 34-31, in double overtime last Saturday.

Wolves running back Jordan Getzelman has been their most dangerous runner all season, although Greenwald had been outstanding in the playoffs as teams seem to be keying on stopping Getzelman, who averages 12.1 yards a carry. Greenwald has 227 yards and two touchdowns against Batavia.

“The linemen did a great job all day,” Getzelman said. “They played low and played fast, and we got the job done. That’s what makes a team great.”

Prairie Ridge’s defense allows 205.3 yards and 9.5 points a game, but the Wolves have not faced a running back like Knights junior Kendrick Foster, who Prairie Ridge coach Chris Schremp says will be the fastest player they have seen. Foster has run for 2,326 yards and 30 touchdowns. Lemont felt it defended Foster pretty well last week, but he still gained 162 yards.

“They’re very good. Their quarterback [Nick Nissen] does a great job running their option,” Richwoods coach Roland Brown said. “Greenwald is a great runner and their tailback [Getzelman] is very fast. You have to pick your poison and really stay disciplined. I’m really impressed with how they look.”