STILLMAN VALLEY — It probably still smells like gun powder in Stillman Valley this morning.
The cannon that celebrates every Cardinals’ touchdown went off eight times during Stillman Valley’s postseason opener. The Cardinals beat Rockford Christian 58-14 Friday to advance to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.
Stillman Valley will be on the road next week against the winner of today’s game between Aledo-Westmer (8-1) or Lisle (5-4).
The Cardinals rushed for 379 yards in the running-clock win. It was the fourth time this season they have scored at least 50 points.
Despite the final score, the Royals threatened the Cardinals in the 45-minute long first quarter. Rockford Christian quarterback Conrad Ognibene, who threw for 303 yards and on a 24 of 45 night, ran in one touchdown and threw another to Drew Anderson.
“They came out with a three linemen formation and had seven eligible receivers, and it was a matter of figuring out where they were lining up and who was eligible,” Stillman Valley coach Mike Lalor said. “I knew they were going to have some big plays. It took us a few series, but we got it figured out.”
Stillman Valley answered with big plays after both Rockford Christian scores. Nate Bond and Brandon Schwengels returned the kickoffs for touchdowns of 80 and 84 yards, respectively.
“All they had were those big plays,” Ognibene said. “If we didn’t let them have those big plays, it would have been a lot different.”
Stillman Valley scored on the two kickoff returns, a 10-yard run by Shay Bubnack and a 6-yard run by Shawn Cox and led 30-14 after the first quarter, and then the Cardinals dominated the last three.
Cox intercepted an Ognibene pass to open the second quarter and followed it with a 3-yard touchdown run four plays later. Stillman Valley, which scored on all its second-quarter drives, added touchdowns on another 3-yard Cox run and a 26-yard pass from Cody Brewington to Shawn Haas. The Cardinals led 52-14 at halftime.
Stillman Valley scored its last touchdown on a 7-yard run by Schwengels in the third quarter to start the running clock.
“I’m really proud of our kids,” Rockford Christian coach Kirk Heidelberg said. “We came here with a great game plan and we executed it and worked hard on it. We wouldn’t have had a chance without throwing the football. But (Stillman Valley) is a really good football team.”
This is the third straight season the Royals, who play mostly 1A teams in the regular season, have been in the 3A bracket because of the IHSA private school multiplier. In 2006 they lost to Hampshire and last year they lost to Aurora Christian.
“We just can’t compete with the numbers that some of these teams have,” Heidelberg said.
Anderson (five catches, 81 yards) and Colton Gann (eight catches, 82 yards) led the Rockford Christian receivers.
For the Cardinals, Bubnack finished with 125 yards on six carries, and Schwengels followed with 97 yards on six carries. Cox had 54 yards and three TDs on 10 rushes.
- Emily Tropp, rrstar.com
