Sycamore’s ball-hawking linebackers shine: Caden O’Donnell’s 3 pick-6s lead Spartans’ dominant defense

SYCAMORE – Caden O’Donnell has caught the second most passes for touchdowns on the Sycamore football team.

Here’s the catch: He’s a linebacker who doesn’t play on offense.

O’Donnell has returned three intercepted passes for scores this year, and only one Spartan has more than three receiving touchdowns. The senior isn’t alone as a ball-hawking linebacker for the Spartans, as junior Cooper Bode has a pair of interceptions this year.

“I think it makes our defense really great,” O’Donnell said. “Not only do we stop the run, we’re also in on the pass game. We do a lot in the pass game as well as the run game

The Spartans (10-0) are preparing to face Westinghouse (6-4) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Knute Rockne Stadium in Chicago. The defense has two shutouts this year, and the starters left last week’s 50-8 win against Noble/Bulls in the playoff opener without the Bulls scoring.

Now they face a Warriors team that has scored 30 or more points five times this year but also has been shut out twice.

Sycamore coach Joe Ryan said he liked the way the defense has improved since Week 1, a 35-28 win against DeKalb. O’Donnell had an interception in that game, and although it was his only one this year that isn’t a pick six, it was crucial in preserving the Sycamore win.

The Spartans have held opponents to two touchdowns or fewer in all but one game since, a 25-19 win against Rochelle.

“I think they’ve learned to trust each other,” Ryan said. “I think that first week there wasn’t a high level of trust. There was a lot of people trying to make 11 different plays instead of 11 playing together to make one play. ... They really believe the other person is going to be in the right spot, and that allows us to play great team defense.”

That trust has improved communication, which Bode and O’Donnell said has been the most important element to the success intercepting the ball.

“I think our No. 1 thing is great communication,” Bode said. “We work together and we play football how we were taught. It leads us to great drops, and that’s how we win games.”

Carter York leads the team with five interceptions, and Burke Gautcher has one – and each of them also has an interception return for a score.

That’s expected from the secondary. But four interceptions, three for a score, from an inside linebacker and two interceptions for an outside linebacker is far less ordinary.

“Sometimes linebackers just drop and don’t really understand what the other team is trying to do,” Ryan said. “They’re trying to get their drop zone, whatever, but they don’t really understand concepts. I think these guys do a really good job, and Caden has done especially good with that.”

Bode said the drops are a matter of pride for the linebackers, and they’ve been taught well by the coaching staff.

The Spartans have reached the second round now in their past seven trips to the playoffs. Last year the team lost its second-round game at Morgan Park.

This year, the Spartans are undefeated for the second time in the past three season heading into Week 11. But the focus, Bode said, is not on 11-0 but 1-0.

“It’s a record. It doesn’t mean much now,” Bode said. “Every game could be your last. We don’t really focus on that much. It’s all about the next one.”