Cary-Grove runs over Antioch to reach Class 6A quarterfinals

CARY – Cary-Grove’s Michael Massat tore his MCL in a scrimmage last year, essentially ending his junior season before it started.

The Trojans fullback watched from the sidelines as Cary-Grove ran the table in the Class 6A playoffs and upset East. St. Louis for the program’s fourth state championship.

[ Photos: Antioch vs. Cary-Grove in an IHSA Class 6A second-round football ]

Massat’s final season has been much more enjoyable.

The 5-foot-10, 187-pound senior has seen plenty of game action this year. He was one of the top-seeded Trojans’ leading rushers Saturday in a 41-8 win over No. 8 Antioch in their Class 6A second-round playoff game at Al Bohrer Field – the team’s 18th win in a row overall.

“I wanted to be on the field with them, and it just [stinks] that I couldn’t,” said Massat, who ran for 74 yards on eight attempts, including a 40-yard scamper to set up QB Peyton’s Seaburg’s fourth touchdown. “I’ve always dreamed of playing for this team, and now that I get to go back out and play with all my friends, it really means a lot.”

Cary-Grove (11-0) advances to host No. 4-seeded Belvidere North (10-1) – a 28-10 winner over Wauconda Saturday – in the quarterfinals next weekend. The Trojans are 19-1 in the playoffs since 2018, with their lone loss to Prairie Ridge 14-13 in the quarterfinals five years ago.

Cary-Grove was dealt a tough blow last week when starting fullback/defensive end Logan Abrams, last year’s leading rusher in the Northwest Herald area and Fox Valley Conference, underwent foot surgery to end his junior year. Abrams (6-3, 230) is just as important on defense for the Trojans as he is on offense.

“I’m just proud of all the guys for stepping up and rising to the occasion,” said Seaburg, who had a game-high 102 yards on 12 carries, scoring on runs of 5, 5, 12 and 10 yards. “Logan’s a great player, you can’t take anything away from him. But we’ve got lots of guys stepping up and taking charge. Someone goes down, the next guy steps up.”

The Trojans took charge early against the Sequoits (8-3), scoring on four of their first five possessions. The only drive not resulting in a TD came with C-G backed up in its own territory in the second quarter with little time left on the clock.

After Seaburg scored on C-G’s first drive of the second half for a 27-0 lead, senior defensive back Preston Walsh stopped a potential scoring drive by Antioch, laying out for a pass that was first deflected by fellow defensive back Jason Ritter.

The Trojans, starting with the ball at their own 3, needed only four plays and 1 minute, 50 seconds to go the length of the field. Seaburg broke off a 32-yard run on the first play, and Massat later went 40 yards, shaking off an Antioch defender who tugged at his helmet before he was chased down at the 10.

Seaburg ended the drive with a 10-yard score, giving C-G a 34-0 lead with 3:47 remaining in the third quarter.

Antioch could not slow down a Trojans’ run game that piled up 391 yards on 47 attempts (8.3 average).

“They’re so methodical, and coach [Brad] Seaburg does a great job,” Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said. “It’s the way they do it and the way they teach it. They do such a good job of the fundamentals. They put pressure on you to even try and get them off the field. They’re so good at controlling the ball and they pound you.”

Senior FB Holden Boone had 95 yards on 13 carries, Landon Barnett added 53 yards and a 5-yard TD, and backup freshman quarterback Jack Berndt got in on the action with a 18-yard TD that gave the Trojans a 41-0 lead with 8:24 left in the fourth to start a running clock.

“That was awesome, I had some great blocks on that play,” Berndt said. “That felt great to get in there.”

On defense, senior linebacker Charlie Ciske had two interceptions for the Trojans and Ty Drayton had a sack. Drayton tipped Antioch QB Colin Arquilla’s pass that led to Ciske’s second INT.

Brad Seaburg, who has led the Trojans to three state titles, wasn’t aware of his team’s 19-1 record in the playoffs since 2018.

“We’ve got talented kids, no doubt,” Seaburg said. “We’ve got tough kids. They’re kind of used to the grind of the Fox Valley Conference. It really prepares us for the playoffs.”

Trailing 41-0, Antioch scored its lone touchdown on a 33-yard pass from Arquilla to Martin Cohen with 5:35 remaining. Arquilla finished 8-of-14 passing for 128 yards. Cohen had 160 total yards (82 rushing, 78 receiving), Arquilla ran for 29 yards and Marcus Macias added 19 yards on the ground.

Antioch was playing in the postseason for an eighth consecutive season.

“What a good group of kids,” Glashagel said. “Conference titles three out of the last four years with these guys. It’s been awesome. Every senior class is special, and this one was no different. For two, three hours every day after school, we got to have fun.”