Published: November 21, 2008 08:19 pm         

In Illinois, Casey meets familiar foe with state-title game berth on the line

Casey, Ill. — Casey and Auburn both are 12-0 and and meet Saturday for a berth in the Illinois Class 2A finals next week.

Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. CST for the Final Four clash at Auburn where the two teams have met four times in the playoff since 2003.

The Warriors beat the Trojans last year. Auburn won the other three times including 2005, eliminating Casey in an Elite Eight game.

Casey thus is meeting a team that eliminated the Warriors from the playoffs for the third straight week. They “took care of business” in beating Westville 41-0 and Maroa-Forsyth 18-7, the teams that beat them in Final Four games the past two years.

Sixteen seniors are on the Casey roster, bidding to help take the team to the state finals for the first time since 1985 when the Warriors were winners.

“We’ve been together a long time. Mitch Snyder and Kaleb Brandenburg have been starters since their sophomore year . . . others were on specialty teams and rotated in the lineup,” coach Keith Sinclair said this week before practice.

Snyder has passed for more than 1,800 yards and 34 touchdowns and scored one of the toucdowns last week against Maroa-Forsyth. Brandenburg leads the team in tackles from his linebacker slot and is second in the rushing totals.

Taylor Biggs and Aaron Rhoads are the leading receivers and scorers on the team and both play defense as well, Biggs at linebacker and Rhoads at free safety.

Biggs has been part of some big plays in the playoffs.

He was at tailback and scored last week against Maroa-Forsyth, busting loose for a 67-yard run on the first play of the game played in cold, windy and wet conditions and running for 100 yards in the first half.

“We ran the ball more than usual and I got the ball more than I usually do,” said Biggs.

Biggs also does the punting for the Warriors. In the Westville game, he boomed a 59-yard punt that was downed on the Westville 1-yard line. On the Tigers’ first play, he and Chris Unzicker tackled the Westville ball carrier in the end zone for a safety and Brandeburg scored one of his two touchdowns on the ensuing possession for a 9-0 Casey lead.

Biggs also scored twice on a 52-yard run and a 38-yard pass from Snyder.

Biggs also plays basketball and is a pitcher in baseball for the Warriors and says he plans to go to Parkland College to play baseball.

Biggs says the team needs to continue what it has been doing on offense and stop Auburn’s passing game. “Its passing game is good but they also have some good running backs,” said Biggs.

Rhoads came to Casey from Paris his sophomore year and has been a mainstay for two years.

According to the stats, he did not have one pass reception in the westville game. Coach Sinclair says that is not so. “Aaron had two great catches,” said the ooach, referring to the two passes he picked off in the contest.

Rhoads says that is the only game since he has been playing for Casey that he did not have a reception. He had one last week.

Auburn has everyone back from last year when the Trojans lost to the Warriors. Michael Bates is the quarterback and Ryan Gardner is one of the top running backs.

“I think our secondary will be busy. Auburn has good receivers and backs,” said Biggs.

He played football and basketball last year and ran track. He says he will concentrate on football and track this year, running the sprints and relays.

He plans to go to college and hopes to play football but his definite plans still are uncertain.

Biggs and Rhoads both have favorite teams in the pros. Biggs likes the Colts, Rhoads the Bears.