Bartlett High: November 2008 Archives

Check out the Courier's 2008-09 boys basketball preview, complete with previews of all of our area teams.

Every team starts the season with the goal of winning a state championship, but few have the will to follow through on that goal.

For 13 weeks, Bartlett managed to keep that objective squarely in sight.

On Saturday night, months of hard work, dedication and preparation weren't enough as Bartlett saw its best season in school history come to an end in a 23-6 loss to state powerhouse Maine South.

In this week's Courier Prep Football Weekly, Andy Rohr and Erik Jacobsen break down the Class 8A Semifinal between Bartlett and Maine South. Featuring analysis, interviews and Jacobsen's prediction. Here's the link.

Check out highlights from Bartlett's wild 38-35 win against Schaumburg here.

To read about Bartlett's accomplishment, read Bartlett's run one for U46 record books.

SCHAUMBURG -- Bartlett's perfect season is still alive, but barely.

A four-possession lead late in the third quarter almost wasn't enough for the top-seeded Hawks as No. 13 Schaumburg mounted a furious 28-point rally to tie the score with 1:26 remaining Saturday night.

With momentum squarely on the side of the Saxons, Bartlett found a way to avoid a monumental collapse in the game's final minute.

The Hawks answered Schaumburg's tying touchdown with a critical 45-yard pass from quarterback Josh Hasenberg to receiver Alex VanNess on a stop-and-go route, setting up a 25-yard field-goal attempt for kicker Dan Karys.

Karys delivered, sending the ball through the uprights with 7.4 seconds left to lift Bartlett to a thrilling 38-35 victory in Class 8A state quarterfinal action.

(1) BARTLETT vs. (13) SCHAUMBURG in Class 8A football quarterfinal game...Winner gets (2) Maine South or (6) Barrington

It's the start of the third quarter in Schaumburg and Bartlett has a 35-7 lead and is well on its way to the Class 8A football semifinals. Bartlett had 284 yards of total offense at the half, compared to the Saxons' 80.

8:05 first quarter-- Quarterback Josh Hasenberg caps off an eight-play 65-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run.
Bartlett then put together a 14-play 82-yard drive to go up 14-0. Hasenberg ended that drive with another one-yard TD run.
11:53 second quarter--After a Saxons interception, Hasenberg found wide receiver Alex VanNess on the second play of the drive for a 29-yard touchdown pass to go up 21-0.
0:47 second quarter--- Hasenberg keeps in on an end-around for a 25-yard TD run, making it 28-0.
---Schaumburg returns opening kickoff of the second half 85 yards for a touchdown, 35-7

Hold it...Schaumburg now making an amazing comeback. The score is now 35-28 and the Saxons just recovered an onside kick with 6 minutes left in the game.

1:26 left...Schaumburg tied it at 35-35....

0:07---After a 45-yard pass from Hasenberg to Van Ness, Bartlett's Dan Karys hits a 25-yard field goal to put the Hawks up 38-35.

GAME OVER, BARTLETT WINS 38-35

A look inside Bartlett's quarterfinal meeting with Schaumburg this Saturday.

Here's this week's Courier Prep Football Weekly, which previews the Class 8A quarterfinal matchup between Bartlett and Schaumburg. Here's the link

We're under way at Millennium Field as Bartlett takes on Fremd in the second round of the Class 8A playoffs. Follow along as I provide some real-time analysis.

As tonight's Class 8A playoff showdown between Bartlett and Fremd unfolds, I'll try to keep you posted with a running play by play.

Class 8A No. 8 Fremd (8-2) at No. 1 Bartlett (10-0)

When: 7 Friday
Winner gets: No. 5 Warren or No. 13 Schaumburg
Playoff appearances: Fremd (13th consecutive); Bartlett (9th consecutive)

Players to watch: Fremd -- QB/DB Michael Tauchmann; LB/TE Ben Perna; RB Mike Gyetvay
Bartlett -- QB Josh Hasenberg (121-203, 1,732 yards, 18 TDs); WR Cory Brown (44 rec., 782 yards, 7 TDs); RB Fabian Libreri (151 att., 744 yards, 8 TDs)

St. Charles East senior Wes Allen and Bartlett senior Kyle Zelinsky have impressed throughout their three-year varsity careers, and on Monday the duo was honored by the Upstate Eight Conference's coaches for their outstanding play during the 2008 season.

Allen, who leads the area in rushing yards and scoring, was tabbed UEC offensive MVP. Zelinsky earned UEC defensive MVP honors for his efforts in leading the Hawks to a perfect regular season as Bartlett's inside linebacker.

The awards were announced in conjunction with the league's 2008 All-Conference team. Bartlett led the UEC with 10 All-Conference honorees. St. Charles East and Neuqua Valley both had six players named to the team.

Here is the 2008 All-Upstate Eight Conference football team, as voted by the league's coaches.

The game times are set for the four area teams still alive in the high school football state playoffs. The official announcement will come from ihsa.org on Monday, but barring any major oversight, the games will take place on the following times and dates...

FRIDAY
Class 8A: No. 8 Fremd (8-2) at No. 1 Bartlett (10-0), 7 p.m.
Class 6A: No. 5 Huntley (9-1) at No. 13 Grant (7-3), 7 p.m.

SATURDAY
Class 4A: No. 6 Genoa-Kingston (8-2) at No. 14 Richmond-Burton (6-4), 1 p.m.
Class 7A: No. 7 St. Charles East (8-2) at No. 2 Cary-Grove (10-0), 6 p.m.

I thought I was watching a shootout out in Genoa on Friday when Hampshire and Genoa-Kingston traded touchdowns on six straight possessions in the first half of their Class 4A state playoff game.

Little did I know that to the north and east Huntley and Batavia were engaged in a wild affair unlike any ever seen in state playoff history.