Deerfield taken down in playoff opener
BY george wilcox Contributor October 29, 2011 6:40PM
Deerfield defensive back Austin Jones pulls down Nazareth's Sean Maloney during Saturday's state playoff game. | Steve Johnston~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: December 4, 2011 10:20AM
Running back Jeremy Kritt provided a few highlights in Deerfield High School’s first-round playoff loss.
The Warriors had a disastrous first quarter and could not recover against host Nazareth on Saturday. They wound up losing the Class 6A game 35-6.
The Warriors’ offense totaled a minus-7 yards in the first quarter and the defense allowed three touchdowns runs by Joshua Moore (160 rushing yards) in the first 12 minutes.
When Nazareth scored again on its first possession in the second quarter, Deerfield coach Steve Winiecki turned to Kritt with 4:42 to go before halftime.
In limited time, Kritt became Deerfield’s leading rusher against the 9-1 Roadrunners, who placed first in the rugged East Suburban Catholic Conference.
Kritt, a 5-foot-10, 210-pound senior, was the Warriors’ most effective running back. He rushed for a team-high 45 yards on nine carries. In his first series, he carried the ball four consecutive times for 18 yards late in the second quarter. Before Kritt’s carries, the Deerfield offense had accumulated minus-4 rushing yards in the game.
After the final horn sounded to end Kritt’s high school career, there were plenty of highlights on the season for Kritt to recall, starting with Deerfield’s six-game winning streak and a Central Suburban League North title.
“Coming off the field for the last time, definitely there were some regrets,” Kritt said. “What are you going to do?”
The Warriors (6-4) lost their first three games of the season, but averaged 49.2 points per game while sweeping their conference opponents. Deerfield’s last loss was 48-7 to Maine South in Week 3. The Warriors were the only CSL North team to reach the postseason.
“We showed a lot of pride,” Kritt said about the win streak. “We have not won conference in a while [since 2003]. We needed to make a charge. This group did it. I love these guys. It’s tough to see it end, but I would not have it any other way.”
“It’s a cliche. We are a family, but I will go into battle any time of the week [with the team],” Kritt said.
Deerfield senior quarterback Brad Holway, who missed the first three games due to a hand injury, attempted only three passes in the playoff opener.
Holway and running backs Tyler Vajdic and Ryan Adkins played their final games for the Warriors as seniors. There is hope that they have led a Warriors revival despite Deerfield losing in the first round of the playoffs for the second time in the last three years. Deerfield’s last first-round win was 14-7 to conference rival Highland Park in 2006.
“We took a big step this year. Now we need to take another one,” Winiecki said. “Now it’s about this year’s seniors. We started the season 0-3, but there was a lot of character shown by the seniors and the coaching staff.”
Stat sheet: Adkins, who finished the game with 25 yards on four attempts, got the Warriors on the board, when he came up with a 19-yard touchdown run in the final minute. His score put the finishing touches on a 76-yard drive.
Brett Freedberg (interception) and Joseph Harris (fumble recovery) were two of the defensive leaders for Deerfield.
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