Class 4A playoff preview: QND hopes to set tone defensively against Civic Memorial

QUINCY — Swipe. Score. Celebrate.

It’s a recipe for success the Quincy Notre Dame football team has discovered works wonders.

Having gone 6-3 in the regular season and earned a Class 4A first-round home playoff game, the Raiders understand their defense creates opportunities. In the six victories, QND has scored its first touchdown off a kick return, a blocked punt or after a turnover gave the offense pristine field position.

“Defense needs to set the tone every single week,” QND senior defensive end Nolan Obert said as the Raiders prepared to face Bethalto Civic Memorial at 7 p.m. Friday at Advance Physical Therapy Field. “Our defense is the heart of our team.”

It’s certainly responsible for big plays. The Raiders have scored eight defensive touchdowns this season, to go along with one safety, and have forced 35 turnovers. Eight different players have interceptions, five have multiple interceptions and three have touchdown returns.

QND also has five fumble returns for scores.

“It’s the chemistry,” Raiders senior linebacker Dalton Miller said. “It’s the chemistry on both sides of the ball and on special teams. That’s what makes the team go.”

At the heart of that is the ability to trust each other.

“It’s the communication with the linebackers,” said Obert, who has 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks this season. “Dalton Miller does such a good job of making sure everyone knows the plays. The d-linemen just do our job. We just try to set everything up for the linebackers.”

The linebackers follow through. Miller leads the defense with 96 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and five sacks, while senior linebacker Ben Kasparie has 76 tackles and 12 tackles for loss and senior linebacker Elliott Maas has 51 tackles.

“Everybody has to do their job every single play,” Miller said. “Only then can our linebackers and our safeties do their job. Our front line guys get it done to make that possible.”

“It’s a huge momentum shifter,” Miller said.

“Defenses here have always played hard. They’ve always played lights out,” Cornell said.

Home is truly an advantage

When Steve Soucie, the sports editor of the Joliet Herald-News and the state’s preeminent authority on IHSA postseason football, released his projected brackets two weeks ago, the QND coaching staff looked at it in awe.

Soucie suggested the Raiders would start the postseason at home.

Considering the best they could finish was 6-3, it seemed far-fetched.

Well, not so much. Because of the way the Class 4A bracket developed and the Raiders’ high number of playoff points, they landed a home game. The Raiders will face Civic Memorial at 7 p.m. Friday in the first opening-round playoff game at home since 2014. QND beat Stanford Olympia 41-0 that year.

“There aren’t many opportunities to play at home in round one when you’re 6-3,” QND coach Jack Cornell said. “It kind of worked out in our favor. We’re very excited to have that opportunity and looking forward to the challenge.”

Having been denied a postseason during last year’s COVID-limited season, the Raiders are anxious for this atmosphere.

“We’re not only doing it for us,” Miller said. “We’re doing it for the guys last year who didn’t get that opportunity.”

Eagles will take to air

Civic Memorial’s season mirrors QND’s in a way. Both teams opened with a win streak, hit a rough patch against quality opponents in the middle and regrouped for back-to-back victories going into the postseason.

And neither was really challenged the final two weeks.

The Eagles qualified for the postseason by beating Jerseyville 42-14 and Taylorville 56-12, and they roll into the playoffs averaging 32.8 points per game. They finished third in the Mississippi Valley Conference behind Mascoutah and Troy Triad, but allowed 34 points per game in league play.

Civic Memorial quarterback Bryer Arview has completed 97 of 151 passes for 1,459 yards with 18 touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also run for four touchdowns. The Eagles have four players with 200 or more yards rushing with fullback Logan Turbyfill leading the team with seven rushing touchdowns.

Luke Parmentier has caught 44 passes for 859 yards and nine touchdowns.

“They do a lot of different formations offensively,” Cornell said. “We have to make sure we have everything buttoned up. I think we’ve had a good week of practice to get there.”