Clay Czyzynski’s first completion to Christian Miller helped the New Trier football team create separation against Lyons on Friday, Oct. 30.
Miller’s second reception set up his third, which was the big blow in New Trier’s 30-3 victory. With the win, the ninth-seeded Trevians advanced to the second round of the Class 8A playoffs. They will play eighth-seeded Homewood-Flossmoor at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, in Flossmoor.
Miller’s second touchdown of the night was a flat route on which Czyzynski, a junior, rolled to his right as the senior ran into open space. Czyzynski’s throw was a little low, and Miller did something he said he’s never done in a game.
“It hit me in the hands, it hit me in the stomach and I curled up around it. It actually landed in between my thighs,” Miller said. “It didn’t hit the ground, which is the important part.”
Miller’s second score put the Trevians ahead 20-3 with 1:21 remaining in the third quarter. New Trier’s defense proved to be almost impenetrable — the 24th-seeded Lions (5-5) finished with 122 yards — and the game felt over.
Miller’s circus catch was set up by his 18-yard grab on New Trier’s sideline. Czyzynski kept the play alive on third-and-15 by rolling to his left. Miller, having played with Czyzynski for two seasons, worked back to the ball and anticipated what happened next.
“I knew that if I just got to the sideline, he’d be able to find me,” Miller said. “He put it right there, where I was able to keep my feet inbounds, lean over and pull it in.”
On the next play, Czyzynski (20 rushes, 145 yards, one touchdown; 17-for-21, 187 yards, two touchdowns) sprinted 53 yards down the same sideline to set up Miller’s 4-yard touchdown.
That drive put the game out of reach, yet it was still in doubt late in the first half. The Trevians (9-1) drove down the field twice in the first half, but both drives ended with field goals by senior kicker Nick Endre, who was 3-for-3 on Friday, Oct. 30.
A 44-yard field goal by Lyons senior Carlos Schultz cut the Trevians’ lead to 6-3 with 1:59 remaining in the second quarter, but New Trier drove down the field again. A pair of swing passes was followed by a 34-yard strike from Czyzynski to senior Colin Casas down the middle of the field.
Casas (five receptions, 81 yards) caught a 4-yard pass to set up Czyzynski’s first touchdown throw to Miller. Before the play, Czyzynski assessed the defense.
“I saw a disadvantage with [linebacker Jack Walton],” Czyzynski said. “He had a club on [his right forearm].”
Lyons also didn’t have a safety over the top, which meant that if one of the quickest Trevians was able to beat a linebacker, he’d be in free behind the defense. Czyzynski and Miller both recognized that, they said, and it resulted in six points.
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“He put it right in there,” Miller said. “He threw it right in the window, and that was just a walk-in touchdown.”
New Trier coach Brian Doll added: “Clay actually made an amazing [read]. That play was not supposed to go to Christian on the touchdown. It was a totally different designed play. He just checked to it. It’s a big step for him to be able to identify that, realize that he’s uncovered up the seam and throw that ball.”
Scoring the first touchdown was very important on a night when the Trevians defense’s played its best game of the season, according to Doll.
“When you’re able to punch that first one in,” Miller said, “it’s a big lift for the whole team: ‘We’ve got this.’ “
Game notes
* New Trier’s entire defense played at a very high level, including Miller, junior cornerback Francis Fay, Casas, junior safety Eric Nicholas and junior defensive lineman Jake Lowell. Lowell finished with two sacks. The Trevians pressured Lyons sophomore quarterback Ben Bryant (4-for-12, 47 yards) throughout the game.
* Homewood-Flossmoor will be a much bigger challenge for the Trevians on Saturday, Nov. 7. The eighth-seeded Vikings (9-1), who have been considered a strong state championship contender all season, trounced O’Fallon 55-17 on Friday, Oct. 30.
The Vikings possess a ton of team speed, which New Trier will have to contain in order to advance to the state quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
The Trevians have a very fast defense, but “I don’t know if anybody matches up against H-F. Maybe Loyola,” Doll said. “We know we’ll have to do some things and put some wrinkles in to play against them. But we’re not going to stray away from what we do. We know we run the ball well and we play fast defense. It’s just an opportunity for us.
“You need to have these opportunities to get over the hump of being a program that’s going to compete at the highest level. I’m excited as can be that we get to play a team at this level. I know people will think that we have no chance, and that’s great. That’s fine with me.”
Eric Van Dril is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @VanDrilSports