Auburn, Ill. — Third time was a charm for Casey in the Illinois Class 2A high school football playoffs Saturday at Auburn.
Playing a Final Four game for the third year in a row, the Warriors rallied from a 10-7 deficit to defeat Auburn 27-13 to earn a spot in the championship game for the first time since 1985.
The 13-0 Warriors will meet Immaculate Conception (9-4). No. 15 seed Immaculate Conception defeated Clifton Central 52-14 on Saturday.
Casey was seeded No. 2 in the lower bracket of 2A and Auburn No. 1 while the Warriors were ranked No. 1 in the final poll with the Trojans second.
Coach Keith Sinclair’s team dominated the second half, scoring the only two touchdowns and shutting down the host Trojans, to earn its spot in the title tilt.
Taylor Biggs and Kaleb Brandenburg each scored twice for the winners in the game played in frigid, windy conditions.
The Warriors scored on their first two possessions of the second half to break a 13-13 halftime deadlock.
Brandenburg scored the touchdown that gave the Warriors the lead for keeps on a 1-yard run, capping a 60-yard drive. Biggs’ 51-yard run gave Casey a first down on the Auburn 9-yard line.
Auburn was forced to punt on its first possession of the second half and a poor punt gave Casey good field positition at its down 39. Mitch Snyder and Josh Thais hooked up for a 17-yard pass play that gave the Warriors a first down at the Auburn 27.
Biggs had the football on four of the next five plays and scored the final touchdown of the day on a 9-yard run late in the third canto.
Auburn went three and out on its next series and Casey was hampered by a holding penalty on its next possession.
Auburn had a first down on the Casey 8-yard line but two sacks by the Casey defense kept the Trojans from scoring and the host team only had the football one more time in the game -- doing nothing with less than two minutes left.
Auburn was limited to one touchdown in the game that gave the Trojans their 10-7 lead and two field goals by Tyler Johnson. One gave Auburn a 3-0 lead and the second gained the 13-13 tie.
A bad snap on an attempted punt gave Casey good field position for its first touchdown, a 9-yard run by Biggs, and Nate Evans’ interception of a Michael Bates pass set up Brandenburg’s first TD on an 11-yard run in the second period that gave Casey its first lead at 13-10.
Patrick White, Nick Sandiford and Clinton Scott were some of the keys on defense in the second half for Casey while the offensive line paved the way for the rushing of Biggs and Brandenburg and passing of Snyder. Evans had the only interception for either team.
Casey 7 6 14 0 — 27
Auburn 3 10 0 0 — 13
A — Johnson 31 FG
C — Biggs 9 run (Scott kick)
A — Dambacher 4 run (Johnson kick)
C — Brandenburg 11 run (kick failed)
A — Johnson 33 FG
C — Brandenburg 1 run (Scott kick)
C — Biggs 9 run (Scott kick)
Next -- Casey (13-0) will play for the Illinois Class 2A championship Friday at 1 p.m. CST. Auburn finishes 12
High School
Casey football heading to 2A state championship
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