Zajicek takes advantage of time

ST. CHARLES – The St. Charles East football team staged a summer casting call for running backs in the hopes of replacing longtime leading man Wes Allen.

Candidates big and small assembled for what turned out to be an anticlimactic audition. Saints coach Mike Fields decided to stick with nearly everyone and proceed with an ensemble.

At the time, Zach Zajicek’s role amounted to little more than a cameo, but injuries temporarily put Corey Campbell and Matt Payne on ice. Thrust into the position at which he first learned the game, Zajicek, an East junior, would rather not go back.

“I always believed in myself and the coaches believed in me,” he said. “When I got my chance, I kind of showed them what I can do and it just started working out.”

Zajicek, who began the season third on the depth chart behind recently recovered seniors Campbell (shoulder) and Payne (ankle), is averaging 18 carries and 141 yards in two starts.

His 156 yards and a touchdown in Week 4 helped the Saints knock off previously unbeaten South Elgin, 21-14. A week later at East Aurora, his 126 yards and a score kept a 41-0 shutout – and the running clock – rolling.

Zajicek stands 5-foot-9, weighs 170 pounds and sports an offensive lineman’s number (62) on his practice jersey. He doesn’t want to admit to being in the right place at the right time, but he knows his success owes a lot to that notion.

“When Payne and Campbell went down, Zach stepped up and made some big plays down the stretch and kind of earned that spot,” said senior Jon Voytilla, a defensive lineman who sees time at fullback in goal-line situations.

Said Fields: “Between Corey, Matt and Zach, I think we can get a nice rotation and have a little three-headed monster back there, if you will. Hopefully, we’ll continue to have success with it.”

“Backfield by committee” remains the philosophy for the playoff-minded Saints, who have won three successive Upstate Eight Conference games on the heels of non-conference losses to powers Geneva and Naperville North. East visits Waubonsie Valley (3-2, 2-1 UEC) tonight.

A first-year head coach after 10 seasons as a Geneva assistant, Fields favored that option from the start, especially given the lack of returning experience behind Allen. Durable and adept and taking on tacklers, Allen plowed full steam ahead en route to a scholarship at Truman State (Mo.) and a spot on the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 7A All-State Team.

By the time Fields opened up the running back competition in summer camp, his top options included Payne, primarily a safety who now plays both ways, and Campbell, who transferred from East to Huntley and back again as a junior but had not played since the 2007 season on the Saints sophomore team.

Zajicek was a fullback as a freshman that same year but switched to a cornerback/wide receiver in 2008. The instincts of running behind a mammoth senior offensive line – Andrew Bradburn, Rafael Flores, Mark Lindholm, Eric Olstad and Charles Ratajczak average about 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds – returned shortly after he got into the lineup.

“I had always loved playing running back, so it was a pretty easy transition,” Zajicek said. “With this offensive line, they’re great. They make the holes, I run. It’s pretty simple.”

Getting another crack at the offensive backfield proved just as effortless an endeavor for Zajicek.
Until he hears a whistle – or someone yell, "Cut!" – he'll be running.

St. Charles East (3-2, 3-0 Upstate Eight) at Waubonsie Valley (3-2, 2-1 UEC), 7:30 p.m. today

St. Charles East Saints
On offense
Quarterback Nolan Possley passed for 163 yards and three touchdowns against East Aurora last week to complement East's emerging running game. Seniors Corey Campbell (5-foot-10, 150 pounds) and Matt Payne (6-0, 195) team with junior Zach Zajicek (5-9, 170) for a blend of quick backs who have found success behind an all-senior offensive line. "We're trying to find a niche," Saints coach Mike Fields said. "We're trying to do it by committee and it's been working so far. ... We're not as good as we're going to be, but we're getting there." Guard Rafael Flores (6-1, 300) is back after missing last week with an ankle injury.

On defense
Senior tackle Jon Voytilla repeated "12.4" several times during practice this week, aiming to make sure his teammates knew their defensive points per game average. "After the Naperville North loss (in Week 2), after we gave up 28 points, that really motivated us to step up, and we've done pretty well since then," Voytilla said. East has surrendered 21 points in the past three games and limited East Aurora to 73 yards in last week's 41-0 shutout. Junior Andy Carrano has jumped into the rotation on the line while Payne returns from an ankle injury to join fellow senior Bryce Barry at safety.

What the Saints need to do to win
Open up the offense. Although keeping Waubonsie Valley quarterback Kenny Clay in check is a possibility, chances are he will have his hands – or feet – in on a few big plays. The Saints must move the ball consistently and not be predictable.

Waubonsie Valley Warriors
On offense
Dual-threat quarterback Kenny Clay (5-10, 185) looms as a danger every Friday night and torched previously-unbeaten St. Charles North for 310 total yards and two touchdowns in a 35-28 win in Week 4. "We've heard pretty good things about him, but I really don't think we have to change our game plan that much," Voytilla said. "We've just got to contain him well and get after him." Running back Tre Clark (6-0, 195) awaits if East gets too fancy spying Clay and hopes to rebound from last week's struggles against Neuqua Valley, when he carried 17 times for 13 yards in a 28-7 loss at Neuqua Valley.

On defense
Senior ends Cory Connolly (6-3, 260) and Rickey Simpson (6-3, 230) anchor a versatile line that will have its hands full against the Saints' bulky offensive front. "We've got to use our size and speed to try to break down the wall they'll be throwing at us," Warriors coach Paul Murphy said. "It's reading your keys, getting off blocks and pursuing the football." Senior David Greenspan (6-0, 195) leads the linebackers while classmate Kevin Dugal (6-0, 170) has shined in spots at free safety. "We're a solid, fundamental, 4-3 defense here," Murphy said.

What the Warriors need to do to win
Penetrate East's offensive line. If Connolly and Simpson can slip into the backfield, East's three-game winning streak could be in peril. The Warriors also need to limit turnovers, a major problem at times this season.

Kevin Druley's prediction: Waubonsie Valley 24, St. Charles East 13