Crystal Lake Central’s Colton Madura steps nicely into starting QB role

CRYSTAL LAKE – Crystal Lake Central quarterback Colton Madura kept the ball and ran around the left side, weaving in and out, deftly dodging Prairie Ridge defenders.

Once, twice, three times he faked cutting inside, then darted back along the sideline without going out of bounds.

Eventually, Madura was brought down at the 3-yard line after gaining 34 yards.

“He has a personality and a fearlessness that the kids kind of rally behind,” Tigers coach Jon McLaughlin said. “Is he going to run out of bounds or is he going to fight for another yard? He’s going to square up his pads and fight for another yard. He’s that kind of kid. That kind of endears him to the linemen and the other kids on the team.”

Madura continued to lead and inspire the Tigers throughout Thursday’s game at Central’s Owen Metcalf Field. He rushed 25 times for 119 yards and completed 11 of 19 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns as Central defeated the Wolves, 14-13, in overtime of their Fox Valley Conference game.

It was the first time since a 7-3 victory in 2012 that Central had beaten its crosstown rival, a team perennially regarded as one of the best Class 6A programs in the state.

Madura had several plays in which he rolled out, tucked the ball and made a lot when it looked like only a little was available.

“I really don’t think when the play’s happening, it just happens,” said Madura, a junior. “I don’t really like going out of bounds. I tend to stay in. I’m definitely feeling that today.

“It wasn’t working when we stayed in the pocket and didn’t roll out. Their defensive line had some big boys on it. When we rolled out, it gave me more time to develop who was open, who was not, if I could run it. It worked out last night.”

Central (3-0) now has the upper hand in its FVC division. It can reach the FVC championship game against the other division winner with victories over McHenry next week and Cary-Grove in Week 5.

McLaughlin figured the Tigers defense, loaded with returning starters, would be their strongest side, which it has been. In three games, Central has allowed only 14 points in regulation.

But the offense, with only three seniors starting, is making strides.

“Colton’s just a guy we can all get behind,” offensive lineman Mitch Helm said. “We all feel comfortable with him taking the snaps. We’re confident in the offense when he’s behind us, and we play harder.

“We know he’s going to run harder for us and try his hardest for the team at all times. We like blocking for him and know if he’s going to do that [not go out of bounds], we’re going to try just as hard as he will.”

McLaughlin remembers when he and offensive coordinator Dirk Stanger first saw Madura, as an eighth grader, playing with the Crystal Lake Raiders. The teams mainly were players who would attend Crystal Lake Central competing against those who would go to Crystal Lake South.

“(Madura) was probably the best athlete on the field, but I wasn’t necessarily sure, nor was Dirk, that he was a quarterback,” McLaughlin said. “He’s put in the time to become a quarterback and become a leader.”

Madura’s predecessor, Aidan Ellinger, threw for 4,327 yards in the previous two seasons. McLaughlin hoped production at quarterback would not take a huge slide.

“We knew after Aidan (Ellinger) was gone (Madura) was going to be the guy,” McLaughlin said. “We were waiting to see if he was going to take the ball and run with it in terms of being a leader.

“During the offseason, he was always there, he communicated, he asked questions. We knew he was a competitor, but we didn’t know he would turn out to be the kind of leader he’s becoming.”

Madura (5-foot-11, 195 pounds) started at safety last season and played quarterback in the junior varsity games. He said Ellinger was a “great mentor” and has enjoyed working with Stanger.

“(Stanger) has helped me a tremendous amount,” Madura said. “With the Raiders, we didn’t really have much of a passing concept like we do with Central. Now it’s changed a lot.”

Prairie Ridge coach Chris Schremp seemed disappointed when he learned that Madura is a junior and the Wolves defense will have to deal with him again in the fall.

“Their quarterback’s tough,” Schremp said. “He’s a good player.”

Madura threw a 14-yard pass to wide receiver Jacob Carnrite for the Tigers’ first touchdown Thursday. In overtime, he hit Carnrite again, this time for seven yards for the tying score. Running back Jake Coss booted the extra point through and the Tigers celebrated one of their biggest wins in years.

“He’s just gotten smarter,” Helm said. “We’ve always known he was an athlete, but when he started to learn the Central playbook, that just turned the tide for us as an offense. We always knew what we had (offensively). We were just waiting to show what we had.”

Madura knew he was being counted on to take over at quarterback and took that job seriously in an offseason disjointed by COVID-19.

“I felt like I had a lot to prove. And I still do,” he said. “I’m willing to be a great leader for this team. I want to help us succeed.”