Ryden Carrasco scores 3 TDs as Rauner beats Schurz in winner-take-all battle for a state playoff berth

The Illinois High School Association’s new, expanded state playoff format removed much of the drama from the regular season. More than 300 teams knew they were bound for the postseason after picking up their third win.

That wasn’t the case for teams in the Public League White. Those teams spent most of the season believing the only way into the playoffs was to win their division and then defeat a Red conference team in a Week 9 game.

That road changed last weekend when Chicago Public Schools shuffled things around and decided to have three winner-take-all playoff qualifier games pitting six of the best White conference teams against each other.

So, Rauner, which finished second in the White West, had a shot at a second consecutive season in the state playoffs if it could beat Schurz at Lane Stadium on Thursday.

The Wildcats allowed Schurz junior Terrance Broughton to return the opening kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown. But Rauner took over after that in a 58-6 running-clock win.

“That [opening kickoff touchdown] was crazy,” Wildcats junior running back/linebacker Camar Russell said. “That gave us energy and pushed us. They hit us in the mouth, and it forced us to go harder and take what is ours.”

Rauner running back/linebacker Ryden Carrasco scored three touchdowns and carried the ball 10 times for 203 yards. His 86-yard TD run early in the third quarter put Rauner (7-2) up 48-6 and started the running clock. Carrasco has rushed for more than 1,300 yards this season.

“He is different,” Wildcats coach Daron Brown said. “The guy plays the entire game. He is relentless on offense. He’s relentless on defense. He is very hard to tackle, and he has good vision. I’m excited to see where he goes. He’s only a junior. These colleges need to come take a look at him.”

Junior Camar Russell added 47 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came after big second efforts.

Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

“Keep going,” Russell said. “Coach told me that I go down too easy. I had to show up and do what I was told.”

Schurz (7-2) finished with negative yardage. Rauner junior Julius Hall recorded multiple TFLs and sacks, and freshman Bryan Pinson Jr. intercepted a pass and scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery.

“The defense has played extremely well all year,” Brown said. “And the offense has picked it up. We have two great running backs, and all of these guys have kept working hard and kept building.”

Rauner was competitive in a first-round loss against Aurora Central in the Class 3A state playoffs last season. The Wildcats are expected to be in 4A this season.

“Two years in a row,” Carrasco said. “This is great. [Everyone] doubted us and thought we were going to take this loss. We got it done. We handled our business. The state is going to see us.”