Undefeated Oswego leans on its stellar linebacker trio to take down Minooka

Oswego’s first-team defense has only allowed three touchdowns all season. It didn’t allow any in a 42-10 win against visiting Minooka on Friday.

The No. 11 Panthers (8-0, 4-0 Southwest Prairie West) are one of this season’s major stories, with an undefeated record and a shutout win against Joliet Catholic.

The heart of the team is at linebacker. Iowa recruit Carson Cooney and fellow seniors Michael Claycombe and Easton Ruby set the tone.

“They don’t wait, they just want to go,” Oswego coach Brian Cooney said. “They are like caged animals. For the most part they are great with their eyes. They understand what teams are trying to do. A lot of the mistakes the linebackers make are aggressive mistakes. And I’d rather have an aggressive one than a lazy one.”

Easton had two interceptions against Minooka (6-2, 2-2). Cooney had a sack and scored two TDs on offense. He’s part of a goal-line package for the Panthers.

“It’s great to have the ball in my hand,” Cooney said. “I’ve found I’m pretty good at punching the ball in. That is my fourth TD run this year.”

Brian Cooney first saw something special in this group of Oswego kids seven years ago.

“You get a little more insight when you are the dad/coach combination,” Cooney said. “We moved into town when Carson was in sixth grade and I was the dad in the stands with my hat on keeping my mouth shut and watching these kids play. I didn’t need to say much, they were fun to watch even then.”

Cooney scored the first two TDs of the game on short runs. Then Brett Connolly connected with Jeremiah Cain, a Northern Iowa recruit, on a 16-yard pass to make it 21-0.

Cain sparkled on a 60-yard TD in the third quarter. It didn’t look like Cain had a chance to catch the pass, but he adjusted while speeding up, grabbed the ball, and took it 40 yards into the end zone.

“I didn’t think I was going to get to the ball either,” Cain said. “I cut underneath and then I had to adjust. After that I wasn’t going down. I had to make that happen.”

Cain had four catches for 99 yards and is also a starter in the defensive secondary.

Connolly had a rushing TD late in the second half and was 8 for 10 for 153 yards. Ayden Villa had 11 carries for 33 yards and Lucas Anderson had five carries for 32 yards.

“I’ve never played on a team like this,” Carson Cooney said. “It’s special coming to practice every day, happy and excited. It hasn’t been like that in the past. It’s a great environment.”

Minooka had no luck running the ball against Oswego’s first-team defense, which put a lot of pressure on sophomore quarterback Zane Caves, who was 9 for 20 for 73 yards with three interceptions.

“They have a great defensive line, they penetrate and the linebackers are stout,” Minooka coach Matthew Harding said. “That linebacking corps can play for anybody in the state.”

Undefeated Lincoln-Way East, with stars Jonas Williams and Caden O’Rourke, looms over Class 8A. But things are as wide open as ever after that. Oswego’s defense is good enough to get it in the conversation about contenders.

“Our goal is state like always,” Cooney said. “And I believe we are gonna get there.”