Farmers reach semis, make history

By NICK VLAHOS
For The Weekly Post

DWIGHT – The Farmington football team made some history last week. So did the Farmers’ next opponent in the Class 2A state playoffs.

Which team creates additional accomplishments will be determined beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 23). That’s when Palos Heights Chicago Christian is to visit Farmington for a semifinal game.

Chicago Christian (11-1) is seeded sixth in the 2A northern bracket, and Farmington (12-0) is seeded first. The winner advances to the state championship, set for 1 p.m. Nov. 29 at Hancock Stadium in Normal, against Maroa-Forsyth or Johnston City. Those teams meet Saturday in the other 2A semifinal.

Neither Farmington nor Chicago Christian has advanced this far before in the postseason. The Farmers did it Nov. 16 by beating 12th-seeded Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington 42-7. A few hours later in Chicago’s southwest suburbs, the Knights eliminated No. 2-seed Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin 34-13.
“Farmington history,” quarterback Lane Wheelwright said. “It makes me feel accomplished, but we’re not done yet. We want that state-title banner up there.”

If Farmington plays this week like it did in the quarterfinals against underclass-heavy D/G-SW, Wheelwright may get his wish.

Farmington scored on its first three possessions against a program that until this season hadn’t won a playoff game in 41 years. Logan Utt’s 18-yard touchdown run with 11:02 remaining in the first half led to a 22-0 Trojans deficit.

D/G-SW (8-4) moved to the Farmers’ 15-yard line on its 15-play ensuing possession. But in the end zone, Jerett Fauser intercepted a pass – the first of the drive – from sophomore quarterback Collin Bachand. That ended the only serious threat by D/G-SW, which scored with 1:36 left in the game.

On its four possessions between the interception and the touchdown, D/G-SW advanced no farther than midfield. Meanwhile, Farmington scored three more times. That included a TD to make it 30-0 four plays after Tristan Passmore stripped the ball from D/G-SW junior Evan Cox early in the third quarter.

“They’re young, and they’re going to be a heck of a team in a year or two,” Farmington Coach Toby Vallas said of the Trojans. “They did a great job. I think that they’re sophomores and our kids are seniors, and we’ve been here and done that. I really think that was the difference.”

Farmington held D/G-SW to 181 yards rushing and 38 yards passing. But D/G-SW Coach Luke Standiford suggested the Farmington offense gave his team plenty of trouble. First-team all-stater Wheelwright finished with 200 passing yards, and Utt ran for 132.

“The gameplan coming in was to stop their run first and make them throw the ball,” Standiford said.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to stop the run the way we wanted to. They’re just so good at every position, whether it’s their offensive line or their skill players.

“It’s a hard offense to stop, and probably the best defense that we faced all year. In a game like this, if you’re going to beat the No. 1 team in the state, you have to play your best game that you have all year. Unfortunately, today wasn’t that day.”

Wheelwright joined the praise of the offensive line: right tackle Slader Warren, right guard Carter Gavelys, center Bryce Hunter, left guard Caden Mowen, left tackle Noah Passmore and tight end Carter Lambin. This was Passmore’s third start after usual starter Jacob Cecil sustained a broken collarbone.

“We were told Dwight is a very physical team, and they weren’t lying,” said Mowen, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound senior. “They’re some strong guys, but we’re just a little bit stronger.”

The Farmers will need strength and other attributes to stop Chicago Christian senior Christian Flutman. Against B-H-R-A, he threw three touchdown passes and ran 69 yards for another score. As a defensive back, Flutman had a school-record seven interceptions in the regular season.

“He’s elusive. He’s an athlete. He’s a gamer,” Chicago Christian Coach CJ Cesario told the Daily Southtown of Tinley Park. “He’s stepped into so much confidence, and when he’s confident, man, he makes really good decisions.”

Before the quarterfinal, Flutman was 95-for-141 for 1,530 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. His favorite targets are Eddie Van Dellen (17 catches, 406 yards, seven TDs) and Jared Hall (20 catches, 381 yards, one TD). Teammate Kenny Jager, an honorable-mention all-stater, had 21 rushing TDs and 1,444 yards on 165 carries.

Farmington junior receiver Jack Gronewold was dressed but didn’t play against D/G-SW as he continues to convalesce from an ankle injury. Vallas said the status of his honorable-mention all-stater for Saturday is uncertain. But Vallas, in his 11th season at Farmington, was much surer about his emotions following an unprecedented Farmington achievement.

“It feels good,” Vallas said amid happy Farmers on the Dwight field. “I always thought (about) how it would feel. But you just look at these kids’ faces, and it’s all worth it. You look at these kids hugging their dads and their moms, and it’s worth it.”

Farmington teams had reached the quarterfinals in 1987 under Dan Dillard, in 2013 under Casey Martin and in 2016 and 2021 under Vallas. The latter two ended otherwise unbeaten seasons for the Farmers: in 2016 at Monticello in a 48-17 loss and in 2021 to Downs Tri-Valley, 34-12.