First-year head coach Mike Hill’s phone has been ringing constantly since the Trojans’ name was called last Saturday night during the IHSA Football Playoff Pairings Show.
The former East St. Louis Lincoln star and longtime assistant to Darren Sunkett at East St. Louis has his team making their first playoff appearance since 1987, which was the last time Madison fielded a high school football team.
Even more impressive is the fact that Hill and his staff guided the Trojans to the Class 1A playoffs in the school’s first year competing as an Independent.
“This has been a great experience seeing these kids jell together as a unit and make the playoffs,” said Hill with a huge smile on his face. “We don’t have the numbers like at the previous schools I’ve coached.
“We have to rely on our kids to go both ways and they have simply exceeded the challenge.”
The Trojans (6-3) will travel to play Carrollton (8-1) on Saturday afternoon in the opening round of the Illinois High School Association Class 1A state playoffs. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
The talented quarterback Rhyheem Samuels leads Madison. The senior quarterback passed for an impressive 1,229 yards and twelve touchdowns. Samuels has a pair of big play receivers who go both ways in Malcolm Conway (34 receptions for 393 yards and five touchdowns) and Carl Moore (41 receptions for 314 yards). Both receivers average an impressive 28 yards per catch while excelling on defense as well as defensive backs.
The Trojans are quick and can hit. Leading the defensive unit are linebackers Kyle Conway (59 tackles) and Deangelo Briggs (36 tackles) Defensive ends Fa’Shaun Merritt and Alphonso Rice anchor the defensive front for Conway and Briggs to make plays.
In addition, another impressive story in the 2017 season for Madison is the play of lineman Tiana “Big T” Robinson who plays both offensive guard and defensive tackle for the Trojans.
“Tiana is a young lady, however she’s tougher than some of the boys we have in the program,” Hill said.
Coach Hill has assembled quite a staff at Madison. Some of his assistant coaches include his brother Terry Hill, who played at the University of Missouri and is the only East St. Louis Flyer to have had his number retired at the school. He was a high school and collegiate teammate of NFL Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow.
In addition, Mike Hill has former Lincoln and New Orleans Saints defensive back Johnnie Poe, and former University of Iowa defensive back Kenneth Sims. Also on the staff is former East St. Louis Flyers offensive lineman Jeff Howard, who played at the University of Miami.
“We have a great staff who has put in a awful lot of work to get the kids to buy into what we are teaching,” Hill said. “And regardless of the outcome on Saturday, it will be a very successful year for the Madison Trojans.”
Scott’s Notes
Darren Sunkett and his boys will open up at home against Libertyville, Illinois in the opening round of the IHSA Class 7A state series. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Clyde C. Jordan Memorial Stadium, a.k.a. the “House of Pain” in East St. Louis.
The defending Class 7A state champion Flyers (8-1) have been very impressive with a target on the backs each and every week as they try to defend their title.
A win by East St Louis could possibly set up a rematch against Southwestern Conference rival Belleville West next weekend, who the Flyers defeated 32-26 on September 30. The Maroons travel to Chicago to take on Buffalo Grove on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Prediction:
Darren Sunkett and his boys soar against Libertyville on Saturday and look forward to the trash talking Maroons fans next week. IF THEY WIN ON SATURDAY…
Flyers 42- Libertyville 13
