Liam Carney is a perfect fit for Wauconda’s brand of rugged football.

So the 6-foot-5, 260-pound junior, who also has a lifetime’s worth of football knowledge and the drive to get better, anchors both lines for the Bulldogs.

“Everything starts with me and then stems out to the entire line, and I like that,” Carney said about playing center in particular. “With the physicality that we like to run with, that initial punch that we use to blow people out of the way helps define us. Being bigger obviously helps, but you have to do a lot more to be effective.”

It’s hard to disguise Carney’s size, however, and he put it to good use during Wauconda’s 21-20 win against Northern Lake County Conference rival Grant in a Class 6A first-round playoff game at home on Saturday.

Fifth-seeded Wauconda (8-2) had to wait until 12th-seeded Grant (6-4) misfired on a potential game-winning 2-point conversion pass attempt with 10 seconds remaining to celebrate the win.

But Carney and his line mates loomed large, leading the way on a game-tying, 15-play, 80-yard drive that started after Grant missed a 30-yard field-goal attempt. Not surprising, Wauconda moved down the field predominantly with its ground game. Running back Connor Vanselow finished the drive with a 3-yard TD.

Conlan Rath’s interception on a screen pass by Grant quarterback Matthew Gipson on the next series set up Wauconda quarterback Logan Olsen’s go-ahead 2-yard sneak with 9:41 remaining.

“With that (15-play) drive, we wanted to take the momentum back, so we punched them in the mouth right away, and we wanted to run the ball,” Carney said. “Our line dominated on that drive, and that’s what we want to embody as a team. We all looked at each other and felt that we weren’t going to lose this game.”

Carney’s presence helps give Wauconda, which will play fourth-seeded Belvidere North (8-2) in the second round, its identity.

“He’s our anchor up there and is a huge part of what we do,” Wauconda coach Chris Prostka said. “He’s put on more weight this year, but he also got more flexible. We play so many odd fronts with a nose over us, so he takes care of that. He’s getting better technique-wise, and he’s even getting more physical.”

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Vanselow, who rushed for 76 yards against Grant, can attest to Carney’s physicality.

“When we go into our punch-mouth offense, when you have a center like Liam to get it started, it sets up everything else,” Vanselow said. “That push off the line that he gives makes things so easy. Running behind Liam is probably my favorite thing to do. I stand right behind him and go.”

Carney comes from a football family. His father, Shawn, previously coached at Lake Forest, and his uncle Ryan is the Scouts’ defensive line coach.

“My dad knows football, and he’s taught me a ton of what I know, and from a very young age, he was teaching me the basics and fundamentals,” Carney said. “Every Saturday and every Sunday, we’re watching football and talking about football. It’s always been a huge part of my life since I can remember.”

It’s looking increasingly likely that football will remain a big part of his life for years to come. He has begun to receive attention from college programs. Carney visited Northwestern in the spring, and his first game-day campus visit took place a few weeks ago at Illinois, which he said was “pulling out all the stops.”

“I’ve been going to camps since I was a freshman, so playing at the next level has been a huge goal of mine for a while,” Carney said. “My main priority is taking care of business in the playoffs. But in the future, it’s definitely something I want to do.”

Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.