The Cougars succeeded all season despite size differentials that would have doomed other teams to failure. But they faced a monumental task Saturday night when top-seed Naperville Central visited Hoffman Estates for a Class 8A quarterfinal. Particularly since Redhawks tailback Jason Paquette is bigger than almost everyone on ninth-seeded Conant's defense. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Paquette ran for 181 yards and 3 touchdowns on 28 carries as Naperville Central (12-0) rumbled to a 26-7 victory before 4,000 at Charles O. Feutz Field.

"I don't think we've seen a better runner this year," said Conant senior linebacker David Francioni, who returned a fumble 55 yards for a touchdown with six minutes left.

The Conant (9-3) defensive line of seniors Jason Domnanovich, Sang Park and Joe Friedman and juniors Mike Abraham and Mike McGuire averages 188( pounds.

Naperville Central, which hosts Wheaton North in the semifinals next weekend, has an offensive line anchored by 6-3, 300-pound left tackle Jeff Houghtaling that averages 245 pounds a man.

"Our line played their hearts out," the 6-foot, 197-pound Domnanovich said. "They just outplayed us. We had to take Paquette out of the game to do anything with this team and we couldn't get that done."

Naperville Central took a 26-0 lead with 10:39 left on a 1-yard plunge by a freshman fullback who belied his name in 6-1, 210 Eric Small. Quarterback Phil Horvath was 6-for-12 for 120 of his team's 389 total yards. And the Redhawks' blitzing defense led by linebackers Mike Lucas, Nick Ehrlich, Ryan Senice and Brady Hester had 5 sacks as Conant gained 82 of its 171 yards in the final 1( minutes.

"We got handled," said Conant coach Dave Pendergast. "They've got great skills, good size and they're a good football team."

Naperville Central threw only 3 passes in 25 plays on drives of 75 and 84 yards in its first two possessions. Paquette's runs of 5 and 2 yards made it 13-0 with 10:20 left in the first half.

"It was definitely our plan to make it a physical game and run and pound it at them," Paquette said. A 9-yard Paquette run capped a 68-yard drive for a 20-0 lead with 6:19 left in the third.

But Francioni, who finished the season as one of the best in state history for tackles in a season, made sure Conant didn't go out empty-handed. "When you look at it you think it's not that big of a deal," Francioni said of his first touchdown of the season. "But I couldn't stand letting them shut us out. I wasn't going to let them stop me from scoring."

Doug DuBois rushed for 50 yards in 8 carries and junior quarterback Scott Blecha came in and was 5-for-10 for 78 yards. Senior Chris Cimorelli caught 5 passes for 65 yards and senior Joe Rizzo added to his school-record receiving yardage total with 26 on 2 catches.

"I don't think we've got anything to be ashamed of," Domnanovich said. "We just got beat by a better team."

Pendergast agreed after the Cougars' sixth quarterfinal trip and first since 1993. "I told them this was one of the most fun groups I've ever had to coach," he said. "I think they really played to their capabilities and I don't think they left anything on the field in any game this year.

"They've got a lot to be proud of. They really maximized their talents and had just a great season."