With the exception of one team north of the border, the Prairie League will be up for grabs this season.
Defending champion Williams Bay (Wis.) will be the team to beat, with a three-way race for the Illinois playoffs between Mooseheart, North Shore Country Day and Rockford Lutheran.
Williams Bay (8-0, 6-0) returns its top players, all-conference quarterback Jeremy Hawkinson, all-conference cornerback Kevin Wellhausen and all-conference linebacker Nathan Hardwick.
Mooseheart (4-5, 3-3) has a strong contingent returning, 17 lettermen in all. Top returnees are junior tailback Sonny Usher and receiver Jesse Sciabba, a senior who led the team in scoring last season, along with virtually the entire offensive and defensive lines.
Rockford Lutheran (4-2) will also be a team to watch, with nine starters back on offense and defense, including senior linemen Chad Michaelis, Troy Ross and Todd Gieseke.
SICA EAST
Consider John Wrenn`s run-and-shoot offense reloaded.
Homewood-Flossmoor All-State quarterback Jeff Lesniewicz, who passed for 4,927 yards in his high school career, has taken his talents to Purdue, but Wrenn said he believes he has the perfect replacement in Brian Rollo.
”He`s a kid who`s going to surprise a whole lot of people,” the H-F coach said of Rollo, a 6-foot-5-inch, 212-pound senior. ”He had a fantastic summer and made the commitment to be a better player.”
There`s plenty of talent around Rollo. Percy Willingham rushed for 1,057 yards and 12 touchdowns for the 11-2 Vikings last season, and three receivers are back, led by Jason Reid (48 receptions, 600 yards) and Felton Maxie (32 catches for more than 300 yards). The defense doesn`t figure to allow many points. Three-year starters Randy Scianna (6-2, 228), Jeff Blazevich (5-11, 195) and Erich Guenter (6-1, 255) lead the way.
Bloom has a huge offensive line returning. Chet Lacheta, a 6-3, 260-pound right guard, has caught the attention of major college recruiters. Lining up beside Lacheta at tackle is 6-2, 245-pound junior Greg Horak. Paul Fowlie
(5-10, 217) will play left guard and Art Sanfratello (6-3, 255) is at left tackle. Fullback Mike Ladere fits right in with his offensive line. The 6-0, 215-pounder loves to run over people. He had more than 500 yards last season. SICA SOUTH
Rich South has the size. Rich East has the quarterback. Bradley-Bourbonnais has the underclassmen. Crete-Monee has one of the most talented players in the state in wide receiver Ray Griggs. Kankakee has excellent individuals. Rich Central is on the rebound.
Think the SICA South race will be wide open this year? You better believe it.
Five starters on offense and six on defense return for Rich South. Guard Ron Smith (5-11, 200) is the smallest lineman. He`s joined by center Byron Slaughter (6-2, 205), tackle Rich Allison (6-3, 286), guard Vince Brown (6-3, 225) and tight end Eric Dominow (6-3, 223).
Rich East will be led by quarterback Jamie Pass, who threw for 1,830 yards and 20 touchdowns in nine regular-season games as a junior. With talented receivers like Carlos James to throw to, he could put up similar numbers this season-if he gets protection from an inexperienced line.
SICA NORTH
Is there anything David DeMumbrum can`t do? The Reavis senior rushed for 1,000 yards last season. He punted and kicked extra points. He was named the most valuable back at the recent University of Illinois football camp.
”He`s one of the best athletes across the board we`ve ever had here,”
Reavis coach Lou Prato said.
But are DeMumbrum`s talents enough to prevent Richards from walking away with the division title? Maybe not.
Richards, a semifinalist in the Class 4A state playoffs last season, is every coach`s preseason pick to win the division. Richards has seven starters returning. This year`s seniors lost only two games as sophomores, none in the division. And this year`s juniors went 9-0 last season.
Heading the list of returnees is quarterback/cornerback Effrem Haymore, the team`s best athlete. If junior QB John Rutkowski quickly adapts to varsity ball, Haymore may move to wideout. Also back on offense are tackle Jerry Cook (6-3, 235) and center Darrin Grove (6-0, 230). Heading the defense are linebacker Scott O`Connor and defensive backs Rich Albon and junior John Newton.
If the Bulldogs fizzle, Reavis, Sandburg and Stagg are poised move up.
DeMumbrum is by no means a one-man show at Reavis. His cousin Eddie, a junior, finished second in the superstars competition at Illinois` football camp, and he could win the starting QB job. If he doesn`t, senior Joe Zeko will get the nod. Zeko is an excellent athlete and will start somewhere.
SICA CENTRAL
Led by returning quarterback Ryan Beaco, Hillcrest should make a return trip to the state playoffs. Wide receiver Craig Welch caught 20 passes for more than 400 yards last season, and multi-talented Jason Robertson could join him at wideout if he doesn`t start at quarterback. And, as if the Hawks needed more help, running back Sean Roche transferred in from Rich Central, where he gained more than 700 yards last season.
”Unless they are riddled by injuries, I can`t see anybody beating them in the conference,” said Oak Forest coach Gene Johnston, Hillcrest`s defensive coordinator last year.
Hillcrest coach Carl Zambo`s main concern is his line. He`ll build around returnees Glen Magurany (6-0, 200), who`s moving from center to guard, and tackle Anthony Simmons (6-0, 265).
If Thornton Fractional South plays defense like last year, it will join Hillcrest in the playoffs again. The Rebels strung together 23 scoreless quarters, but only two starters are back, tackle Steve Kowalczyk (6-2, 225)
and back Eric Schoettle. Bob Svencner (805 yards rushing) and Conrad Kats give T.F. South an explosive backfield.
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC
The consensus among conference coaches is that there is no consensus favorite to win the championship this year.
Jim Boyter, starting his third year as head coach at Joliet Catholic, figures the Hilltoppers-12-2 overall, ESCC co-champions with St. Patrick and the Class 5A state titlists-can repeat last year`s performance.
But don`t ask him to be specific when predicting a league champ this season.
”I don`t think you can pick a winner in our league this year,” said Boyter. ”I think at least five teams will be in the running.”
His five: Joliet Catholic, St. Patrick, St. Viator, Marist and Carmel.
Perhaps John Gruber will be under the most pressure as successor to John Urban, who directed the Shamrocks to a 9-2 overall mark and a piece of the title last year.
The Shamrocks return 12 starters, including all-conference wide receiver Fernando Cervantes (6-3, 165), who had 26 receptions for 255 yards and five touchdowns last fall and all-conference offensive tackle Vito Cinquepalmi
(6-3, 245). Gruber also has quarterback Terry Cameron (6-0, 165), who threw for 951 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior and has improved considerably.
Joliet Catholic did suffer heavy losses through graduation, but the Hilltoppers are capable. Three-sport star Chris Michalak (6-3, 180) will take over at quarterback and all-conference center Bob Cox (6-3, 240) and tackles Tim O`Brien (6-4, 280) and Jason Jakovich (6-3, 240) head the offensive line. St. Viator will build on the ability of three of the best college prospects in the state, including all-conference running back Brian Dunlavy
(6-0, 190), who gained over 1,000 yards last year and had 800 as a sophomore. On defense, the Lions will be led by ends Eric Dahlberg (6-6, 265) and Ninef Aghakhan (6-4, 245).
NORTHWEST SUBURBAN
Don Penza says he feels good coming into this season. He has every reason to.
”I`m very optimistic,” said the coach of defending Class 2A state champion Marian Central Catholic. ”It`s the biggest team I`ve had, and we have experience in key positions.”
Leading the returnees are Penza`s son, Greg, a senior receiver who also led the team with five interceptions; defensive tackle Wally Stanwood (6 feet 5 inches, 200 pounds) and running backs Jim Reed and John Hartlieb.
Hartlieb`s brother, Jim, last year`s quarterback, has moved on to college, so that position will be handled by junior Jim Parsley (5-10, 160), who isn`t yet the athlete that Jim and Chuck Hartlieb were when they led the Hurricanes to three Class 2A championships.
Before Marian can move on to the playoffs, however, the Hurricanes will have to deal with the rest of the conference, which figures to feature a battle for playoff spots among Grant, Lake Zurich and Marengo.
FOX VALLEY
Woodstock already has opposing coaches believing it`s the top team in the conference.
Now the Blue Streaks just have to prove it on the field.
With 19 players returning, including five offensive and four defensive starters, proving it shouldn`t be difficult.
Joel Bosman, a 6-foot-2-inch, 180-pound junior, is the key on offense. As a sophomore, he threw for nearly 1,400 yards in leading Woodstock to a 5-4 overall mark, 3-3 in conference. ”Joel has the potential to be one of the best quarterbacks around,” said Woodstock coach Bob Bradshaw. Also returning is junior Jeremy Magee, who will switch from fullback to tailback after leading the team in rushing a year ago.
INDEPENDENTS
With all of last year`s defensive line graduated except tackle Steve Heeter, Wheaton Christian coach Gregg Thompson is cautious about hoping for too much. ”We`ll have our hands full developing a decent line,” said Thompson, ”but we do have an excellent backfield as long as we stay healthy.” That backfield includes senior halfback Nat Truitt (6-0, 175) and sophomore Carl Meyer (5-11, 170), a fullback.
The Warriors, who ended last season 3-6, may benefit from a lighter schedule in 1988. Thompson believes his toughest opponent will be his first, Rockford Lutheran, Sept. 3. ”Once we get through that first game,” said Thompson, ”I`ll be a little better prepared to comment on this season.”
