Counting down the Top 10 teams from the south suburbs as the Illinois high school football season nears.
No. 10: Homewood-Flossmoor
Last season, Homewood-Flossmoor’s Cameron Brooks did not earn all-state, all-area or even all-conference recognition.
This summer, however, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound junior defensive end/tackle has been offered scholarships from Illinois, Kansas and Kent State. He’s on the radar of Indiana, Minnesota, Virginia Tech, Ohio and Toledo.
“It was definitely a shock the way it went from zero to 100 so fast,” Brooks said. “It’s something I had to get used to.”
H-F, which is No. 10 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings, has an outstanding junior class — and Brooks is in the middle of it.
No. 9: Lockport
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky is one of the reasons senior twins Christos and Nicolas Alexandros are playing side by side on the offensive line for Lockport.
Christos has been all-in for football since second grade, but Nicolas didn’t enjoy it as much, giving it up for two years. He regained his love for the game watching the maligned Trubisky.
“I fell in love with the Bears in seventh grade, and I was a big Mitch Trubisky fan,” Nicolas said. “I came back to football in eighth grade and fell in love with it.
“When I got to high school, the love just grew more and more.”
The Alexandros brothers have loved putting it all on the line for the Porters, who are No. 9 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings.
No. 8: Joliet Catholic
His given name sounds like an accountant or an actuary.
Senior running back Hiram Grigsby III, however, is truly a master of numbers, with a unique understanding of systems and the hallowed history of powerhouse Joliet Catholic.
“It is definitely an honor and a blessing being the No. 1 running back here,” said Grigsby, who goes by HJ as his first name. “I looked up to the guys who came before me.
“They put me under their wing and taught me everything I needed to know.”
As a junior last year, Grigsby rushed for 1,362 yards and scored 16 touchdowns for the Hilltoppers, who are No. 8 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings.
No. 7: Lemont
Jacob Katauskas is next in line for Lemont, and Graham Pocic knows what that means.
Pocic, a 2008 graduate who’s in his first year as the offensive line coach, played at Lemont before moving on to Illinois and eventually a short stint with several teams in the NFL.
And Pocic likes what he sees in Katauskas, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound senior left tackle.
A Katauskas-led line will be key for Lemont, which is No. 7 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings. And Willie Hayes, in his first year as head coach, wants to go to work.
No. 6: Brother Rice
On the first day of football practice, junior linebacker Christian Pierce directs traffic behind a beefy defensive line for Brother Rice.
The 6-foot, 215-pound Pierce is all business — pointing frantically like a police officer in the middle of traffic. It almost makes one wonder if he’s too serious this early in the game.
But semantics are important to Pierce, who gets it.
“If this is truly your end goal, it’s your passion and what you want to do,” he said without losing a breath, “everything is going to come to you if you work hard and be humble.”
The team’s defensive MVP as a sophomore last year, Pierce lives out that sentiment every day for the Crusaders, who are No. 7 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings.
No. 5: Providence Celtics
As dark, ominous storm clouds rolled into New Lenox, there was senior quarterback Collin Sheehan, casually zipping tight spirals across Providence’s field.
“I know they are giving everything they’ve got and they are protecting me,” he said of his offensive line. “They are just so consistent. We have a connection.”
The feeling is beneficially mutual, and that should help propel a potent offense for Providence, which is No. 5 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings.
No. 4: Marist
Marist’s Luke Becker has the brawn. And he has the brains.
When asked what it’s like to be an offensive lineman, the senior left guard offered up some wisdom and talked about the physical part of the game.
“It’s probably the only position where you hit somebody every single play,” he said. “It can be taxing physically. You have to use your strength to your advantage. You have to go out there and be a dog.”
Becker is a returning starter, and there are not a lot of those on this year’s team for the RedHawks, who are No. 4 in Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings.
No. 3: St. Rita
Junior linebacker James Kingsbury doesn’t lack confidence for St. Rita.
As the youngest of five siblings from an athletically gifted family, Kingsbury found his voice early — and his playing style — with an outgoing and naturally gregarious personality.
“I would consider myself the loudest in the family,” he said. “More of a talker, not a trash talker, but I always love talking to somebody. I am always trying to have fun.
“Now dealing with the people who knew my brothers, I have an expectation to be the kind of people they were.”
Kingsbury is also the right kind of people. He’s aggressive, skilled and the new leader on defense for the Mustangs, who are No. 3 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings.
No. 2: Lincoln-Way East
Lincoln-Way East’s Braden Tischer is a fan of the Netflix documentary series “Quarterback.”
Tischer, a senior quarterback, enjoyed the back stories of Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota and the glory, pain and prep work they had to go through in the NFL.
“That documentary says it all,” he said. “There is a lot of study and all of that tedious work. Like in the documentary, what I love most about it is seeing my teammates’ reaction when I’m behind the play.
“I like watching everyone downfield make plays — the celebration of the team. I love being in control and the camaraderie that comes with it.”
Tischer is back and ready to build on that camaraderie for the Griffins, who are No. 2 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings. And he wants to climb one more rung on the ladder.
No. 1: Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel’s Darrion Dupree sifted through roughly 30 offers — including Notre Dame and Illinois — before deciding in early July to give a verbal commitment to Wisconsin.
The senior running back figured with that decision, he could free his mind and concentrate on his senior season with the Caravan.
Then, in early August, he received a phone call and a fancy package with an offer in the mail from Alabama.
“That was a big surprise,” Dupree said. “It just happened. I went to a camp there two years ago. When I got the package, I read it and had to read it again to see if it was an offer. And it was.”
What to do?
Dupree didn’t want to comment on what he is thinking about his college choice, but said, “I still have time until signing day (in December). I’m still with Wisconsin.”
He’s also still running on plenty for the Caravan, who are No. 1 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings. Mount Carmel opens the season at 7 p.m. Friday in Normal.
