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26 | August 24, 2017 | The lake forest leader Football Preview Guide LakeForestLeader.com Spartans hold high expectations for upcoming season Todd Marver Freelance Reporter Glenbrook North won its first playoff game since 2007 last season with a 17-7 win over Simeon on Oct. 28 in Northbrook. But the Spartans graduated eight of their nine All-Conference players including Luke Amen, Alex Bubaris, Kevin Burnside, Tommy Gertner, Michael Karb, Gerry Luc, Matt Pawlowski and TJ Weinzimmer. Senior running back Jimmy Karfis is Glenbrook North’s lone returning All- Conference player. “They showed us a lot and how to lead a team and showed us what we need to do and that’s what we’re going to do this year,” Karfis said. “The way we did it last year was great and the way the captains showed us. We’ve got to be better at it this year.” Last year’s second-round playoff loss to Willowbrook left a sour taste in Karfis’ mouth. After the program’s first playoff win in nearly a decade, Karfis hopes to take it a step further this year by also winning a second-round playoff game. The Spartans have four returning offensive starters and one returning defensive starter. The returning offensive starters include Karfis, senior offensive linemen Skyler Metzger and Nico Cardenas, and senior Colin Paul, who started at the end of last year at wide receiver. “We have a lot of talent,” GBN coach Bob Pieper said. “We’re just inexperienced right now. I like our talent and I like our kids. I like the way they’re working. We’ve just got to get The Spartans run drills ahead of the upcoming season during practice Aug. 16. Erin Redmond/22nd Century Media Get Social Follow 22CM’s coverage of Glenbrook North’s season and share your experiences from the games by using #GBN22CM some more experience.” Wide receiver and defensive back Davu Keels is a senior who did not start last year and is expected to play a larger role on the team this year. As of the conclusion of practice on Aug. 14, the starting quarterback position was still up for grabs. The trio battling for the position includes senior Burke Morley, junior Tibor Klein and sophomore Ben Foster. “We have three that are still battling for it,” Pieper said. “By the end of this week, we’ll know who our starter is for Week 1. But right now it’s ongoing and they’re getting a lot of reps and we’ll find out who steps up.” Metzger, Karfis and Cardenas, the three seniors who started all of last year, are expected to be this year’s team’s leaders. “We’ve got to lead and show them how the game works,” Karfis said. “Because none of them are yet experienced in a varsity game. We’ve just got to focus on that and get more leaders on our team to be honest.” Pieper expects leadership from the returning seniors as well. “We expect them to be role models on and off the field,” Pieper said. “We expect them to play well. They know what it takes. They played 11 games last year, so they know what it takes to be successful. So hopefully they can take what they learned last year and transition it into this year.” Pieper’s sole focus right now is on GBN’s season opener against Wheeling Aug. 25 in Northbrook “It’s a cliché, but we’re looking week to week,” Pieper said. “All we’ve talked about is Wheeling. We’re not talking about conference. We’re not talking about Week 2. We’re not talking about the playoffs. We’re not talking about anything. Right now we’re concentrating on Wheeling. Our goal every year is to go 1-0 every week.” Titans ready for fresh start GBS hits reset button after disastrous season Michal Dwojak Assistant Editor Glenbrook South football lacked an identity last season, but head coach David Schoenwetter might’ve found one for this year. Most teams that finish with an 1-8 record usually look lost out on the field and the Titans were no exception. The team lost every game last season before the season finale where Niles North was the victim of a 63-17 loss. But Schoenwetter’s squad might have the answers after a full offseason of workouts and reflection. Each player has taken accountability of last season’s poor results, which the head coach hopes leads to better results. “A lot more players have bought in to working hard and working hard for each other,” Schoenwetter said. “Really good teams play for each and work for each other.” That wasn’t the case this time last season. Schoenwetter entered his first year as the team’s head coach after taking over in March of 2016 — he had served as the team’s offensive coordinator before — and despite the continuity in systems, there was division in the locker room. Not everyone committed to the system the new coaching staff wanted to implement and some didn’t trust in the new coaches after former coach Mike Noll led the program to 10 straight playoff appearances before his last season. Because of his late hiring, Schoenwetter didn’t have time to completely implement the strategy and offseason program that he wanted. Add all of this together and the result is an 1-8 team, more divided than united. “Last year we had a lot of selfish players, so this year we want to make it more of a team atmosphere,” senior offensive lineman Sam Dietrich said. “We believe if we play for each other, we’ll play with a lot more emotion than last year.” An easy way for change to occur is a fresh start, and that’s what this year’s team will have. The Titan’s offense features a new crew of leaders, including senior quarterback Jeff Chrones and senior running back Savontae Garner. Chrones takes over an offense that is run heavy, but the pro-style quarterback doesn’t think that will limit his or the team’s abilities. The quarterback plans on splitting taking the ball from the center and from the shotgun position half the time, letting him make the decision at times based on what he sees. He has also worked on his personal game over the summer, fixing his throwing motion so that his arm goes in a complete motion instead of just pitching the ball. But the biggest challenge could come at the leadership position. The quarterback is the face of not only the offense, but often the team, and that’s a challenge Chrones is ready to face. “I don’t feel that much pressure because I know that I’m a senior and know that I have to rise to the occasion,” Chrones said. “I know that I probably will. I need to make sure I’m competing at the highest level that I can, so my teammates can do the same.” Get Social Follow 22CM’s coverage of Glenbrook South’s season and share your experiences from the games by using #GBS22CM Garner will try and make sure to alleviate the pressure off his quarterback. The senior served as a running back last season and is ready for the challenge of being an every-down back. Garner has worked on his blocking over the summer and his passing abilities to make him a more versatile threat. No matter how well the offense does, it won’t matter if the defense performs like it did last year. The defense allowed an average of 28.8 points per game last season in nine games and lost by an average margin of 13.6 points in eight losses — the smallest deficit was three. Many of the players agreed they read the plays well last season, but when they didn’t it led to a huge loss “Some of them we let it get into our heads and we let I pile on,” senior Andy Sirakides said. “That really took us apart.” The Titans aren’t favorites to win the state title, but they can achieve the goals for the season: make the playoffs and win the conference. Maine South stands in the way as it always does, but a change in philosophy might make those goals a possibility as the team looks to rebound after a disappointing season. “I think the difference from last year and this year is trusting our coaches and being coachable,” Garner said. “I think that’s what is going to get back to where we need to be. It may seem difficult to trust our coaches; I think if we put more trust we’ll have a better outcome.”
LakeForestLeader.com Football Preview Guide the lake forest leader | August 24, 2017 | 27 Revamped roster leads Loyola into 2017 season Neil Milbert Freelance Reporter John Holecek’s football coaching career at Loyola Academy has been a study in excellence, but he’s going into his 12th season a worried man. “This is the most inexperience, the most injuries, the most question marks I’ve ever had,” Holecek reflected. “It has been a tough summer. We’re making so many mental mistakes [in practices] that are repeated and it’s killing us. “I’m worried about the first three games, looking at them as an indicator of what we’re going to do. With a tough schedule, who knows? At the end of the year we’ll be a lot better. We just need to get into the playoffs and see what happens.” The Ramblers are coming off two of the finest seasons in school history. After winning the Class 8A state championship in 2015 their winning streak ended at 30 games when they lost to Maine South in last fall’s title game. They also lost in the championship game in 2013 and 2011 and advanced to the semifinals three other times since Holecek has been their coach. In 2014 after being ousted in the playoffs, they embarked on the winning streak and defeated the Chicago Public League champion Curie to win the Prep Bowl. Loyola will open this season Saturday night by traveling to Gately Stadium to meet Public League kingpin Phillips. Next up will be a matchup with California invader Bishop Amat on Sept. 1 Ramblers players run through drills during their Aug. 11 practice. Erin Redmond/22nd Century Media Get Social Follow 22CM’s coverage of Loyola’s season and share your experiences from the games by using #Loyola22CM at New Trier’s Northfield campus stadium and then, on Sept. 9, the Ramblers will play their first game in the friendly confines of Hoerster Field against perennial Catholic League powerhouse Mount Carmel. Last year Loyola overcame the graduation loss of 17 starters and several standout substitutes. But Holecek had ample material to rebuild with: impact players like Parade magazine All-American tight end Jake Marwede, wide receiver David Terrell Jr., o-linemen Jack Badovinac and John Brekke, linebacker Graham Repp, and defensive back Ian Swenson. Now, the numerical losses are comparable but there are many more unproven commodities and injuries have compounded the uncertainty. Indicative of shortage of experienced standouts, Holecek is deviating from the twoplatoon system that has been his hallmark and is going to use some players on his VIP list on both offense and defense. Senior Alex King, hitherto a tight end and fullback, will do double-duty as a defensive tackle; senior Martin Geary will be a tackle on defense and a guard on offense and free safety Jake Gonzalez also will be in the backfield. Boyle was the secondstring quarterback as a sophomore and junior and Holecek was counting on him to immediately move into the starting lineup and play a key role. But Boyle broke his right thumb in a summer workout when it struck a teammate’s arm on his follow through on a pass and when fall practice began the thumb was in a cast. In Boyle’s absence, Andrew Forsyth, Jack Fallon and Matthew Schiltz were quarterbacking the first two weeks of practice. In addition to Boyle, four others were on the disabled list when fall practice began. Trevians set sights on winning state title Maine South win pushes program forward Fouad Egbaria Freelance Reporter New Trier senior quarterback Reed Bianucci rolls out and prepares to pass during an intrasquad scrimmage Friday, Aug. 18, in Northfield Fouad Egbaria/22nd Century Media To be the best, you have to beat the best – New Trier did just that last season. The Trevians vanquished conference nemesis Maine South last season for the first time since 2000, snapping the Hawks’ 77-game conference winning streak and capturing the Central Suburban League South division title in the process. The Trevians truly did beat the best, as the Hawks beat top-seeded Loyola Academy to win the Class 8A state championship. Nonetheless, 2016 marked a major milestone for New Trier football. So, what’s next for the Trevians, who have won at least one playoff game in each of coach Brian Doll’s first three seasons? “Winning conference was really a big goal in the past and now it’s turned into winning state,” Doll said. “That’s where, when I got here three years ago, I wanted to get the program to where we started talking more about that.” Three-year starter Clay Czyzynski, who Doll said is the program’s winningest quarterback, is off to West Point, leaving behind a 27-7 record — including four playoff victories. Enter Reed Bianucci, who led the first-team offense during New Trier’s intrasquad scrimmage Friday, Aug. 18, in Northfield. Although the Trevians lost offensive standouts to graduation they are not short on skill. Brian Kaiser returns after a junior campaign peppered with big plays. He was Czyzynski’s favorite downfield target, and should be Bianucci’s this season, too, given his jump ball ability. At running back, senior Peter Murray was the complementary thunder to graduated Francis Fay’s lightning. “My goal [is] to stay focused and run through the right holes, get yardage,“ Murray said. “I might not be the quickest back but I’m going to run over some guys and try to get five yards a pop.” Twins Nick (6-foot, 265) and Joey Artinian (6-foot, 250) will man the right guard and center spots, respectively. Colin Morris will likely get the starting nod at left guard for the season opener. The 6-foot- 3, 298-pound Konner Klassen, will start at right tackle, with Terry Zapf (6- foot-6, 260) at left tackle. While junior Duke Olges isn’t listed as an offensive lineman, he looks like one. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Olges will play tight end and linebacker this season – a scary proposition for opposing quarterbacks and running backs when he’s on defense, and defenders trying to bring him down after a catch. On defense, Joey Artinian leads the way for a group of nose tackles that does not have last year’s depth. He’ll be joined in Get Social Follow 22CM’s coverage of New Trier’s season and share your experiences from the games by using #NT22CM the three-man front by junior Thomas Kahler, who was hampered by injuries late last season. “[Kahler] is going to be a problem for teams,” Doll said. “Very quick, 240 pounds at 6-2, and just runs real well.” At linebacker, Olges will play the strong-side position. He’ll be joined by Chamberlain Coffee and Wilson MacRitchie. When Murray isn’t carrying the ball, he’ll split time at linebacker with Brian Sitzer. At the last line of defense, Matt Mosher and Brian Conaghan will take most of the snaps at the two safety spots, with Jacob Levy rotating in. Carson Kosanovich and Donovan Perkins are slotted in as cornerbacks. On special teams, Sam Rutherford returns as placekicker, in addition to long snapper Michael Vinson. Sitzer and Cam Rosin will return kickoffs, while Conaghan draws punt return duty. Carson Ochsenhirt will punt for the Trevians.
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