GRIDIRON Special and Honorable Mention

SPECIAL MENTION OFFENSE

Jeff Kohl, Plainfield South, QB: A 6-3, 180-pound junior ... Two-year starter ... Completed 91-of-159 passes, 57.2 percent, for 1,117 yards and 9 touchdowns ... "Jeff had some good receivers to throw to and had a good year," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said. "We want him to be more mobile and bigger next year."

Josh Hall, Dwight, QB: A 5-11, 170-pound senior ... All-Interstate Eight Small ... Completed 84-of-184 passes for 1,017 yards and 11 touchdowns ... Punted 4 times, all quick kicks for a 38.8 average and put 3 of the 4 inside the 20-yard line ... In 3 games on defense, made 19 tackles with 6 pass breakups ... "Josh only played three games on defense or his numbers would have been much higher," Trojans coach Erik Black said. "We lost both our backup quarterbacks in Week 2 so we could not play him on defense."

Alex Helriegel, Plainfield North, WR: All-conference by the Southwest Prairie ... Caught 17 passes for 299 yards, a 17.6 average, and 4 touchdowns ... Captain and two-year starter ... "Alex has great hands," Tigers coach Tim Kane said. "He made some outstanding catches. He was our leading receiver. He was a good route runner and wasn't afraid to go over the middle. He's a physcal-type receiver in terms of taking a hit and still catching the ball."

Steve Shredl, Lemont, WR: A 5-9, 160-pound senior ... Caught 17 passes for 300 yards, a 17.6 average, and 1 touchdown ... Returned 11 kickoffs for an 18.6 average and 7 punts for a 12.7 average ... "It was nice to have both Steve and (sophomore wide receiver Lee) Taylor out there," Indians coach Eric Michaelsen said.

Ryan Vint, Seneca, TE: A 6-1, 200-pound senior ... All-Interstate Eight Small selection ... Excellent blocker ... "We didn't throw to Ryan, but the coaches in the conference recognized him for his blocking," Irish coach Ryan Reade said.

Matt Lancor, Plainfield Central, RB: A 5-10, 160-pound senior ... All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection ... Rushed for 498 yards, second on the team, and a 6.5 average with 5 touchdowns ... Caught 3 passes for 59 yards ... Good blocker ... "Matt is as good a blocker as he is a runner," Wildcats coach John Jackson said.

Garrett Sandefur, Reed-Custer, RB: A 6-1, 190-pound junior ... All-Interstate Eight Large selection ... Rushed for 591 yards in 111 carries, a 5.3 average, and 6 touchdowns ... Injured in Week 8 and missed remainder of season ... "Garrett will be a real good one next year," Comets coach Dean Cappel said.

Justin Wittl, Lincoln-Way East, RB: A 5-8, 160-pound senior ... Rushed for 462 yards and averaged 5.8 per carry ... Scored 2 rushing touchdowns ... "Justin was a dynamic, elusive back who made the most of his opportunities," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said. "He was difficult to tackle in the open field. He played big in a lot of games."

Tyler Burns, Lemont, RB: A 6-1, 225-pound senior ... Rushed for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns while averaging 5.4 per carry from his fullback position ... Caught 13 passes for 233 yards, a 17.9 average, and 3 touchdowns ... "Tyler was usually a blocker, but as the season progressed, he did a nice job catching the ball and getting the tough yards when needed," Indians coach Eric Michaelsen said.

Eric Leadley, Lemont, OL: A 6-1, 230-pound senior ... Did not receive a lot of attention but did the job at left tackle, helping the Indians reach the state title game ... "Eric played very well at his spot," Indians coach Eric Michaelsen said.

A.J. Ulrich, Morris, OL: A 6-3, 290-pound junior ... Right tackle ... Best lineman in a young group, blocking for Tondini brothers ... "Alex moved fairly well for a big kid," Redskins coach George Dergo said. "He held his own in our conference, and we have him coming back next year."

Sam Hoster, Seneca, OL: A 6-4, 220-pound senior ... All-Interstate Eight Small selection ... All-conference for second straight year ... Looking at NAIA and DIII colleges ... Played in the offensive line and at defensive end ... Made 72 tackles, 12 for loss ... "Sam was a very good player on both sides of the ball," Irish coach Ryan Reade said. "He will be a player for someone (in college) on offense or defense."

Jake Sheffer, Providence, OL: A 6-0, 225 junior ... Consistent with snaps in shotgun formation ... Likely to return to center next season ... "Jake had to play against some pretty dominant defensive linemen and held his own," Celtics coach Mark Coglianese said. "Even with all the shotgun snaps he was extremely consistent with that."

Andrew Oliver, Plainfield South, OL: A 5-10, 190-pound senior ... Had the highest blocking percentage on the team ... "Andrew is not real big, but he did a nice job trapping. He stayed on his blocks," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said.

Bo Starkey, Lockport, OL: A 6-2, 260-pound senior ... Teamed with Mike Tetlow to give Lockport a strong pair of offensive tackles ... "Bo wasn't Tetlow, but he did a pretty good job," coach Bret Kooi said.

Tyler Smith, Lincoln-Way East, OL: A 6-4, 270-pound junior ... An offensive tackle for the Griffins, and a player with a huge upside ... Drawing interest from St. Xavier and Eastern Illinois ... "Tyler took awhile to grow into being an athlete," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said. "He is a self-made player. He's a great weight room and effort kid."

Ray Croom, Plainfield South, OL: A 6-5, 330-pound senior ... If you're looking for size, Big Ray is your man ... Played defensive tackle in addition to offensive tackle ... Looking to play at a Division II school or perhaps Joliet Junior College ... "Big Ray obviously has the size," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said. "The quickness will come with additional work in the weight room."

Brett Thomaston, Lincoln-Way East, K: A 6-2, 195-pound senior ... One of the area's outstanding kickers ... A field goal threat from long distance ... Two-year starter ... Will play in college ... "Brett possesses a great strong leg, on of the strongest legs in the area," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said. "He won some games for us during his career."

Robert Polacek, Peotone, K: A 5-7, 150-pound senior ... Made 19-of-20 extra points and 2-of-2 field goals ... Two-year starter ... "A good kicking game is a real weapon, and Robert gave us that," Blue Devils coach Kevin Greene said. "Being automatic on PATs, that's huge."

Evan Engelsen, Plainfield Central, P: A 6-3, 190-pound junior ... Averaged 38 yards per punt ... Put 12 kickoffs into the end zone ... Made 3-of-5 field goals, with a long of 38 yards, and both misses were from outside 40 yards ... "Even is pretty good," Wildcats coach John Jackson said. "His punting was good, just not always consistent."

SPECIAL MENTION DEFENSE

Nick Zamora, Joliet, DL: A 6-0, 210-pound senior ... All-Southwest Suburban Blue selection ... A pass-rushing defensive end ... Adept at coming off the edge and getting at the quarterback ... "Nick never missed an offseason workout," JT coach Jason Aubry said. "He's a tremendous kid, one who is going to do anything you ask of him."

Brandon Tucker, Bolingbrook, DL: A 6-1, 270-pound junior ... Joined Roosevelt Holiday in giving Raiders a large, strong pair of defensive tackles ... Suffered a season-ending injury late in the year ... Made 16 solo tackles and 16 assists ... Had 4 sacks for 26 yards in losses ... "It hurt us when we lost Brandon," Raiders coach John Ivlow said. "But he'll be back next year. He's a player with a promising future."

Tyler Thetard, Morris, DL: A 6-0, 178-pound junior ... All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection ... Two-way player at defensive end and tight end ... Made 54 tackles with 3 sacks and a fumble recovery from his defensive end slot ... Caught 3 passes for 79 yards as a tight end ... "Tyler was one of our leading tacklers," Redskins coach George Dergo said. "He has good speed and covers a lot of ground."

Kevin Henry, Morris, DL: A 6-2, 242-pound junior ... All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection ... Two-way player at defensive end and tight end ... Made 48 tackles with 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery ... Used his size to knock down 6 passes at the line of scrimmage ... "Kevin was one of our leading tacklers," Redskins coach George Dergo said. "He has good speed and covers a lot of ground."

Bryan Mesik, Bolingbrook, DL: A 5-9, 195-pound senior ... All-conference by Southwest Suburban Blue ... Had 20 solo tackles and 18 assists ... Made 5 tackles for loss, tied for second on team ... Tied for team lead with 4 sacks ... Broke up 3 passes and recovered a fumble ... "Bryan's a littler guy for an end, but he still made all-conference," Radiers coach John Ivlow said. "He's a very physical kid. He moved from linebacker to defensive end after the first game, when we lost an end. We had to have him on the field somewhere."

John Huguelet, Providence, DL: A 6-3, 195-pound junior ... Celtics' third-leading tackler with 79 and led the team with 4 sacks ... "John will be a dominant player for us next year," Celtics coach Mark Coglianese said. "It's a shame he got hurt early in the Sacred Heart-Griffin game with an ankle. He can do a lot of things with his good quickness and strength."

Chase Odeen, Coal City, DL: A 5-10, 189-pound senior ... All-Interstate Eight Large selection ... Made 26 solo tackles and had 29 assists for 55 total from his spot in the defensive line ... Had 3 tackles for loss ... Moved into the offensive line in midseason and made an impact there as well ... State champion wrestler ... Played only two years of high school football ... "Chase moved into the O-Line in Week 5 and was our No. 1 lineman after that," Coalers coach Lenny Onsen said. "He took charge, showed a lot of leadership."

Brad Kaput, Plainfield South, DL: A 5-10, 205-pound senior ... All-Southwest Prairie Conference pick ... Made 36 solo tackles and 54 total ... Had 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery ... Hoping to play at Division III level ... "Brad wants to play in college as a linebacker, which will take him a little time to learn because we played him at the defensive end," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said. "But he's smart, and he's very aggressive and committed to the weight room."

Melo Hairapetian, Morris, DL: A 5-10, 250-pound senior ... All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection ... Made 39 tackles from hs defensive tackle position with 2 sacks and 9 tackles for loss ... Intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble ... "Melo worked hard for four years," Redskins coach George Dergo said. "He had pretty good stats considering he didn't have a lot of people running at him."

Zach Dolph, JCA, LB: A 5-11, 180-pound junior ... Made 28 solo tackles and 65 total from his outside linebacker slot ... Led team with 3 interceptions, caused 2 fumbles and recovered 2 ... Knocked down 3 passes ... "Zach missed making all-conference by one vote, and that was a travesty. He should have made it," Hilltoppers coach Dan Sharp said. "He's very quick, has very good athleticism. He has good instincts, finds the football and is a really good tackler."

Nick Arndt, Plainfield South, LB: A 6-0, 190-pound sophomore ... Made 36 solo tackles and 33 assists as inside linebacker ... Figures to be among the area's top linebackers for two more years ... "Nick has a great motor," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said. "He always finds his way to the ball. He's a hard hitter, and an effective and sure tackler."

Josh Whitley, Plainfield Central, LB: A 5-10, 170-pound senior ... All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection ... Made 38 tackles, with 11 of them solo stops ... Recovered a fumble and blocked a kick ... "Josh is just a solid linebacker," Wildcats coach John Jackson said. "He did his job. He's a blue-collar kid, the kind of kid I like. That's the way I was raised."

Brandon Haase, Minooka, LB: A 5-9, 200-pound junior ... All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection ... Made a team-leading 111 tackles from his inside linebacker post ... Led Indians with 56 solo tackles and tied for the team lead with 8 tackles for loss ... Played some in the offensive backfield, rushing for 107 yards and averaging 4.8 per carry ... "Brandon is a great run stopper," Indians coach Bert Kooi said. "He will be a key guy for us next year."

Kevin Smidt, Romeoville, LB: A 6-2, 200-pound senior ... Team leader with 63 tackles from his "mike" linebacking spot ... 4.4 student on a 4.0 scale ... Captain ... "Kevin is a very good student, and school is his first priority," Spartans coach Jeff Kuna said. "If we can find the right school that fits him academically, he may play in college."

Bobby McDonald, Providence, DB: A 6-0, 185-pound senior ... Made 79 tackles, including a sack, as strong safety ... Forced a fumble ... "Bobby is a converted running back who came over to the defensive side this year," Celtics coach Mark Coglianese said. "We were able to use his speed — he had to cover wide receivers — and he's a good tackler."

Angel Pena, Romeoville, DB: A 5-11, 175-pound senior ... Missed the last two games with a broken hand and still made 36 tackles from his free safety spot ... Broke up 5 passes ... Captain ... Looking at Aurora University ... "Angel did a lot of things for us, including playing on all the special teams," Spartans coach Jeff Kuna said.

Pat Cavanaugh, Lockport, DB: ... A 6-3, 205-pound senior ... Make 52 total tackles from his weak safety slot ... Recovered 1 fumble and intercepted 1 pass ... Also did the kicking and punting ... Getting looks from college ... "Pat played well at safety, he kicked and punted pretty well and played a little receiver," Porters coach Bret Kooi said.

Steve Fehrenbacher, JCA, P: ... A 6-1, 185-pound senior ... As a punter, proved adept at helping JCA win the field position battle ... Starting cornerback who made 45 tackles, including 25 solo ... Intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble and knocked down 3 passes ... "Of Steve's last four punts, three went 70 yards or more," Hilltoppers coach Dan Sharp said. "Two of them he had to run down the high snap and then he kicked it 60 yards in the air. He's a tremendous athlete. In all, he put seven punts inside the 20, four inside the 10."

HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE

Casey Barnes, Reed-Custer, QB: A 6-1, 165-pound senior ... All-Interstate Eight Large selection ... Completed 35-of-79 passes, 44.3 percent, for 523 yards and 6 touchdowns ... Rushed for 10 TDs ... Led an offense that averaged 27.4 points per game ... "Casey was a little up and down, but he did some good things," Comets coach Dean Cappel said. "He has a strong arm and great feet."

Matt Hussey, Morris, QB: A 6-0, 165-pound senior ... Completed 77-of-158 passes for 836 yards and 3 touchdowns ... "Matt led our team well," Redskins coach George Dergo said. "His numbers were good and he was stable there."

Todd Franklin, Plainfield South, WR: A 5-6, 150-pound senior ... Speedster caught 12 passes for 193 yards, a 16.1 average ... Point guard in basketball ... "Todd had a good year, but maybe did not make as many catches as we would have liked," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said. "He's definitely a kid you can throw a short ball to, and he can turn it into a big play."

Alex Kershaw, Joliet, WR: A 5-11, 170-pound senior ... Caught 15 passes for 198 yards, a 13.2 average ... Provided a quality third option on a receiving corps featuring Ronald Jordan and D.J. Foster ... "Alex did everything behind the scenes," Steelmen coach Jason Aubry said. "He is a tremendous athlete who really came on this year."

Steven Davis, Reed-Custer, WR: A 5-11, 160-pound junior ... All-Interstate Eight Large selection ... Caught 15 passes for 236 yards, a 15.7 average, and 4 touchdowns as the Comets' combination wingback and running back ... "Steven averaged 8 yards every time he touched the ball and was our leading receiver," Comets coach Dean Cappel said.

Guido Falaschetti, Lincoln-Way East, WR: A 5-10, 170-pound senior ... Caught 12 passes for 168 yards, a 14.0 average, and 1 touchdown ... "Guido was one of our effort players of the year at his size," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said. "And he is one of the best blockers on the team."

Bobby Groselak, Lemont, TE: A 6-4, 220-pound senior ... Caught 12 passes for 199 yards, a 16.6 average ... Good blocker ... "Bobby's always been a good blocker, and he really improved as a receiver," Indians coach Eric Michaelsen said. "He's a big, physical kid."

Brock Douglas, Plainfield Central, RB: A 5-10, 190-pound junior ... Rushed for 250 yards, a 4.9 average, and 5 touchdowns for a Wildcats team deep in running backs. Caught 7 passes, sharing the team lead, for 83 yards ... "I had five legitimate backs, and Brock was among them," Wildcats coach John Jackson said.

Devonta Davis, Plainfield North, RB: A 6-2, 180-pound junior ... Rushed for 153 yards, averaging 4.0 per carry, and 2 touchdowns ... Caught 18 passes for 275 yards, a 15.3 average, and 2 touchdowns ... "Devonta started the season at receiver, then we moved him to running back when Jake (Arnold) got hurt," Tigers coach Tim Kane said. "He did a great job. He did our punt and kickoff returns, too, and he made some great plays. He's a natural, talented athlete."

Luke Conrad, Providence, RB: A 5-7, 180-pound senior ... Outstanding blocker at fullback ... Rushed for 122 yards and caught 6 passes ... "Luke was a big reason (Tim) Hanrahan gained almost 2,000 yards," Celtics coach Mark Coglianese said. "He did a great job blocking and he scored 6 TDs rushing and 1 receiving."

Jason Carlton, Lincoln-Way Central, OL: A 6-4, 240-pound junior ... Joined fellow tackle Dan Sears to lead an offensive line that helped Knights rush for over 200 yards a game and total nearly 300 ... Will be a leader in the line next season ... "Jason had a solid year," Knights coach Tim Dougherty said.

Brandon Norris, Wilmington, OL: A 6-2, 248-pound junior ... Played center and helped get the Wildcats' potent ground game in gear ... "Brandon started at center on an offense that averaged 30 points a game," Wildcats coach Jeff Reents said. "He should be a good player as a senior."

Jake Hazelton, Wilmington, OL: A 6-2, 193-pound junior ... Became starter in offensive line midway through season ... "Jake gave a tremendous effort, which showed in his play," Wildcats coach Jeff Reents said. "He did a great job in the playoffs."

Kyle MacCracken, Lincoln-Way East, OL: A 5-10, 200-pound senior ... A competitor in the line for a Griffins offense that ranked among the area's best all season ... "Kyle is an undersized lineman whose hard work and perseverance allowed him to compete," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said.

Alfonso Dingillo, Wilmington, OL: A 6-0, 271-pound senior ... Two-year starter ... Played in the line on both sides of the ball ... "Alfonso did a good job on both the offensive line and defensive line," Wildcats coach Jeff Reents said. "He will be tough to replace."

Kenny Smith, Minooka, OL: A 6-2, 225-pound junior ... Improved significantly as the year went on ... "This is a young man who did get better during the season," Indians coach Bert Kooi said. "We're talking about him and Cody (Jones) anchoring us at the tackles next year."

Steven Heap, Reed-Custer, OL: All-Interstate Eight Large choice ... Played center for a Comets' offense that averaged 27.4 points ... Was the long snapper ... "Steven improved more than any kid on our team," Comets coach Dean Cappel said.

Kevin Harper, Plainfield South, OL: A 6-4, 300-pound senior ... Just maturing as a football player ... Will play in college ... "Kevin is a big kid who prected the back side of the quarterback all year," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said. "He will become bigger, faster and stronger and will be a steal for someone."

Joe Dellamano, Lincoln-Way East, OL: A 6-3, 245-pound senior ... Showed significant improvement at offensive tackle as season went on ... "Joe was named one of our most improved players after not playing at all as a junior."

Tyler Kelly, Joliet, K: A 5-6, 140-pound junior ... Kicked well for the Steelmen, just not that often. "Tyler was doing some great things with his leg," Steelmen coach Jason Aubry said. "We just didn't get a chance to use him much."

Scott Secor, Lincoln-Way Central, P: A 5-9, 150-pound junior ... Averaged 35 yards per punt and also did the placekicking ... Made 3 field goals with a long of 36 ... "Scott did a good job," Knights coach Tim Dougherty said. "He punted pretty well and had a lot of touchbacks on his kickoffs."

HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE

Nick Nowdomski, Coal City, DL: A 5-8, 190-pound junior ...Made 33 solo tackles and assisted on 36 for 69 total ... Had 1 tackle for loss ... "Nick is one player where his motor is always running," Coalers coach Lenny Onsen said.

Nate Carpenter, Coal City, DL: A 5-10, 173-pound junior ... Made 61 tackles, 26 of them solo ... Played in the defensive line, at linebacker and at running back ... Academic all-conference pick ... "Nate is one of the most versatile players we had," Coalers coach Lenny Onsen said. "He was very important in all areas."

Matt Bisping, Peotone, DL: A 6-0, 250-pound senior ... Made 28 solo tackles, including 5 tackles for loss ... Likely to play on the Division III level ... "Matt is a good, solid run stopper," Blue Devils coach Matt Greene said.

Ben Simmering, Plainfield South, DL: A 6-3, 205-pound senior ... Made 54 tackles, including 33 solo stops, from his defensive end slot ... Led eam with 5 sacks and had 3 other tackles for loss ... Recovered 1 fumble ... "Ben had a great year and was being looked at by Drake, but he will concentrate on the academic side of things," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said.

Dan Burke, Providence, DL: A 6-0, 185-pound senior ... Made 57 tackles from his defensive end slot ... Scored well above 30 on the ACT ... "Dan was an extremely smart player," Celtics coach Mark Coglianese said. "He was someone we could always count on to contain that end spot."

Brian Wolfe, Lincoln-Way North, DL: A 6-0, 210-pound junior ... Played both ways, in the defensive and offensive lines ... Made 43 solo tackles, 12 assists and led the team with 12 tackles for loss ... Scored 1 touchdown ... "Brian had some outstanding moments," Phoenix coach George Czart said. "He is a player."

Robert Michelkamp, Wilmington, DL: A 5-8, 163-pound junior ... All-Interstate Eight Conference selection ... Anchored Wildcats defensive line from his nose guard position ... "Robert was the center point of our defense at nose guard," Wildcats coach Jeff Reents said. "He plays full go at all times."

Jake Kleinick, Providence, DL: A 6-1, 175-pound senior ... Made 54 tackles as the drop end on defense ... "Jake is a smart player," Celtics coach Mark Coglianese said. "He continued to improve each week and became one of our more consistent players."

Jack McGrail, Plainfield South, DL: A 6-2, 185-pound sophomore ... Made 16 solo and 30 total tackles from his defensive end slot ... Varsity baseball player as a freshman ... "We moved Jack to defensive end from linebacker, and he chased plays from the back a lot," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said. "He'll probably be back at linebacker next year."

Angel Cabral, Lemont, DL: A 6-2, 265-pound junior ... Physical force at defensive tackle ... Made 53 tackles, 29 solo ... Had 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and recovered a fumble ... "Angel is a lot like (Pat) Driscoll, our other tackle, in that he is physical and athletic," Indians coach Eric Michaelsen said.

Matt Anzalone, Lemont, DL: A 6-0, 220-pound senior ... Made 53 tackles from his nose tackle position, 41 of which were solo ... Had 8 tackles for loss and 2 sacks ... Recovered 4 fumbles and caused 1 ... "Matt would take on two blockers a lot," Indians coach Eric Michaelsen said. "He had a nose for the ball, had some important fumble recoveries."

Jeromy Curry, Bolingbrook, DL: A 6-2, 210-pound junior ... Had 4 tackles for loss and 2 sacks from his defensive end position ... Made 16 solo tackles and assisted on 12 others ... Broke up 2 passes and blocked a kick ... "Jeromy will be a good one next year," coach John Ivlow said.

Ryan Diehl, Lincoln-Way East, DL: A 6-3, 190-pound junior ... Regular at defensive end ... Led Griffins with 6 sacks and made 40 total tackles ... Plays basketball ... "With a little added strength and size, Ryan could be a dominant defensive lineman," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said.

Tom Shereck, Peotone, DL: A 6-0, 205-pound senior ... Made 24 solo tackles, including 2 for loss, from his defensive end slot ... Two-year starter ... "Tom was a steady kid in our defensive line," Blue Devils coach Kevin Greene said.

DeMarcus Calvin, Bolingbrook, LB: A 5-9, 195-pound senior ... Made 22 solo tackles and 23 assists for 45 total from his outside linebacker slot ... Had 1 sack, intercepted 3 passes, broke up 3 others and recovered 2 fumbles ... "DeMarcus had not played football since eighth grade, and he did a great job at outside linebacker," Raiders coach John Ivlow said.

Jeremy Bailey, Wilmington, LB: A 5-9, 184-pound sophomore ... All-Interstate Eight Small selection ... A playmaker with excellent speed from his linebacker position ... Stepped in offensively to add a boost to an already potent running game, rushing 68 times for 468 yards, a 6.9 average ... Had a nose for the end zone, scoring 13 touchdowns ... "Jeremy had a great year as a sophomore on both sides of the ball," Wildcats coach Jeff Reents said. "We look forward to the rest of his career at Wilmington."

Zach McWilliams, Wilmington, LB: A 6-0, 181-pound junior ... Performed well on both sides of the ball ... A mainstay at linebacker in a defense that allowed just over 7 points a game ... Rushed for 385 yards in 53 carries from the fullback position, averaging 7.3 per carry ... "Zach played on both sides of the ball and is very coachable," Wildcats coach Jeff Reents said. "He should have a great senior season."

Mike Taylor, Romeoville, LB: A 6-0, 190-pound senior ... Spartans' second-leading tackler with 59 from his linebacker slot ... Made 9 tackles for loss ... Aurora and other small college showing interest ... "Mike gave us another good linebacker to go with Cameron Stingley and Mike Smidt," Spartans coach Jeff Kuna said.

Billy Chase, Lincoln-Way North, LB: A 5-11, 165-pound junior ... All-Southwest Suburban Red pick ... Made 47 solo tackles and 22 assists for 69 total as outside linebacker ... Had 2 tackles for loss ... "Billy played consistently at outside linebacker all season," Phoenix coach George Czart said.

Steve Heino, Wilmington, LB: A 5-8, 154-pound senior ... Captain and leader ... "Steve was one of our team leaders," Wildcats coach Jeff Reents said. "He was selected by his teammates as captain and overcame a rib injury to have a great season."

Josh Higgins, Seneca, LB: A 6-0, 205-pound junior ... All-Interstate Eight Small selection ... Made 84 tackles with 5 sacks from his linebacker post ... Intercepted 3 passes, returning 1 for a touchdown ... As the fullback, rushed for 690 yards, a 5.1 average, and scored 9 touchdowns ... "Josh is a junior who has a lot of potential," Irish coach Ryan Reade said.

Tiger Onsen, Coal City, LB: A 6-0, 172-pound junior ... Made 38 solo tackles and had 54 assists for 92 total ... Intercepted 1 pass and recovered 1 fumble ... Academic all-conference ... "Tiger plays more on intelligence than ability," Coalers coach Lenny Onsen said. "He is an extremely hard worker."

Justin Anderson, Coal City, LB: A 5-10, 178-pound senior ... Made 66 total tackles, with 33 of them solo ... Had 2 tackles for loss and 2 fumble recoveries ... "Justin was a solid player all season," Coalers coach Len Onsen said. "He also was a very good special teams player."

Joe Zander, Lockport, LB: A 6-1, 215-pound junior ... Made 69 total tackles from his linebacker spot, second on the team ... Made 4 tackles for loss and had 1 sack ... Forced a fumble ... "Joe is a big-time hitter who will be a very good player next year," Porters coach Bret Kooi said.

Jon Muszynski, Lockport, LB: A 6-0, 215-pound senior ... Made 63 total tackles ... Intercepted 2 passes, returning 1 for a touchdown ... Led team with 6 tackles for loss and had 1 sack ... May play in college ... "Jon was a very big hitter, played the game real physical," Porters coach Bret Kooi said.

Chris Calderone, Plainfield South, LB: A 6-0, 160-pound senior ... Made 32 solo tackles, 52 total, from his outside linebacker slot ... Had 4 tackles for loss ... Intercepted 2 passes and knocked down 3 ... Baseball catcher ... Accepted at Air Force Academy ... "Chris played well on the edge," coach Mike Briscoe said. "He had to play against the big boys up front and did a good job."

Kyle Cummins, Lemont, LB: A 6-2, 195-pound senior ... Made 63 total tackles, including 37 solo, from his inside linebacker slot ... Had 8 tackles for loss and 4 sacks ... Broke up 6 passes and caused 3 fumbles ... Returned 7 kickoffs for a 23.4 average ... "Kyle had some injury issues in the middle of the season, but he made a lot of plays," Indians coach Eric Michaelsen said. "He's a blitzer."

Zach Johnson, Lincoln-Way East, LB: A 6-0, 185-pound senior ... Made 36 tackles and intercepted 2 passes form his outside linebacker slot ... Scored 30 on his ACT ... Looking to go to the University of Chicago ... "Zach did a tremendous job at outside linebacker, and he is one of those intelligent kids," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said. "He'll be the sixth player in the last few years that we have had go to Chicago."

George Patteson, Lincoln-Way East, LB: A 6-0, 210-pound senior ... Enjoyed strong senior year ... Made 49 tackles from his linebacker post ... "George was one of the most improved players on our team," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said.

Jeremy Wallace, Lincoln-Way Central, DB: A 6-2, 190-pound junior ... Made 37 tackles, including 21 solo, from his free safety position ... Had 1 sack ... Intercepted 4 passes, broke up 5 and recovered 1 fumble ... "Jeremy had a good season, and he will be a definite impact player next year," Knights coach Tim Dougherty said.

Marcus Daniels, Bolingbrook, DB: A 5-10, 170-pound senior ... Made 18 solo tackles and assisted on 5 others from his cornerback position ... Had 1 tackle for loss ... "Marcus did a good job in coverage," Raiders coach John Ivlow said.

J.P. Byrnes Plainfield Central, DB: A 5-11, 160-pound senior ... Made 38 tackes with 1 sack from his free safety position ... Broke up 5 passes and intercepted 2, returning them for a total of 33 yards ... "J.P.'s a converted corner who had to grow into the free safety spot, and he made quite a few tackles when he did grown into the position."

Justin Gruca, Wilmington, DB: A 5-9, 171-pound junior ... Plays safety ... Stepped up with his biggest efforts in the biggest games ... "The bigger the game, the better Justin played," coach Jeff Reents said.

Sam Eble, Lincoln-Way East, DB: A 6-0, 185-pound senior ... Starter at cornerback, though sometimes moved over to safety ... Made 28 tackles and intercepted 2 passes ... "Sam did a tremendous job out in space," Griffins coach Rob Zvonar said. "He had a solid year."

Andrew Haney, Plainfield South, DB: A 5-8, 145-pound senior ... Played his first season of high school football, concentrating previously on wrestling and the pole vault in track ... Made 27 solo tackles, 31 total and intercepted 2 passes ... Has desire to continue playing football ... "Andrew is an aggressive tackler," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said.

Anthony Hakey, Coal City, DB: A 5-9, 165-pound junior ... Made 27 solo tackles and had 22 assists for 49 total ... Intercepted 2 passes and made 4 tackles for loss ... Academic all-conference ... "Anthony is a very hard worker," Coalers coach Lenny Onsen said.

Matt Huyser, Plainfield South, DB: A 5-11, 160-pound senior ... Made 12 solo tackles and 17 total stops from his cornerback position ... Tied for team lead with 3 interceptions and knocked down 2 passes ... "We put Matt in tough situations out there by himself on a receiver, and he was sound," Cougars coach Mike Briscoe said. "You tell him what to do on Monday, and you knew he would do it on Friday."