As football kickoff inches closer around the country, MaxPreps forecasts the top five teams in the state of Illinois for the 2009 season.
1. Maine South
Record-setting quarterback Charlie Goro (3,171 passing yards and 38 TDs, 665 rushing yards and 12 TDs) has packed off for his freshman season at Vanderbilt. He is one of nine offensive starters the nationally-ranked Hawks lost. No matter. None of Maine South‘s seniors or juniors have ever lost a game on the varsity, sophomore and freshman teams, and the Hawks have advanced to the 8A title game four of the past six years under the direction of head coach David Inserra, setting up a program with huge expectations. “They know what it takes to play at Maine South,“ Inserra says. Senior RB Matt Perez, already committed to Indiana, had more than 2,600 total yards last year as a rusher, receiver and kick returner. Tyler Benz, a senior, steps into Goro’s shoes at quarterback. The Hawks’ offensive size up front includes 6-foot-7, 305-pounder Victor Nelson at right tackle.
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2. Naperville North
The Huskies blasted through the DuPage Valley Conference with a 7-0 record, only to see a 10-game win streak fall in an upset loss to No. 7-seeded Marist in the 8A playoffs. North emerges once again as a contender with a strong defense led by three returning linebackers: Arnez Gintaulis, Jack Krejci and Nick Lifka, who is getting interest from UCLA, Tennessee and Arizona. Matt Lacosse will likely step in at quarterback for the graduated Matt Manade. The Huskies must also replace RB Nick Mlady, now at Cornell, who rushed for 1,257 and 14 TDs in 2008. “I think we have some good talent,” head coach Larry McZkeon said. “I think there’s some kids that can catch the football, run with the football.” A game not to miss: North plays host to Wheaton Warrensville South on Sept. 25. Survive that, and North might be headed for some very big things in 2009.
Naperville North (Ill.) will have a stout defense and strong quarterback play.
Dennis Wierzbicki
3. Hinsdale Central
Senior quarterback John Whitelaw, who ranked among the state‘s top 10 passers and top 10 rushers last year, returns for the explosive Red Devils. Also back is one of Whitelaw‘s favorite targets, senior receiver Alex Kirk, who averaged more than 15 yards a catch last year. Central scored 498 points in 14 games a year ago; look for the Devils to go deep often this season. Central did not win its league title last year, losing to Glenbard West in the West Suburban Silver, but the ninth-seeded Red Devils rose impressively in the 8A playoffs, knocking off Downers Grove South, unbeaten Bolingbrook, and Catholic League Blue powers Mt. Carmel and Brother Rice on the way to the final against unbeaten Maine South. Whitelaw, who is getting interest from the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-10 and already has offers from Toledo and Harvard, is a player to watch.
{VIDEO_4168a286-dba0-4d8f-84d5-e669c8fe34a6,floatRightWithBar}4. East St. Louis
The Flyers lost highly recruited receivers Terry Hawthorne (Illinois) and Kraig Appleton (Wisconsin), and defensive back Tommie Hopkins (Illinois) to graduation, but they return quarterback Detchauz Wray and running back Courtney Molton. Wray completed 133-of-228 passes for 2,564 yards and 38 touchdowns while being intercepted just five times last season. He already has offers from four BCS schools, including Illinois and Nebraska. Molton, also getting a look from Illinois and several other BCS schools, rushed for 1,562 yards and 20 touchdowns for a Flyer offense which averaged more than 46 points per game. With 34 wins in the last seasons, including a current 12-game win streak, expect East St. Louis to fly high again downstate.
5. Sacred Heart-Griffin
Eric Williamson takes over at quarterback for the Cyclones, who lost eight players both offensively and defensively to graduation. Williamson, replacing Princeton recruit Tim Dondanville (2,528 passing yards, 28 TDs), has looked sharp in summer 7-on-7 sessions. The Cyclones lose running back Gary Wilson (1,646 rushing yards, 31 TDs), but replace him with his brother, Greg Wilson, who averaged more 7.3 yards per carry last season. Sacred Heart-Griffin has much to replace, but this is a school used to winning championships. The Cyclones, of the Central State Eight Conference, have won state titles three of the past four years and haven’t lost more than two games in any of the past seven seasons.
