Back then they were just Rams

They are no longer “a bunch of nobodies,” these nine buddies.

They'll share a football field one last time on Saturday when Wheaton Warrenville South hosts Wheaton North for a Class 7A quarterfinal slot. Some as Tigers, some as Falcons.

Playing on the Wheaton Rams' Gold 115-pound team in 2005, WW South's Caleb Bednarz, Lucas Devick, Peter Benassi, Travis Kern and Michael Monterrubio and Wheaton North's Andy Dietz, John Bloss, Anthony Sciaccotta and Richard Finley led a 12-8 victory over Buffalo Grove for the Bill George League “Super Bowl” at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb.

“They were a pretty stacked team,” said their coach, Doug Dietz. Buffalo Grove, coached by former Chicago Bear Robin Earl and entering the final with 42 straight wins, featured current prep stars Kevin Earl of Stevenson and DaVaris Daniels of Vernon Hills.

“And we had a bunch of nobodies from Wheaton and we squeaked it out,” Dietz said.

Championships obviously not the last won by the boys from South weren't the sole goal. Camaraderie, sportsmanship, teamwork and basic football was the focus. Doug Dietz, who took over for popular coach Marco Benassi, and offensive coordinator Rick Kern, still knew what they had, even after current WW South back Matt Rogers moved to another Rams team before the 2005 campaign.

“We knew that they would be successful,” Kern said. “They were talented and they were smart and they seemed to have the right attitude toward sports not just sports but life in general.”

The coaches' emphasis was development while allowing the Rams who also included St. Francis' Ben Trimble and others no longer playing football to have fun.

“There's a lot of things in youth football that get so intense,” said Kern, who called plays like Silly Captain (for a hook-and-go pattern) and Bowling Ball Right. “I don't think it's fun, and why would you do it if it wasn't fun?”

Fun like watching Bednarz run around. The current WW South free safety was a running back and shotgun quarterback who could score from anywhere on the field.

“Honestly,” Kern said, “my son's biggest plays were chasing Caleb when he was scoring.”

Bednarz still has that ability returning punts and interceptions. In seventh grade, though, player forecasting was inexact. Finley, now a Falcons receiver, played cornerback. Benassi, a receiver, played guard and cornerback. Devick, a receiver, played quarterback.

Andy Dietz was and is a defensive back. He intercepted Buffalo Grove's Kevin Earl 3 times in that 2005 title game.

“It was too early in their football careers to predict what they could do,” said Andy, though with Bednarz he had a pretty good idea.

“Most of those players had been on our team for many years, so we built a friendship for four, five years,” he said. “Yeah, years down the road and I could definitely call one of those players and just hang out.”

The 2005 coaches, who also included Devon Devick and Mark Zawicki, still do, gathering at local watering holes for chalk talks. Or something like that.

“That's what we tell the wives, we're going to a coaches meeting,” Doug Dietz said.

Dietz said he roots, in order, for his son, Wheaton North and then for all the players Kern calls “our kids.” It's been a tough go on the north side. WW South has won every cross-town meeting since their freshman year.

“When we talk to those guys, no, we don't rub anything in,” Travis Kern said. “... If anything it'd be all fun just like it was back in Rams. It's just a game.”

Travis considers the team photo his dad dug up, the shot taken after Wheaton won that 2005 Bill George title. Each of the little guys is proudly holding aloft his own trophy.

The 7A second-rounder will produce only one winner. Officially.

“I just look forward to playing them on Saturday,” Travis Kern said. “It's the last time, so I guess it's a bittersweet thing.”

Strike a pose

State winners for the 17th annual Wendy's High School Heisman will be announced Friday. Among Illinois' 20 state finalists are Benet Academy cross country and track athlete Kaileen Healy and Downers Grove North swimmer Haley Sims.

They have a chance to be selected Illinois' female representative and go in a pool to become one of 12 national finalists.

Speaking of pools, this has been a banner year for Sims.

Last November in the state swimming championships she placed second in the 100-yard butterfly a second straight year, and also took second in the 200 freestyle. As a member of the Express Swim Club, Sims in September was named to her second straight USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team.

Among other accomplishments over the past year, Sims competed at the Irish Long Course Nationals, took second in the 100-meter butterfly at the Junior National Championships, and swam at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, where she placed 10th in both the 100 and 200 fly. In October's annual recognition program of Illinois Swimming, Sims was named female swimmer of the year.

Old school

Got duds?

On the Illinois High School Glory Days website, Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Committee member Bruce Firchau recently posted a message seeking all sorts of vintage items. His main thrust is letter jackets and sweaters from schools that no longer exist. The goal is to have one article representing each letter of the alphabet, and specifically letter jackets with state, conference or county patches on them.

Soliciting items for the future IBCA Hall of Fame building in Danville, Firchau also is looking for a variety of old roundball memorabilia, from megaphones to mascot outfits, banners, ancient balls, uniforms, pennants, cheerleader outfits, trophies. He's looking for state tournament books prior to 1971, old tourney game film ... you get the picture.

“The older the better,” Firchau wrote.

If you're willing to unload any old prizes (can't part with the Wheaton Central lettermen's jacket, thank you), contact the most pleasant Jeanie Cooke, executive director of the Danville Convention and Visitors Bureau, at (800) 383-4386.

Make it a point to also visit the Glory Days website. From Adair to Ziegler Christian Academy, there's a dearly departed school you've probably visited.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com