Joliet Catholic looks rebuilt

Here we go again.

Annually a contender for a state championship much less the East Suburban Catholic Conference title, Joliet Catholic is poised to attack both those goals.

After what for the Hilltoppers was a down year including an 0-2 start, an ESCC-capping loss to Carmel that cost it the outright title and a first-round playoff loss, Joliet Catholic returns hungry.

"They're loaded with almost their entire team back," said Benet coach Gary Goforth, whose Redwings visit Joliet Catholic on Sept. 21 but don't have fellow ESCC beast Carmel on their schedule.

Joliet Catholic graduated big-time preps Kevin Rouse and Coby Fleener but returns 15 starters, eight on offense.

"This senior class is a very hard-working group, so their off-season training was just at a very high level, and the practice intensity has been very high up to this point," said Joliet Catholic coach Dan Sharp, whose son, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound lineman of the same name, is on the squad.

Along with Division I prospect Nick Clancy at safety, Coach Sharp returns his entire offensive backfield: all-conference quarterback John Ruettiger, all-conference fullback Brandon Geiss, wingbacks Tyler Hudetz and Connor Krisch, cousin of former Montini wideout Billy Krisch.

That's 2,371 yards rushing coming back intact.

Sharp is a humble coach.

"I think everybody's on the way up, but I really look at Carmel, St. Viator, Marian (Catholic), those are probably the teams to beat in the league," he said.

In a 10-team league that qualified six to the playoffs, most suffered hits from graduation, notably St. Viator and Marian Catholic. St. Viator still returns four all-conference players, two on the offensive line.

Marian Catholic, which had the 2006 ESCC coach of the year in Dave Mattio, figures to reload after a 6-1 sophomore mark that tied with improved Marist and Carmel, which returns quarterback David Venegoni.

Except for perennially challenged St. Joseph there's not a gimme on the schedule -- as former Driscoll coach Tim Racki's Nazareth team showed Carmel last season.

Benet, which looks to replace all-everything Jimmy Schmieder, will challenge all takers with depth on the offensive line, throughout the defense, and in the backfield. Fullback Dan McGue and wingbacks Dan Cannon and Mike Vanchieri return behind new quarterback John Paul Payne.

Benet always scraps. With this schedule it must.

"We have no slouch this year," Goforth said.