'Koz' takes pause

We hear it all the time from coaches.

Sports aren't just about X's and O's. They can teach valuable life lessons to athletes of all ages.

Funny thing is, coaches can also benefit from those life lessons just as much sometimes.

Just ask Wauconda coach Glen Kozlowski.

He recently gave himself a refresher on how to take responsibility for his actions, and how to right a wrong.

After Friday's emotional North Suburban Prairie Division tilt between unbeatens Grant and Wauconda -- which Grant won 21-17 -- Kozlowski nearly came to blows with Grant coach Kurt Rous.

Rous was offended by what he thought was a cheap shot by the Wauconda defense at the end of the game. As Grant went to take a knee to run out the clock, a Wauconda defender charged the line.

Rous believed his players could have gotten hurt. Kozlowski says he didn't actually see the play but thought that his players were simply following orders to try to swipe the ball away.

Wauconda had done that successfully last year against Mundelein in a similar situation.

"My first reaction was that I was mad because I had no idea what they could have been mad about," Kozlowski said. "We teach our guys to always play until the last whistle. But after going home and watching the film that night, I realized that if I were them, I would have been upset, too.

"One of our guys came in quicker and probably lower than he should have and, although no one was in jeopardy of getting hurt, the impression that we were going after someone definitely could have been given off."

The next day, Kozlowski sprung to action -- and surprised the heck out of Rous.

"He came to my house (Saturday afternoon) and apologized," Rous said. "I was shocked."

But Rous, who was having a meeting with his assistant coaches at the time, was equally impressed.

"That took a lot of guts and courage," said Rous, who sent an e-mail to the Daily Herald to commend Kozlowski. "I respect him for having the class and professionalism to apologize. It is something he did not need to do."

But Kozlowski says he felt it was imperative to do the right thing. Especially since his actions are so closely observed by impressionable teenagers.

He says that he made sure to tell his players that he went to Rous' house to apologize.

"Not because I wanted any pats on the back from anyone, but because it was the right thing to do and I wanted our guys to know it was the right thing to do," Kozlowski said. "You know what, when you're wrong, you're wrong and you need to go apologize. When you do something wrong, be a man about it and go make things right. And do it face to face.

"Plus, I wanted them to know that my reaction was a reflection on Wauconda and we don't do that here. It's not something we condone. It was a mistake. I'm not perfect, but I'm going to own up to my actions and try to make things right."

Head game: The Grant defense helped preserve a victory over Wauconda last week without one of its most lethal weapons in the tank.

Hard-nosed, super aggressive defensive lineman Bob Madlener went down on the second play of the game when he got a knee to the head.

He was in for several more plays before he left the game for good.

"He was starting to act a little funny, a little (silly)," Grant coach Kurt Rous said. "We knew we had to sit him out."

Doctors later confirmed that Madlener had suffered a concussion. Rous said that Madlener would be evaluated further leading up to tonight's game against Vernon Hills and that his status could be a game-time decision.

Big turnaround: Ask Rex Grossman of the Bears.

Quarterbacks who spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror wind up with their heads all messed up.

Stevenson quarterback Zach Wujcik clearly didn't allow that to happen to him last week against Mundelein.

He opened the game by throwing an interception on his very first pass.

But he closed the game having completed 16-of-30 passes for 316 yards and 4 touchdowns. His 316 yards set a new school record at Stevenson.

Quarterback Bobby Gianinni, who led Stevenson to the 2002 Class 8A state championship game, held the old record. That year, he passed for 276 yards in a single game.

"Zach played really well," Stevenson coach Bill Mitz said of the 6-foot-4 junior. "He's done a nice job of finding our open receivers, stepping up in the pocket and throwing the ball well.

"He's made a lot of progress. He's had opportunities in each game and he's capitalizing on them."

Like father…:ŒIt all changed last week.

In more than 20 years of coaching, Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken had never brought up a freshman for the regular season.

Of course, he never had a freshman with the talents and bloodlines of DaVaris Daniels, who made his first start with the varsity in the Cougars' 41-28 victory over Round Lake last week.

Daniels is the son of former Bears defensive lineman Phillip Daniels, who is now with the Washington Redskins.

Let's just say that those good football genes showed themselves immediately against Round Lake.

The first time Daniels touched the ball in a varsity game, he made people forget that he is just a freshman.

He took the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. A wide receiver, Daniels also finished the game with 4 receptions for 116 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown catch.

"DaVaris was up on the sophomore team and he was doing so well there that we thought he would get more of a challenge with the varsity," Monken said. "Part of you thinks, 'Wow, maybe we should have brought him up sooner.' But we really wanted him to get his feet wet and get used to the speed of the game. He's only 14 years old."

Monken says that he has to keep reminding himself of Daniels' age. A 14-year-old with Daniels' moves, vision, awareness, quickness and savvy doesn't come along very often.

"He's the most polished 14-year-old I've ever seen," Monken said. "I mean, you never know how a freshman will do in this situation, how he'll adjust. We thought he would probably do pretty well, but he's exceeded even our expectations.

"DaVaris has great instincts for the game, a lot of body control and he's very athletic."

Monken says Daniels went downstate in the high jump in both seventh and eighth grade and won a state title in seventh grade. He's also got blazing speed that already makes him one of the fastest on the team.

Daniels will likely start at wide receiver today against Grant, but could eventually get some time at wingback, linebacker or defensive back.

"In the first four sophomore games he played, DaVaris had some fumble recoveries and interceptions," Monken said. "He's good at defense, too."

Just like his dad.

Phillip Daniels has played 11 seasons in the NFL -- with the Seattle Seahawks, the Bears and now the Redskins.

He left the Bears after the 2003 season.

"He doesn't get a chance to get to many games," Monken said of the older Daniels, who came to Vernon Hills when he was still playing for the Bears to speak to various groups of students. "But I've e-mailed him a few times. He's excited (about DaVaris)."

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Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com

Wauconda coach Glen Kozlowski argues a call during last Friday's game against Grant in Wauconda.

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Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com

Wauconda's Jamey Carey tries to find an opening in Grant's defense last Friday night in Wauconda.