Easy to see how Osei has grown

Flash back to last year when Miles Osei looked every bit like a sophomore quarterback as Prospect faced Wheeling.

Osei could barely keep a grip on the ball and lost a grip on his job.

"I fumbled four or five times and it was just really a rough game," Osei said. "This game was a big game, not to redeem myself, but to come out on top with a win for a lot of the seniors."

Flash forward to Friday night's rematch between the Mid-Suburban East leaders at Prospect. Osei looked like every bit like a senior, which a lot of teams in the league could only wish was the case.

Osei continued his exponential progression this season as Prospect clinched at least a share of its fifth East title since 2001 with a 45-28 win over Wheeling.

Osei was 16-for-26 passing for 332 yards and 4 touchdowns. The last two were on fourth-down plays where he calmly bided his time and delivered beautiful strikes of 36 yards to Peter Bonahoom and 24 yards to Mike Przespolewski.

Osei knew when to run for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns. And most important, there were no interceptions or fumbles.

"He's phenomenal," said former Elk Grove head coach Bruce Bazsali, who came back to Prospect this year to tutor Osei. "He's got such a grasp of the game and such a focus for a kid who is a junior.

"If something goes wrong he just doesn't get rattled."

Now he's just rolling up staggering totals of 1,710 yards passing with 17 touchdowns and 1 interception and 892 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns in the Knights' prolific five-wide, no-back attack.

"Last year he was timid and kind of slow and getting used to things," said Prospect senior center Matt Babicz. "Now he's totally different and one of the better leaders on the team.

"Good things are going to happen when you have confidence. He's a totally different player and he's got a nasty swagger to him.

"It transfers to everyone. It's contagious."

As Wheeling found out the hard way.

"Miles is a great player and they run their offense so well," said Wheeling two-way standout Mike Zimmer. "You've got to give credit to coach (Brent) Pearlman.

"We weren't really trying to stop them but slow them down. We were hoping we could contain them but obviously we didn't get it done."

People wondered about Pearlman's prediction that Osei was the best quarterback he's worked with in the Knights' run that started in 2000. Osei had all the tools.

Now he's got the precision to go with them.

"Unbelievable," Pearlman said of the difference a year has made with Osei.

The composed Osei was quick to compliment his time-giving line of Babicz, John Sawicki, Dylan Crowley, Victor Rhee and Matt Boll. And his playmaking receivers in Bonahoom, Przespolewski, Austin Sobey and Sean Baltowski.

"Definitely the game is a lot slower to me," Osei said. "It seems like everything is more natural."

Which has made Osei a force to be reckoned with.

mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com