UEC's best competitive but not invincible
As always, Waubonsie Valley's Paul Murphy exudes energy and optimism.
"We're going to be very competitive for a conference championship," the veteran coach said.
Join the club. The Warriors stand among a crowd of contenders in the Upstate Eight Conference's final single-division season before absorbing Batavia, Geneva and fledgling Metea Valley.
"I would say that between Bartlett, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie, us and (St. Charles North and East) there's got to be a decent team in there and they're all pretty much the same," Lake Park coach Andy Livingston said.
All should be competitive. None, however, appears invincible.
Waubonsie Valley's forte will be speed. Headed by defensive returners Ricky Simpson, Owen Saldana and Cory Connolly, Murphy stated this is his fastest Warriors team yet. That's saying something.
Offensively, he returns all-area receiver Scott Kuehn, tight end Mark Szott and two starters on the offensive line.
Tied for second in 2008 with St. Charles East at 5-1 behind 6-0 Bartlett, Waubonsie has a deep corps of wideouts and backs, but only Kuehn returns big numbers. Having graduated three-year starting quarterback Tyler Castro, the key to the Warriors' success will be Kenny Clay's development behind center.
St. Charles North also has blazing speed, according to North Stars coach Mark Gould. St. Charles North may have the UEC's preeminent back in Jordan Huxtable, who ran for 892 yards and 12 touchdowns on the North Stars' fourth-place UEC squad last season.
Across town St. Charles East graduated an all-state back in 1,900-yard rusher Wes Allen. If former Geneva assistant Mike Fields can find a suitable replacement, watch out. The Saints start four linemen listed at a minimum of 6-foot-1, 300 pounds.
Lake Park returns all-conference, three-year starters on both sides of the ball - quarterback Larry Nawrot and linebacker Ryan Gerts - but the Lancers had loads of returnees last year and stumbled. A rugged first six games didn't help. This year Neuqua Valley, which returns little from its first non-playoff year since 2001, has the toughest schedule with both St. Charles teams, Bartlett, Waubonsie and improving South Elgin.
South Elgin? Coach Dale Schabert has highly regarded receiver Jake Kumerow and third-year starting linebacker Sean Kolber joined by a junior class that's gone 16-2.
"In almost all sports but especially in football our underlevel coaches said they were one of the best teams we played," St. Charles North's Gould said.
Individual standouts such as Larkin all-conference two-way lineman Cody Schue and Streamwood running back Derrick King are scattered about, but if the above-mentioned teams can't close the deal, watch Bartlett.
The defending UEC champs, who also owned at least a share of the 2001-03 titles, are riding a nine-year playoff streak. Their sole loss came in the Class 8A semifinals against state champion Maine South.
Always physical, Tom Meaney's squad should again menace defensively despite graduating all-state linebacker Kyle Zelinsky to Central Michigan. Bartlett will field three-year starters Jim Crain and Mike Banks and two-year starter Grant Becker at linebacker behind experience on the line. Division I tight end prospect Greg Partyka will make a young offense's growing pains easier to take.
"I think we can win it," Meaney said. "If we get through this first part of the year and learn on the fly a little bit and get kids confidence and experience, I think we can play with anyone."