Previewing: Glenbard North

While many folks will focus on what Glenbard North's football team no longer has, the Panthers plan to thrive with what remains.

Quarterback Evan Watkins, now at Northwestern, and 1,000-yard rusher Tyler Doll both graduated, but the Panthers still retain key elements of a group planning on a seventh straight playoff appearance while threatening the preseason front-runners in the DuPage Valley Conference.

"After graduating a Big Ten quarterback and a workhorse running back, the expectations may not be as high," said Panthers coach Ryan Wilkens. "From a coaching standpoint, we aren't really looking at it that way."

With good reason.

Four starting offensive linemen return led by tackle Bobby Dunn, who recently committed to the Air Force Academy. The offense - inexperienced nearly everywhere else - will bank on the strength of its front five.

Receiver Mike Carev, a special teams terror, caught 24 passes for 489 yards and 5 touchdowns last year, but beyond Carev the skill players are relative newcomers.

Tom Trafficanti takes over at quarterback, although Carev also has some lower-level experience. Devin Harkins, up as a sophomore, returns 215 rushing yards he earned while Doll was a banged up. Fellow junior Evin Natick will share the carries.

The Panthers return a pair of all-DVC defensive players in cornerback Brandon Salemi and linebacker John Pullia. Half the 10 returning starters are on defense, although the Panthers must rebuild their talented defensive line from last year.

"As experienced as we are on the offensive line," Wilkens said, "we're just as inexperienced on our defensive line."

New faces or familiar ones, though, the expectations remain high for the Panthers.

"I don't know where you'd really put us in terms of the conference race," Wilkens said. "I think we'll be in the mix."