South Elgin has some weapons
The buzz surrounding South Elgin football is growing louder.
Upstate Eight Conference football coaches were virtually unanimous this month in saying the Storm should be one of the most improved teams in the league.
After finishing a combined 6-21 in its first three seasons of varsity competition, including back-to-back 3-6 finishes the past two years, the maturing South Elgin program looks poised for a breakout with the influx of a talented junior class that went a combined 16-2 at the lower levels.
"I feel good about where we are," said fourth-year Storm coach Dale Schabert, whose program includes over 200 football players, 65 on the varsity. "We're getting a lot of stuff done. The kids are serious, and there's no goofing around on the practice field. I'm excited."
South Elgin allowed 27.7 points per game in 2008, a total bound to decrease thanks to a defense fortified by many of those juniors. A particular strength will be the linebacker position. The leader of that unit is third-year varsity starter Sean Kolber (6-3, 215), a senior. He was the team's leading tackler as a sophomore but missed three games last season due to injury.
Kolber will be flanked by athletic juniors Justin Wright (5-11, 200), Brandon Vonsaga (5-9, 195) and Jake Randich (5-11, 225).
Linemen Derek Hurschman (6-0, 185) and Andre York (5-8, 180) should help the Storm defense lessen the 212 yards rushing it allowed per game in 2008.
Senior cornerback Mike Oskorep (5-9, 160) and junior corner Robbie Green (5-6, 140) are athletic and possess above-average leaping ability. Junior safety Domico Failla (6-4, 185) has the height to pick off passes in traffic and improve South Elgin's turnover differential of minus-5 last year.
"We'll be much improved on defense," Schabert said. "We have 11 guys who can get after it and fly to the ball. We'll be really active and dynamic. It's a spirited group."
Offensively, Schabert said junior quarterback John Menken (6-2, 185) has the potential to be an all-conference caliber signal caller.
Menken has the luxury of throwing to a tall, physical collection of wide receivers, led by returning senior wide receiver Jake Kumerow (6-4, 180), upon whom Schabert heaps piles of superlatives. Kumerow returns with improved speed to go with great hands and is an excellent route runner, his coach said. He caught 13 passes for 262 yards and 2 touchdowns a year ago.
Failla will also line up at receiver, giving Menken bookend 6-foot-4 targets. Hurschman and Ken Lowdon (6-3, 180) are also in the receiving mix. Do-everything senior leader Sean McGinn (6-0, 180) will snare his share of passes at tight end.
The Storm's top two rushers return. Senior fullback Trevor Hansley (6-0, 165) rushed for 347 yards and 2 touchdowns in 71 attempts (4.9 avg.). Junior tailback Brad Birchfield (5-10, 180) gained 256 yards and scored 1 touchdown in 59 attempts as a sophomore (4.3 avg.). Senior Desmond Perry (6-0, 165) will see carries at tailback and Randich will spend sub in at fullback.
The offensive line will be led by senior center Jack Viverito (6-2, 200). A slew of juniors populate the rest of the line positions.
Another offensive weapon will be sophomore kicker David Reisner (6-0, 175), whose range extends to 50 yards and can put the ball in the end zone on kickoffs.
Schabert - back in full health following off-season procedures to eliminate the kidney stone problems that forced him to miss a game in Week 3 last year - is as optimistic about his team as he has been about any in a decade.
"It's a nice group of kids, physical hard hitters," he said. "We have the potential to take some important steps forward as a program."