Scouting St. Charles East at Carmel
St. Charles East at Carmel
Game time: 7:30 p.m. today.
Last year: Did not play.
Outlook: Now that St. Charles East and Geneva are in the Upstate Eight Conference together, the Saints needed a fresh opponent to start their season. Enter Carmel out of Mundelein which, if it's any indication toward the Corsairs' power, went 7-3 last season and tied Joliet Catholic atop the East Suburban Catholic Conference. Carmel coach Andy Bitto is 104-37 in his 12 years on the job, including the 2003 Class 6A state title. Carmel enters the season ranked No. 8 in The Associated Press' preseason Class 7A poll. "I don't give the kids a break here, I know they're on everyone's top 25," said St. Charles East coach Mike Fields, who remembers Carmel playing hard-hitting, fundamentally sound football in 2004 and 2008 playoff appearances while he was still assisting Rob Wicinski at Geneva. The high regard accorded Carmel this season is due in large part because it returns the team's leading rusher last season, junior Jordan Kos (151 carries, 919 yards, 10 touchdowns); its quarterback, senior Brian Serio (661 yards and 6 touchdowns passing, 352 yards and 1 touchdown rushing); and its second-leading tackler in 2009, 6-foot-2 linebacker Luke Venegoni (35 solo, 35 assists, 2 sacks). The Corsairs are also reasonably disciplined, having committed only 39 penalties last season, and the triple-option offense outgained opponents 2,544 yards to 1,406 on the ground. This, of course, is troubling to a coach like Fields, who graduated 29 seniors from last year's 7-3 team, especially one whose strength was a bunch of bruisers on the defensive side of the ball. A couple of them do return, such as linebackers David Lyon and Mike Caddy (24 tackles). "If we're going to play them I guess this is a good week to play them," Fields said, "because we're teaching our kids sound defensive skills to go with our schemes." This is also where the Saints' offensive speed, typified by track sprinter and new running back Mike Brown and experienced running back-receiver Zach Zajicek (111 carries, 681 yards, 4 touchdowns; 4 catches, 63 yards) can mesh with junior quarterback Charlie Fisher and a basically fresh offensive line to get to know one another before the rigors of the Upstate Eight. "It's going to be a learning experience for us," Fields said.
Next week: Carmel at Libertyville, Sept. 3; Naperville North at St. Charles East, Sept. 3.