Scouting the Hinsdale South Hornets
Last year Hinsdale South's football teams tried to overpower teams with its size.
This season the Hornets plan an opposite approach.
"We're a lot smaller this year, but we're also much more athletic," said Hornets coach Alex Bitto. "I think that will allow us to do a lot more on offense and defense."
As always depth is an issue with Hinsdale South's thin roster of 45 players. And with only three starters returning on each side of the ball, the Hornets need every one of them to step up.
Offensive and defensive lineman Dan Collins is a cornerstone of the team and one of a handful of two-way starters. The Hornets won't shift much from their run-first mentality, a focus that depends on a pair of junior running backs in Kylen Williams and Keontae Hall.
Quarterback Jackson Panice, however, gives Hinsdale South more of a passing threat than it's had in the past few years. The senior saw limited action late last season, and has an experienced receiver in Nick Sarocco, who snared a pair of touchdown catches last year.
"Jackson can really throw it," Bitto said. "If defenses commit to the run, like they've been able to do with us in the past, we'll be able to throw it a little bit with him and our receivers."
Linebacker Carl Lightfoot, safety Ryan Johnson and cornerback Manny Gutierrez return as defensive starters to a unit that, like the offense, relies on quickness instead of power. Bitto hopes that's the cure to the woes of last year when opposing offenses scoring 26 points a game against the Hornets.
Injuries remain the key to Hinsdale South's entire season. If the Hornets stay healthy, they'll enjoy much more success than a year ago.
"We're vulnerable if we get some guys hurt, but that's been the case every year for us," Bitto said. "If we stay healthy I think we'll be able to move the ball better than last year and we'll do a better job stopping teams on defense."
The breakdown
Coach: Alex Bitto (fourth year, 7-20).
2009 record: 2-7, 2-4, tied for fifth in West Suburban Gold.
Top players: Keith Reidy (TE, 6-5, 225, sr.); Dan Collins (OL-DL, 6-2, 215, sr.); Carl Lightfoot (LB, 6-1, 175, sr.); Nick Sarocco (WR, 6-0, 160, sr.); Ryan Johnson (S-WR, 5-10, 150, sr.); Manny Gutierrez (CB, 6-1, 145, sr.); D.J. King (CB-WR, 6-0, 170, jr.); Jackson Panice (QB, 5-11, 145, sr.); Antoine Davis (DL, 5-7, 160, sr.); Kyle Urbanski (RB-LB, 5-10, 205, sr.); Bryson Pitts (OL, 6-3, 270, sr.); Michael Cross (DB, 6-1, 200, jr.); Kylen Williams (RB, 5-5, 160, jr.); Keontae Hall (RB, 5-9, 180, jr.).