Scouting the St. Francis Spartans
When a team returns five starters the preseason outlook can be mixed.
St. Francis' strength, according to Spartans coach Greg Purnell?
"A lot of new faces," Purnell said.
Its weakness? "A lot of new faces."
Rest assured the effervescent 63-year-old will maximize this team's abilities. He has since arriving in 2007, a term that includes the 2008 Class 5A title.
St. Francis graduated quality players such as All-Area two-way starter Tony Vargyas, but the slim number of returning starters is a good one.
Quarterback Colin O'Donnell knows how to execute Purnell's double-wing misdirection offense. O'Donnell ran for 310 yards and 4 touchdowns last season, and Purnell believes the senior's arm is improved after he completed 56 percent of his passes for 541 yards, 6 touchdowns and just 1 interception.
Returning back Bobby Miller ran for 729 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. Defensively, the Spartans bring back three-year starting lineman Nick Pfeiffer and defensive lineman Jack Porter. Place-kicker Matt Krese converted a nearly automatic 39 of 41 extra points.
Purnell rattled off a bunch of others who have stepped up on both sides of the football.
Seniors Ben Trimble, Mike Yanan, Mike Stolte and center Kevin Walsh; juniors Tom Ameche, Jeff Rutkowski and Nick Donati.
Sophomore lineman Kyle Bosch has attracted attention, much of it due to being listed at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds.
Purnell emphasizes that Bosch has yet to take a varsity snap. St. Francis' success will depend on how similarly inexperienced players develop.
"This is a great challenge for these kids and these coaches," Purnell said. "St. Francis has never been to three playoffs in a row in school history, and that is our team goal right now, to win the opener (against Riverside-Brookfield) and get in the playoffs. But you do that by improving every day."
The breakdown
Coach: Greg Purnell.
2009 record: 7-3, 2-2, third in the Suburban Christian Conference Blue.
Top players: Tom Ameche (OL, 5-10, 200, jr.), Kyle Bosch (OL-DL, 6-5, 260, so.), Nick Donati (DB, 6-1, 170, jr.), Matt Krese (K, 6-6-, 200, sr.), Bobby Miller (RB, 6-2, 210, sr.), Colin O'Donnell (QB, 5-9, 155, sr.), Nick Pfeiffer (DL, 6-1, 225, sr.), Jack Porter (DL, 6-4, 220, sr.), Jeff Rutkowski (RB-DB, 5-8, 165, jr.), Mike Stolte (OL-DL, 6-4, 240, sr.), Ben Trimble (RB-LB, 5-7, 185, sr.), Kevin Walsh (OL, 6-0, 210, sr.), Mike Yanan (WR-DB, 6-3, 190, sr.).