Geneva offense could be a force as Vikings go for eighth conference title

Forget Dec. 25. Geneva football coach Rob Wicinski has his own favorite date circled on the calendar.

“The greatest time of the year — the start of football,” Wicinski said as his Vikings — and the rest of high school football teams throughout Illinois — opened practice Wednesday.

Teams can put on the pads for the first time Saturday, and after that there is less than two weeks until opening night Aug. 26.

Geneva has the area’s most impressive streak going with seven straight conference championships. The Vikings have a dynamic player to build around as they go for No. 8 with senior quarterback Matt Williams, already committed to Northern Illinois.

Marmion might not have that kind of streak but the Cadets will have a target on their backs after a breakthrough year in 2010 that culminated with a trip to the Class 6A state championship game. Marmion lost 48-19 to Rockford Boylan to finish the best season in school history at 12-2.

Kaneland was on the Cadets’ heels last year, going 12-1 and reaching the Class 5A semifinals. Coach Tom Fedderly’s team needs to replace quarterback Joe Camiliere, a three-year starter and last year’s Daily Herald All-Area Captain.

Kaneland grad Don Beebe is back for his eighth year coaching Aurora Christian, and the team is led by Western Michigan-bound senior quarterback Anthony Maddie.

For the first time since the St. Charles schools split, neither St. Charles East nor St. Charles North made the playoffs last year. Coaches Mike Fields and Mark Gould would like to get their teams back into the postseason this fall, though both are going to have to rely on plenty of new faces to get there.

Batavia and West Aurora welcome new coaches. For more on the Bulldogs’ Dennis Piron and the Blackhawks’ Nate Eimer and the start of football, see Sports.