Harper preps for talented Chaps
All indications make it sound as if the Harper College offense and standout quarterback Garrett Barnas are in for a tough test at 1 p.m. Saturday at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn.
The Hawks (3-0, 2-0), who are the highest-ranked non-scholarship school at No. 12 in the latest NJCAA/JC Football.com national poll, face a COD (2-1, 2-1) team in a Midwest Football Conference East Division game. The Chaparrals have allowed only 49 total points, and that includes a 23-17 overtime loss to Joliet.
"They're talented and a very good football team," said Harper coach Dragan Teonic. "I'm really excited about this football game.
"(COD coach Fred) Fimbres feels he has eight Division I players on defense (3 tackles and 5 linebackers). When you hear that it always perks up your ears a little bit. They could very easily be 3-0."
COD quarterback Jon Daniels is a multiple threat with 381 yards passing, a touchdown and 2 interceptions and 146 yards rushing and 3 TDs. His top targets are Terriun Crump (9 catches, 188 yards, 2 TDs) and Brandon Venson (12 catches, 111 yards).
"This kid finds a way to make plays," Teonic said of Daniels.
But Harper's defense continued to keep opposing offenses from making them in Sunday night's 44-21 victory over the North Central College JV in Naperville. The first team didn't allow a point en route to a 37-0 lead.
Barnas threw TD passes of 6 yards to Charles Davis and 14 yards to John Baldwin in less than two quarters. Ryan Fillingim kicked 3 field goals and Senica Jackson had a first-half TD run.
"Offensively and defensively the first team were hitting on all cylinders," Teonic said. "A lot of second- and third-team guys competed really well."
Backup quarterback Matt Brandt threw a 36-yard TD pass to Eric Watts and running back Mark Franklin scored on a 5-yard run. Teonic also liked the play of running back Deshon Ford, fullback Jim Grego (Buffalo Grove), tight end Willie White, offensive lineman Charles Rynertson, linebackers Mike Brown and Ryan Hourigan (Palatine) and defensive backs Loran Hewlett and Jake Powell (Round Lake).
And there was no letdown even though last weekend's heavy rains forced the game time and site to be changed.
"The kids really responded well to that," Teonic said. "They really did a good job of being flexible to the situation and dealing with changes like that."
Volleying along: Dropping from fourth to fifth in the NJCAA Division III volleyball rankings didn't bother Harper coach Bob Vilsoet.
"I'm not real concerned with the ranking," Vilsoet said. "It's (third-ranked N4C rival) Rock Valley I'm concerned about."
Vilsoet hasn't seen much cause for concern in Harper's 15-4 start which is the best in his seven-year tenure. The Hawks went 2-2 and finished third in the College of Lake County tournament last weekend as Nikki Maize (Elk Grove) had 116 assists and 43 digs and Anie Fitzpatrick (Elk Grove) had 39 kills and 9 blocks to earn all-tourney honors.
Maize is leading the nation in assists (473) and assists per game (9.85) and Fitzpatrick has 160 kills with a 27.5 percent hitting efficiency.
"Anie in practice every day gets better at setting and passing and hitting. She has a huge ceiling," Vilsoet said. "I don't know if we can get more out of Nikki."
Vilsoet has also been happy with the play of Maize's sister Megan and returning All-American hitter Christy Lima (123 kills). Vilsoet called the play of Kamila Lakoma (Grayslake) "a major-league positive surprise."
Harper hosts Moraine Valley at 6 p.m. today and is at the Illinois Valley Community College tournament Saturday.
Kicking into the win column: The men's and women's soccer teams picked up their first victories.
A hat trick by Mike Marks (Conant) led the men to a 4-1 win over Kankakee and a 1-4 record. Daniel Gomero (Hoffman Estates) scored the other goal and Todor Stefanou, Mykeh Sehk and Louis Vargas notched assists.
The Harper women improved to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the N4C with a 5-0 win over Triton.
Running reward: Irene Valladares' record-setting run in the Hawk Invite cross country meet resulted in the Buffalo Grove product receiving the runner of the week for Sept. 6 by Hill N Dale, which does national junior college rankings. Valladares set a school mark with a 13:34 for two miles.
Black back in town: Former Harper star linebacker Quincy Black is back in town this weekend with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they play the Bears in their home opener at Soldier Field. Black has played in both of the Buccaneers games and has 1 tackle.