Football: Vernon Hills preps for Central Suburban challenge

It's like 2000 all over again.

"We've got eight new opponents this year," Vernon Hills coach Bill Bellecomo said. "We haven't had that many since the year we opened (2000), when all of our opponents were new."

Vernon Hills is again the new kid on the block, adding into the Central Suburban North after the dissolution of the North Suburban Conference's Prairie Division at the end of last school year.

"It's kind of fun being in a new conference, but it's also kind of stressful," Bellecomo said. "We don't know a lot about all the new teams we'll be playing."

Bellecomo is hoping his team of veterans won't be unnerved by unfamiliar territory.

Vernon Hills returns nearly 75 percent of its starters from a 2015 campaign that yielded 6 wins and a playoff appearance. To be exact, that's seven starters back on offense and nine starters back on defense.

"And there are a lot of three-year starters in that group," Bellecomo said. "This group of seniors is the group that has always been really good for us. They were 8-1 as freshmen. They beat Stevenson that year. We brought 10 or 11 of them up as sophomores and they started. We've got a lot of talent in that group."

Headlining the group of 3-year starters is Kyle Hull, who has been a standout running back and wide receiver for Vernon Hills the last two years. He is sliding over to quarterback this season, taking over for the prolific Connor McNamara, who passed for more than 5,000 yards over his three-year varsity career, including 2,300-plus in 2015.

"Kyle has prepared to be a quarterback his whole life," Bellecomo said. "He played quarterback in youth football. He's been going to 'Throw It Deep' since sixth grade. We went 8-1 at the freshman level with him as our quarterback.

"He is such a great athlete. He has the instincts of a running back and the arm of a quarterback. His mobility and ability to run with the ball will open things up for us this year."

When Hull takes to the air, he's got a group of tall receivers to target: Jonathan McGuire (6-foot-5), Mekhi McCarthy (6-4) and Chris Mariella (6-2).

"We like the height those three give us," Bellecomo said. "We also have some smaller guys at receiver who are really quick in Nick Marras, Max Lyle, Drew Winegardner and Trey Hommer.

The offensive line will be anchored by three returning starters: Cam Anderson, Nick LaFleur and Chick (Andrew) Smith, who will also start at inside linebacker.

Speaking of defense, it should be a strength for the Cougars.

"We've got everyone back on defense except our two cornerbacks," Bellecomo said. "We've looked great on defense this summer. Most of our guys are three-year starters. There's no more thinking involved for them. They're just flying around and having fun."