Libertyville spreads the QB duties around
Your turn, Anthony.
Riley, your turn.
Go, Anthony.
Riley, go.
Every high school football season there seems to be at least one team that alternates quarterbacks during games. Libertyville is one of those squads this season. So far, anyway.
Anthony Monken earned the start behind center for the Wildcats in their season opener last Friday night against visiting Palatine. Monken, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound senior and the son of former Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken, started strong, driving Libertyville from its own 15 to the Palatine 31. But the opening-quarter drive stalled after three straight incompletions, one of which sailed through a receiver’s hands.
Riley Lees then quarterbacked the Wildcats on their next possession. When the hosts got the ball back, Monken was back in at QB.
The rotation took place the entire game.
Monken finished the game 8 of 20 for 52 yards and 1 interception, as Palatine won 25-7. Lees finished 1 of 4, with his lone completion covering 6 yards. The athletic sophomore (6-0, 170) also rushed for 17 yards on 9 carries. Monken had a rush for 9 yards.
“They both showed certain things,” said coach Mike Jones, whose Wildcats graduated quarterback Jack Deichl, who was a two-year starter and an all-area selection last year and is now playing at Wisconsin-Whitewater. “I don’t know if anyone definitely separated themselves, but they both have their strengths and we’ll see how this week shakes out.”
Big arm, big leg: Libertyville senior Anthony Monken showed off more than a strong arm in his first varsity start at quarterback last Friday night against Palatine.
Monken boomed a 73-yard punt in the fourth quarter. The ball bounced around the Palatine 25 and kept kicking forward, before dying at the 1.
Monken punted seven times for an impressive 39.3 average.
Mundelein’s payoff: Mundelein’s season-opening 29-22 victory over visiting Wheeling on Saturday night snapped the Mustangs’ 18-game losing streak. The program has been to the state playoffs only twice, the last time being in 2004, and has never won a postseason game.
The Mustangs headed into this season having endured back-to-back winless campaigns.
That made Saturday’s triumph particularly special.
“This is the biggest win in the school’s history,” second-year coach George Kaider said. “The expectations are higher than ever. There are a lot of naysayers. There were a lot of people who doubted what we were doing. A lot of kids quit on us. There were a lot of kids who didn’t want to be part of it because they didn’t really believe or they didn’t want to work hard.
“Through our effort — and not leaving any stone unturned the last 10 months — we were able to win this game. But it took every bit of effort. It wasn’t just something that we won this week. It’s been a 10-month process.”
No Ordinary Joe: A familiar face is no longer be on Lake Zurich’s sideline, as longtime coach and educator Joe Kedzior retired last winter. Kedzior coached for more than 40 years.
“He was a key part, and we’re going to miss him,” Lake Zurich head coach David Proffitt said. “You don’t replace a guy like Joe. Other guys just got to step in and pick up the slack. He felt it was time and — God knows — after 40 years, he certainly earned that.”