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Football: Hard-hitting Wauconda has high hopes

Since his promotion to the varsity football team late in his freshman year, Tyler Stankiewicz has learned from some of the best players Wauconda has produced in recent years.

Now the senior linebacker/running back hopes to do what players such as Connor Mitchell, Grant Rodgers and Kevin Malisheski were never fortunate enough to experience: play postseason ball in back-to-back seasons.

In fact, only once - in 1991 and 1992 under head coach Bob Kasper - has Wauconda qualified for the state playoffs in consecutive years.

"We got a young team, but we got a lot of heart on our team," said Stankiewicz, a 5-foot-11, 200-pounder who has been an impact player the last two years. "We just got to have a lot of leadership. We got it. It's just going to take time because we lost a lot of good seniors from last year."

Linebackers Mitchell, an Air Force recruit, and Rodgers and quarterback Malisheski, who's pitching in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, were all three-year varsity players.

The trio helped Wauconda go 5-4 last season before a first-round playoff loss to state powerhouse Montini.

"We had some impact players who had been in the program for a lot of years," said coach Dave Mills, whose Bulldogs have been to the playoffs twice in his seven seasons. "Now we're hoping that our young kids, the heir apparents, are doing a lot of things that Grant and Connor and those guys learned to do. Their junior years were fantastic, and their senior years were even better."

Stankiewicz and senior running back Jacob Bicknase are both coming off all-conference campaigns. They return in the offensive backfield along with Andry Nevski. Collectively, the trio rushed for around 1,200 yards last season.

"That's our strength," Mills said. "Each took turns having great games. (Bicknase) had a great game against Antioch, Tyler had a great game against Grant, and Nevski had a real nice game against Richmond-Burton to start out the year. Then it was by committee. We expect to do the same with them this year."

Lefty-throwing senior Antonio Acosta takes over at quarterback after playing some wide receiver and cornerback last year. After Malisheski tore his ACL against Montini, Acosta took over at QB and played the second half.

The Bulldogs will continue running a spread option.

"He is the fastest kid I've ever seen," senior linebacker Alex Machon said of Acosta. "And in the weight room, he's phenomenal. Fantastic athlete."

"I'm not saying he's a (Riley) Lees or anything like that, but he runs well," said Mills, referencing Libertyville's former all-state QB. "And for a 190-pound kid, he's a load."

Junior Andre Saccameno will back up Acosta and could see the field too.

"They're both good runners," Mills said. "They both have good arms."

Spencer Bills and Billy Kerbs each got snaps at wide receiver last year. Kyle Drobnik, a basketball player and good leaper, fortifies the receiving group after not playing his junior season.

Robert Gerling returns at center. Tyler Klipp, another senior, started against Stevenson last year. Nick Lopez, Chris Carlson, Tristan Kraft and Michael Turzynski are in the O-line mix as well.

The defensive line features Turzynski, Brett Huizinga and twins Andrew and Matthew Nolan.

Stankiewicz and Machon (honorable mention all-conference last year) provide experience at linebacker. A more-muscular Kenyon Rejczyk moves from safety to linebacker. Hendry Nevski (Andry's twin) also plays linebacker.

The new-look secondary includes free safety Orlando Hernandez and corners Kyle Pones and Kyle Meyer.

"We got a good D-line," Stankiewicz said. "All the linebackers are seniors, so that's good. We know what to do. Our corners are stacked, and our safeties are all good. We're looking like a well-rounded team."

"We've been a real fast team so far (in practice)," Machon said. "Quick. Exciting. Energy. All that good stuff."

  Running back Jacob Bicknase runs through the line during football practice at Wauconda. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Wide receiver Billy Kerbs goes up to make a catch during football practice at Wauconda. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Running back Tyler Stankiewicz runs with the ball during football practice at Wauconda. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Coach Dave Mills talks to his players as points out techniques during football practice at Wauconda. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
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