Aurora Christian eyes a return to playoffs
What a difference a year makes.
Last fall, Aurora Christian's football team had 11 new starters on offense during a 4-5 campaign that resulted in the Eagles not making the state playoffs for the first time in 13 years.
A year later, second-year head coach Dave Beebe has a majority of his offensive and defensive starters back and is looking to make that 4-5 mark a blip in the rearview mirror.
"The last few years we haven't had a lot of kids coming back with playing time," said Beebe. "Now, we have a lot of guys coming back and you can tell the difference. We're encouraged by that."
On the offensive side of the ball, skill-position players Drew Clippert (6-2, 185, Jr., QB), Brock Harner (6-2, 180, Sr., WR), Devan Cros (5-11, 170, Jr., WR), Ryan Burke (6-3, 200, Sr., WR) and Dylan Leschewski (5-7, 155, Sr., WR) are back. Junior Danny Russell (5-8, 180) takes over at running back. Clippert was a second-team all-conference pick as a sophomore.
"We were young last year," said Beebe. "At one point we started six sophomores and a freshman on offense and we took our lumps. What excites us this year is I don't think we are too heavy on running or passing. With the personnel we have we hope to do both. We have some fantastic skill-position players who have experience now. We have a very solid quarterback, a good running game and a good offensive line. We feel very good about our offense."
The Eagles are equally flush with experience on the offensive line with senior Alex Baumgartner (6-1, 255, C) and juniors Allen Bartoszek (6-0, 290, G), Jame Miceli (6-2, 250, T) and Cristian Cervantes (6-2, 285, G) back. The other tackle spot will be manned by the likes of junior Braxton Mayes (6-2, 280) and freshman Denver Warren (6-2, 295).
A lot of the same names return on the defensive side of the ball with Miceli (DE), Bartoszek (DT), Leschewski (OLB), Cervantes (DT), Harner (CB), Cross (FS) and Burke (SS), along with Erik Abrell (6-1, 210, Sr., LB) and Luke Hanson (5-9, 170, Jr., LB).
"We're very excited about the defense as well," said Beebe. "We haven't had this kind of experience in three years. It's makes a huge difference. In the first practice we had over the summer, I leaned over to Don (Beebe, his brother) and said this is very different. He agreed. Having an experienced team is a different animal. You can see it in how they prepare and how they practice. These guys take a lot of pride in their work ethic. They got after it over the summer and in the off-season and you can see the difference. In some cases, guys are coming in 30-40 pounds heavier. We had a fantastic off-season in the weight room and went out and did some fun things together and had some competitions."
This year's captains are Clippert, Cross, Bartoszek, Harner and Abrell.
"The chemistry on this team is fantastic," said Beebe.
Beebe knows his experienced team will be put to the test in the Chicago Catholic League White Division.
"The Chicago Catholic League is a gauntlet," he said. "We have to be very militant every week and make sure we are playing at the highest levels possible. We have to get off to a good start. We have six home games and that will help. Our two nonconference games (Aurora Central Catholic and Chicago Marshall) are must wins. That being said, every game is important. I want to see these kids succeed. They got beat up last year and rightfully so. They were young. Nothing would make me happier than to see these guys succeed on the field this year."
The Eagles play their first four games and five of their first six at home this season.