Most Valuable Player
Players of the Week
Week 1 Offensive MVP
Evin Natick
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound junior running back had a breakout game during Glenbard North’s 33-21 nonconference victory at Oak Park. Natick played the role of workhorse by carrying the ball 40 times for 256 yards and touchdown runs of 1, 2 and 6 yards. Natick also caught 2 passes for 98 yards.
Runner-up
Nick Meyer
The junior had a pretty complete game in leading Elk Grove to a 39-7 win at Niles North. Meyer was 20-for-24 passing for 379 yards and 3 touchdowns, rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown and helped the Grenadiers allow only 151 yards in their largest margin of victory since 2004.
Runner-up
Jordan Torres
This senior fullback led the Green Wave to a 32-6 victory against visiting Hampshire by rushing for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns in only 9 attempts. Torres, a third-year varsity performer, opened the scoring with an 87-yard touchdown run on a second-quarter dive play up the middle. He later added scoring jaunts of 52 and 3 yards.
Runner-up
Andrew Tubek
The 5-foot-6 senior running back had a gigantic first half in the Eagles’ 55-0 season-opening win over Chicago Perspectives Charter-Calumet. Tubek rushed 11 times for 177 yards and 3 touchdowns in just two quarters of football, as the Eagles cruised to the most-lopsided win in their five-year history.
Runner-up
Leon Spears
The 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior running back was off and running in the Blackhawks’ 40-12 opening win over East Aurora. Spears required 14 seconds to get on the board, returning the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. He then ran for touchdowns of 50 and 23 yards. Spears carried the ball only 5 times, but gained 104 yards for an average of 20.8 yards per carry.
Week 1 Defensive MVP
Tyler Juckett
The junior linebacker was on the ball as Buffalo Grove earned its first shutout since 2006 with a 26-0 win at Mundelein. Juckett had an interception and recovered 2 fumbles and had 6 solo tackles.
Runner-up
Jeff Schmittgens
Schmittgens helped lead the Redwings to a 21-6 nonconference victory at Oswego East. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior defensive lineman recovered a blocked punt in the end zone to give Benet its second touchdown. Schmittgens, who had 2 tackles for loss, later recovered a fumble that led to the team’s third score.
Runner-up
Sean Kolber
A 6-foot-3, 215-pound middle linebacker, this senior began his third varsity season by leading the Storm with 9½ tackles in a 24-14 victory over visiting Marmion, the first opening-day victory in the program’s four-year existence.
Runner-up
E.J. Lannan
The Cougars got the offense going in their season opener by turning up the defense. It was no surprise that Lannan did the honors. The returning all-area linebacker returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown, accounting for the Cougars’ first points in their 42-12 win over Niles West.
Runner-up
Dean Griffing
The 6-foot-2, 188-pound senior defensive end headed the Eagles’ history-making 47-0 win over DuSable. Griffing’s 6 tackles included a program-record 4.5 sacks. Recording nearly half of Aurora Christian’s 10 sacks, Griffing helped hold DuSable to minus-64 total yards and minus-90 yards rushing, now ranking Aurora Christian Nos. 1 and 4, respectively, in IHSA records.
