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Football previews 2023: Scouting the CSL

  Shep Ratnow makes a one-handed catch for Vernon Hills last season against Rolling Meadows. He's one of the key returners this season for the Cougars. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com

North Division

Highland Park

Last season: 4-5

Coach: Anthony Kopp

Worth noting: The Giants are getting giant numbers. Highland Park saw an increase of 40 players from last season to this, bringing their total to 115 players in their program. ... The Giants have not been to the playoffs since 2017 and have not won a conference title since 2016 when they tied Glenbrook North. ... The Giants are looking to change that with a solid and experienced group. ... They have six players who will be three-year starters this season. Quarterback David Finfer leads that group. He is joined by linebacker Tyler Gleyzer, offensive linemen Eli Secher and Davis Risko-Juarez, RB/DB Nikko Rosenbloom and WR/DB Nicholas Blumer. ... Other key seniors will be DL/OL Alex Knight, DL/OL Josh Pasternak and LB/RB Hugh Crawford.

Maine East

Last season: 1-8

Coach: Robert Winkel

Worth noting: The Blue Demons return seven starters as they look to improve from last season. ... Adam Awad, who is a senior, returns at quarterback. Awad was very effective last year at both running and passing and should keep the Demon offense moving. ... He will have Timo Kato at the wide receiver spot along with Jaden Whitehead. Thomas Khamo and Tryfone Giolas will be at tight end to give Awad more passing options. Edgar Torres will anchor the offensive line. ... Khamo and Victor Nihey, who are both juniors, will be at linebacker. Giolas will play defensive end while Kato and Whitehead will be at defensive back. All three will be going both ways.

Maine West

Last season: 5-5, lost in opening round of 7A playoffs to St. Charles North

Coach: George Klupchak

Worth noting: After a 4-1 run to close out the regular season, the Warriors were able to earn their way into the state playoffs. And with 14 returning starters, six on offense and eight on defense, Maine West is looking to make a huge step forward this season. ... Tommy Delaney returns at quarterback this season and is poised to have a solid season. He is coming off a year where he completed 61.5% of his passes for 1,251 yards and 11 touchdowns. ... Delaney will have a huge target in 6-foot-2, 195-pound tight end/linebacker Ben Cooper, who has verbally committed to Illinois State. Cooper had 15 receptions for 248 yards and two touchdowns last season. ... He will be joined by returning wide receiver Adam Aboiebied, who had 18 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns along with Ernie Martinez and David Diaz. ... Onell Miller-Smith, who had 224 yards and four touchdowns as a running back last season, will be main threat this year. He will be running behind Lucas Burkett, Erik Zotoiu, Ethan Mattson, Brody Kroschel and Shaun Reeves. ... The Warriors will run a 3-4 defense with Alex Gorbenko, Collin Roback and Kroschel upfront. Cooper will lead the linebacking corps that includes Kyle Ramirez, Frank Norman and Jon Douris. The secondary will be led by Aboiebied and will also feature Max Nistler, Maks Makota and David Diaz.

Niles North

Last season: 2-7

Coach: Andre Ashley

Worth noting: Niles North has not been to the playoffs since 2015. With 11 starters returning this season, the Vikings are hoping to end that streak. ... It will begin at quarterback. C.J. Hood returns to guide the offense. He will be joined by running back Dionisi Ballas and wide receivers Zachary Hemphen, Saym Lakani, Oliver Quiros and Paul Yousef. Tight end Davonne Robinson also returns to give the Vikings continuity in their skill positions. ... Sumair Khan, Arian Alaj and Yousef Noush return to anchor the offensive line. H. Falorin, G. Osselin and Nicholas Aldridge also could see some action at running back. ... Ballas, Robinson, Daveed and Zack Zagorin return at linebacker while Youseff and Hood will be in the defensive backfield.

Niles West

Last season: 3-6

Coach: Nick Torresso

Worth noting: Niles West has not been over .500 or to the playoffs since 2014. They also have not won a conference championship in decades. ... All that could change this season as the Wolves move from the CSL South to the CSL North. Niles West returns 14 players from last season when the team was mainly underclassmen. ... Jason Fowler, who is a 6-foot-5, 240-pound TE/DE, will be a significant force on the field. His twin brother Jayden is also disruptive and had 80 tackles in seven games last season at linebacker. ... John Bae returns at quarterback along with Joey Pantazis, who is a three-year starter at running back. ... They will operate behind a pair of three-year starters on the offensive line in Logan Brandfellner and Aidan Sebastian, who is 6-4 and 285 pounds. Tyler Balderas also returns on the O-line. Aidan Delisi is also back at wide receiver. He will be joined by newcomers Christian Guzman and Andre Budimir. ... The Wolves also have Matei Cotofrea, a three-year starter, returning at defensive back. Maddux Neidermaier (DB), Brayden Kuffel (DE), Leon Zakharia (LB), (DB) along with Delisi (DB) also return on defense along with specialist Basil Tate. ...Newcomers Rylan Sims (Ath), Christian Guzman (WR), Ian Drummond (DB), Alex Hernandez (DT), Andre Budimir (WR) and Chris Rodriguez (DB/RB), give the Wolves some depth.

Vernon Hills

Last season: 3-6

Coach: Bill Bellecomo

Worth noting: The Cougars opened their season a year ag by losing their first six games. They did rebound to win their final three and are hoping to use that as a springboard to this year's campaign. The Cougars return 9 starters from that team, five on offense and four on defense. ... Leading the charge will be Anthony Martorano. The senior running back came on strong in the second half of last season with his ability to run and catch the ball. He will also return at strong safety. ... Martorano, along with Jack Gutowski and Giuseppe Urso, will be able to operate behind a trio of returning offensive linemen in Jackson Gurvis, Leo Peszek and Damian Almanza. Levi Williams, Shane Blumberg and Brady Dechter will also be in the mix upfront. ... Holden Smith will step in at quarterback. He will have a returning Shep Ratnow as his main threat at wide receiver. ... Urso (LB) along with Gurvis (NT) and Almanza (DL) will be the other returnees on defense. They should see help from Jaewook Lee (DL) and Lucas Tyderek (LB) along with Williams (DL), Blumberg (DL) and Dechter (DL).

Five players worth watching

Ben Cooper. LB, Maine West — Committed to Illinois State

Tommy Delaney, QB, Maine West — Threw for 1,251 yards and 11 TDs last year

David Finfer, QB, Highland Park — Three-year starter

Jason Fowler, TE/DE, Niles West — Offer from Illinois State

Anthony Martorano, RB, Vernon Hills — Multi-position player with great speed

Five games worth seeing

Week 2: Deerfield at Highland Park, Week 3: Buffalo Grove at Vernon Hills. Week 5: Maine West at Highland Park. Week 7: Highland Park at Niles West. Week 8: Niles West at Maine West

South Division

Deerfield

Last season: 6-4, lost in opening round of 6A playoffs to St. Ignatius

Coach: Steve Winiecki

Worth noting: The Warriors won the CSL North the past two seasons. They have now moved to the CSL South where Deerfield will have the smallest enrollment in conference. ... But that does not mean that Warriors will not be able to compete and compete well. They returned 15 starters from last season. It will be a junior-dominated squad, but many of those played last season. ... The key returning juniors are Jack Berger (TE), Mac Jones (QB), Zach Friedman (WR), Hunter Glasgow (WR) and Quinn Schimanski, who will move from linebacker to running back this year. All five have begun to garner some college interest. ... Other returning juniors are Mason Venamore (LB), Nate Margulis (LB), Jonah Belden (LB) and Harrison Erdman (DB). Key seniors are Drew Herzber, who was an all-conference linebacker last year and Aral Sezgun, who returns to guide the offensive line. ... Deerfield opens the season by hosting DePaul Academy, which is the old Gordon Tech. That's where Winiecki played when he was in high school and where his father, the legendary Tom Winiecki, coached.

Evanston

Last season: 4-5
Coach: Mike Burzawa

Worth noting: The Wildkits will be looking to bounce back after missing the playoffs last season. They will try to reach that goal with eight returning starters. ... That group includes wide receiver Keron Pryor, who has an offer from Valparaiso. Running back Demarion Timberlake also returns along with Yohanness Jean-Francoi, who will see some time at running back and linebacker. ... Destiny Ekwebelan and Declan Boutross return to help button down the offensive line while Emmett Robinson will be at wide receiver and TE/LB Ezequiel Delgado will be other options in the offense. ... Junior quarterback Collin Livatino and sophomore RB/DB Mike Pryor will also be key contributors ... Returning defensive back Jace Meeks should key the defense. ... Returning lettermen Luke Van O'Vermeiran (S), Brandon Rosemond (DB), Jake Broy (DL), Will Gatchell (OL), Thomas Jackson (DL), Isaac Israelite (WR/TE), Jacques Phillippe (WR/DB) and Cajmere Lemond (WR) should also be major contributors.

Glenbrook North

Last season: 4-5

Coach: Matt Purdy

Worth noting: Glenbrook North is looking to change its fortunes this season. The Spartans have not been to the playoffs since 2018, but with nine solid players returning this season, this is a solid hope. Northwestern-commit Patrick Schaller, who will double at tight end and linebacker, will be fun to watch. ... Also keep an eye on DE/OL Landon Lauter and look for FS/WR/QB Jack Philbin. Both have received D-1 interest. ... Ryan Lee will be at tailback for Glenbrook North. He will run behind returning offensive linemen Matthew Gasior, Matthew Coughlin and Lauter along with 6-foot-6, 270-pound junior offensive tackle Sam Palch. ... Graham Gottschild and Rocco Marquez will be at wide receiver and defensive back, while Maclean Mulvihill will also play some wide receiver and linebacker.

Glenbrook South

Last season: 10-1, lost to Glenbard West in 2nd round 8A playoffs

Coach: David Schoenwetter

Worth noting: Glenbrook South won the CSL South football title last year. But the Titans have just five starters returning and will have to grow up fast to retain that title. ... Those starters all are on the defensive side. Jake Rueckert (DE), Patrick Benedict, (DE), Nate Canning (LB), Tyrone Cotton (LB) and Dom Reikiewicz (LB) all return to a team that allowed 17 points per game. ... Benedict, who played offensive tackle last season, is the only returning player on that side of the ball. He will be blanked on the other side of the line by Ben Fish. ... Alan Motoa, who is a junior, will start at quarterback while Joshua Sherman will be at wide receiver.

Maine South

Last season: 0-12

Coach: Dave Inserra

Worth noting: Maine South was forced to forfeit all of its games, including the state playoffs, from last season due to the use of an ineligible player. Thus, last season becomes just the second time in the last 22 years that the Hawks did not win the CSL South. ... They will get an opportunity to turn the tables around this season as the Hawks return three of their top weapons from last year. Jack Defilippis, who played most of the season and completed 106 passes for 1,410 yards and 16 touchdowns and ran for four others, returns to the helm for the Hawks. Running back Michael Dellumo rushed 130 times for 720 yards and seven touchdowns and had 26 receptions for 310 yards and four touchdowns and also is back. So is wide receiver Evan Agosto who had 35 receptions for 560 yards and four touchdowns. ... Julian Turner and Nick Wong will also be a wide receiver while Derek Koziol will be at tight end. ... Zak Stoilov, who has five D-1 offers, returns to anchor the offensive line with Eddie Daze, Mikey Santoro, Matt Dabisch and Luke Pedersen. ... Jakub Kieta and Tommy Behzad will return on the defensive line along with Leo McDonald. ... The linebacking corps will be all new with Clark Simpson, Alex Cenich, Mike Mizwicki and Logan Tomlinson. Sam Cooper, who was the third leading tackler last season, returns at free safety. He will be joined in the defensive backfield by Jack Van Roeyen, Brendan Owens and Agosto. ... Kicker/punter Ethan Stumpf is a D-1 kicking prospect.

New Trier

Last season: 5-4

Coach: Brian Doll

Worth noting: After an 0-3 start, the Trevians made a strong run at the end of the season but just missed the playoffs. That was a rarity for New Trier, which has qualified for the playoffs 24 times in the last 27 playoff seasons. ... New Trier will use that as fire this season when they return 16 starters with 9 back on defense and 7 back on offense. ... The defense will be keyed by its line, which is all returning. Liam Fitzgerald (DL), who committed to Brown, along with Jayden Salazer (DL), Charlie Gardela (DE) and Franklin Zoloto (DE) are all seniors. Aidan Corboy (LB), who is a senior, and Colton Berg (LB), who is the only junior, are also back along with senior defensive backs Miles Cremascoli, Jackson McCarey and Elliott Hirschle. ... Frank Yokuhana, John McGurk and Owen Chung are back on the offensive line. They will block for junior quarterback Patrick Heneghan and McCarey, who will be the featured running back. Cremascoli and Trey Meyers should be dangerous again this season at wide receiver. ... Punter/kicker Nikola Dugandzic, who has an offer to play at Connecticut next season, also returns.

Five players worth watching

Evan Agosto, WR, Maine South — Three-year starter

Liam Fitzgerald, DL, New Trier — Committed to Brown

Patrick Schaller, TE, Glenbrook North — Northwestern

Quinn Schimanski, RB/LB, Deerfield: Drawing lots of interest

Zak Stoilov, OL, Maine South — 5 D-1 offers including Cincinnati

Five games worth seeing

Week 1: DePaul Prep at Deerfield. Week 1: New Trier at Hersey. Week 1: Brother Rice at Maine South. Week 5: Maine South at New Trier. Week 6: New Trier at Evanston.

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