Football: Northwest all-area team
David Baureis Hoffman Estates
Baureis was the leader of the Hawk defense that was the strength of the team. Baureis, who was a two-year starter, accounted for 86 tackles including 38 solo tackles this season along with 4 sacks and 2 interceptions. He also played some tight end where he caught a touchdown pass. “David is one of the most discipline kids I have ever coached,” coach Mike Donatucci said. “He is very instinctive and a great team leader.”
Mike Bishoff Elk Grove
Teams always had to know where Bishoff was because he was so dangerous on both sides of the ball. On offense he had 60 receptions for 752 yards and 3 touchdowns. At linebacker, Bishoff, who has verbally committed to Western Illinois, was responsible for 71 tackles, including 6 for a loss. “Mike is a tremendous athlete and has multiple offers to play at the collegiate level,” coach Larry Calhoun said. “He is a tough downhill player with the ability to cover sideline to sideline. In addition to his role on defense, he was an extremely valuable possession receiver.”
Isaac Branch Wheeling
Branch, who is only a junior, gained 20 pounds after playing on the varsity as a sophomore. The weight gain helped as he had a breakout year for the Wildcats, rushing for 991 yards with 5.7 yards per carry and scoring 8 touchdowns. “He got better and better each week,” coach Brent Pearlman said. “I really look forward to seeing what he can do for us next season.”
Grant Burke Hersey
The defensive player of the year in the MSL East had season to remember. A three-year starter, Burke had 70 tackles, 40 assists, 16 Tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 TD on a fumble recovery. “He has been a three-year starter and our most dominant football player over that time frame,” coach Dragan Teonic said. “Grant has an incredible knack for getting to the football and his instinct is second to none.”
Bobby Calmeyn St. Viator
Calmeyn was one of the main reasons the Lions have been able to turn their program around these past two years, as he's excelled at quarterback. This season he completed 60 percent of his passes (186-of-313) for 2,215 yards and 23 touchdowns. “If Bobby wasn't our signal caller, we simply do not experience the amount of success that we did these past two years,” St. Viator coach Brandon New said. “He is a true leader.”
Eddie Cardenas Rolling Meadows
One of the top defensive players in the MSL East, Cardenas had 45 solos and 38 assists for a total of 83 tackles. He also had knack for making big plays, finishing with 10 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. “Eddie put amazing pressure on opposing offenses with his aggressive, physical style of play,” coach Matt Mishler said. “He was a leader on our defense.”
Matt Campbell Rolling Meadows
Campbell was the go-to guy in the Mustangs offense. He snared 49 passes for 750 yards and had 14 touchdowns to tie a school record. On defense Campbell had had 39 tackles, 1 sack and 2 interceptions, 1 of which he returned for a 90-yard TD. “Matt is one of the finest receivers to ever come through Rolling Meadows High School,”coach Matt Mishler said. “He had unique knack for getting to the football.”
Jake Coon Barrington
Only a junior, Coon showed tremendous ability as an inside linebacker. He had 126 total tackles with 8 for loss. He forced 2 fumbles, had 3 interceptions and a quarterback sack. “Jake Coon is like having another coach on the field,” coach Joe Sanchez said. “His intelligence and understanding of the game combined with his athletic ability and work ethic is what makes him fun to watch.”
Colin Castagna Barrington
The area's top defensive player, Castagna gave opposing teams fits. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound standout, who is drawing interest from Eastern Illinois, Central Michigan, Purdue, Vanderbilt and Illinois State, had 142 total tackles with 20 for loss. Most impressive was his 16 sacks and 17 hurries. He also blocked 5 kicks and forced 4 fumbles. “He was a game-changer,” coach Joe Sanchez said. “In my 18 years of coaching I cannot remember a defensive player disrupting offenses as much as he did. I was very proud of his growth as a leader both on and off the field.”
Matt Darling St. Viator
Darling became a favored target in the Lions' high-flying offense. Only a junior, he scored 11 touchdowns on his 55 receptions. He gained 880 yards for the season, which is just under 100 yards per game for the Lions. “He is one of the best and most polished wide receivers in the state,” coach Brandon New said. “We are blessed to have him another year and are look forward to watching him again.”
Ben Dickey St. Viator
Only a junior, Dickey had a great value to the Lions, for whom he starred on both sides of the ball. He was a solid pass-catching option for quarterback Bobby Calmeyn with 55 receptions for 803 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also played defense where he had 27 tackles, 2 interceptions and a blocked field goal “He is our Mr. Everything,” coach Brandon new said. “And he is only a junior. We look forward to having him back next year.”
Garrett Groot Fremd
Groot was asked to step up in the second half of the season to offset key injuries in the backfield and he exceeded expectations, scoring all 13of his touchdowns in the Vikings' final 5 games. His outside running ability off the jet sweep led him to 853 yards on 132 carries. Groot is also a three-sport athlete. “Just one of those dying-breed, old-school type football players,” coach Lou Sponsel said. “He is not pretty and fancy, but gets the job done.”
Mike Kos Conant
An all-conference and all-area selectin last season as a junior, Kos repeated that feat this year. A two-way player, Kos had 96 total tackles this year, with 2 sacks and 6 tackles for Loss. He also had 42 catches for 544 yards and 7 touchdowns. “Mike has been a great two-way player for us,” coach Bill Modelski said. “His toughness is evident on both sides of the ball and his productivity will be missed.”
Daniel Kubiuk Barrington
Kubiuk led the Broncos to their first quarterfinal appearance since 2006. He did it by throwing the ball with great efficiency, finishing with 162 completions on 310 attempts for 2,194 yards and 17 touchdowns. Kubiuk was also a threat to run the ball, totaling 220 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. “He did a great job this season leading our offense,” coach Joe Sanchez said. “His ability to make big throws and extend plays is what made watching him so much fun.”
Tyler LaBarbera Conant
A two-way player for the Cougars, LaBarbera was key to a Conant offense that scored 26 points per game. A load to handle on the defensive side of the ball, LaBarbera also had 73 tackles from the defensive tackle position with 9 quarterback sacks and 21 tackles for loss. “Tyler has been an absolute stud on both sides of the ball,” coach Bill Modelski said. “He has obvious physical qualities but his biggest asset is his tenacity. Nobody plays harder than Tyler.”
Matt Long Rolling Meadows
A three-year varsity starter at left tackle, Long protected the blind side for Mustangs quarterbacks, enabling them to advance to the state playoffs in each of those three years. Played 5 games at defense, where he recorded 27 tackles and 4 sacks. “Matt was the most aggressive, physical and athletic linemen I have ever had the pleasure of coaching,” coach Matt Mishler said. “Much of our offense revolved around where Matt was, and what he was able to do. Matt could take over games as an offensive and defensive lineman.”
DeAngelo McBride, Conant
A terrific athlete, McBride competes in three sports at Conant. He showed his versatility on the football field, too, playing wide receiver where he had 24 catches for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also was one of the area's top defenders with 4 interceptions. “An absolutely great kid in every way,” coach Bill Modelski said.” He has been a shutdown DB for the last three years and he grew into a very nice target offensively as well. He is a great leader without having to say a word.”
Jeff McGlade, Fremd
McGlade did the dirty work for the Vikings, gaining most of his 845 yards between the tackles, carrying the ball 135 times. He would pound teams with his 5-foot-11, 192-pound frame and also played defense at times and contributed a dozen 12 tackles. “One of the toughest, hardest-nosed football players I have seen around Fremd in a long time,” coach Lou Sponsel said. “He always has that look in his eye that he is ready to play. He will hit you every time.”
Danny Modelski Conant, QB, Sr.
A true leader on and off the field, Modelski shined when things got tough for the Cougars. An all-area selection last year, Modelski followed up by throwing for 2,493 yards with 27 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions while leading Conant to its second consecutive second round playoff appearance. In his career, Modelski, who was named to the state coaches' association all-state team, amassed over 5,000 passing yards and 51 touchdown passes with only 19 interceptions in over 650 career attempts.” His intelligence on the field is unmatched,” said his father and coach Bill Modelski. “He has meant so much to our offense in so many ways. We have asked a lot of him, and he delivered.”
Eddie Miklasz Hersey
All-area as a junior last year, Miklasz picked up where he left off. He caught 59 passes for 1,050 yards and a school-record 12 touchdowns and showed big-play capability with his 18-yard average reception. His two-year career gives him 121 receptions for 1,798 yards. “Whenever we needed a big play on offense, in a crunch time situation, Eddie would be the guy we went to and more often than not, he came through,” coach Dragan Teonic said. “Eddie has shattered almost every receiving record at our school in a brilliant two-year varsity career.”
Scotty Miller Barrington
Miller was a threat every time he got near the ball. He scored 10 touchdowns, including a rushing touchdown and a punt return. He caught 30 passes for 650 yards and 8 touchdowns and accumulated 1,196 all-purpose yards. He also had 49 tackles and an interception on defense. “Scotty Miller is explosive every time he is on the field,” coach Joe Sanchez said. “He did a great job for us on the field this season in all three phases.”
Adam O'Malley Elk Grove
One of the area's top playmakers and a three-sport athlete, O'Malley was responsible for 2,745 yards and 26 touchdowns. He completed 61 percent of his passes (173-of-285) for 2,221 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for 524 yards and 7 touchdowns. “He is a play-maker in every sense of the word,” coach Larry Calhoun said. “He consistently extended plays and found ways to make good things happen. His stats are remarkable, but they are only a small part of what makes Adam a great player.”
Sadarriss Patterson, Schaumburg
After playing running back the last two seasons for the Saxons, Patterson successfully made the switch to full-time on defense. There he led a team that allowed just 19.5 points per game and into the state quarterfinals. He was also a state qualifier last year as a wrestler. “He is the most totally unselfish player I have ever coached,” coach Mark Stilling said. “One of the best vocal leaders I have ever been around.”
John Pass Elk Grove
Pass could catch, as demonstrated by his 32 receptions for 912 yards and 13 touchdowns for a sizzling 28.5 average. Had a kickoff return for a touchdown and filled in at defensive back the last part of the season, where he had 2 interceptions. “He is an explosive player with a knack for the big play,” coach Larry Calhoun said. “John's individual stat line does not tell the entire story. As good as he is; this young man still has tremendous potential for growth.”
Brad Ruehrdanz Fremd
A two-year starter on the offensive line for the Vikings, Ruehrdanz, who is 6-foot-2 and 270 pounds, anchored an offensive line that rushed for 2,891 yards. Ruehrdanz, who has drawn interest from many colleges, also stepped in at times on defense. “He is the most dominant lineman at Fremd since Brian Bobek,” coach Lou Sponsel said. “Brad could play any spot on the line,. Whenever we wanted to load up a part of the line, that is where we put Brad.”
Justin Sanchez, Schaumburg
A three-year starter on the offensive line for the Saxons, Sanchez, who is 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, pushed opponents around with his strength. But it was his physical play that earned accolades from his coach. “He has tremendous energy,” coach Mark Stilling said. “He is nasty and gets after you. He enjoys the grind and was a big part of our success.”
Steve Smearman Palatine
The jack-of-all trades for the Pirates, Smearman, who usually was at linebacker, also saw time on the defensive line and played offense as well for the Pirates. He led his team with 67 tackles, had 3 fumble recoveries and forced 4 fumbles. “He was all over the place for us,” coach Rick Splitt said. “And he was outstanding wherever he was. We could always count on solid play from him.”
Stacey Smith Schaumburg
Scored in every game he played in. Had great ability to elude tacklers and make people miss badly. He rushed for 1,963 yards on 191 carries for a 10.3 rushing average while scoring 31 touchdowns. He passed for 474 yards on 29-of-78 passing with a 16.4 yards per completion. He threw 4 touchdown passes and had just 1 interception. He also returned a punt for a touchdown. “He is the best athlete I have coached,” coach Mark Stilling said. “He was always to a threat to score whenever he had the ball in his hands. That's why he had it so much.”
Andrew Stark Fremd
Field position is a key, and Stark delivered that for the Vikings. A four-year starter, Stark had 35 of his 52 kickoffs end up in the end zone, giving opponents the ball at their own 20. He also nailed 7-of-10 field goals, including a 44-yarder, and had school records with 101 extra points and 22 field goals in his career. He also punted with an average of 36.1 yards. “Andrew is one of the biggest team weapons we have,” coach Lou Sponsel said. “We always knew that the other team would have to march 80 yards to score on us.”
Bobby Suchecki Rolling Meadows
Suchecki stepped in at quarterback this year and the Mustangs didn't miss a beat offensively, leading his team to 33 points per game. He completed 60 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,514 yards with 25 touchdown passes. Also a threat to run, Suchecki had 140 yards and 5 touchdowns. “Bobby did a great job all year of running our offense and put up huge numbers in doing so,” coach Matt Mishler said. “He worked hard in his previous two years to pick up our offense and it showed when it was his chance to run it.”
Eric Theis Palatine
Despite drawing double-teams from opponents, Theis was the go-to guy for the Pirates. He hauled down 31 receptions for 461 yards and scored 7 touchdowns. “He was the guy we could count on,” coach Rick Splitt said. “He was a big factor for us, especially in short yardage situations and near the goal line. He was a great presence and still found a way to get open.”
Stephen Walsh Fremd
Went from a part-time player as junior to the leader of the Viking defense in his senior year. Had 65 tackles, including 8 for loss with 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles while playing inside linebacker in Fremd's 4-2 scheme. “He is a tough, physical inside linebacker,” coach Lou Sponsel said. “We knew he would plug the run for us and take care of his responsibilities. We could always count on him to do what was needed to get the job done.”
Jack Warner Hersey
Broke 8 school records while leading the Huskies to their first division championship in 37 years and first playoff appearance since 2004. Warner was named co-offensive player of the year in the MSL East after throwing for 2,141 yards and 20 touchdowns, including a 395-yard performance. Warner also rushed for 7 touchdowns. “Jack has earned the highest praise I could give him,” coach Dragan Teonic said. “He is a true competitor and the heart and soul of this team.”
Aaron Whigham Leyden
One of the top offensive players in the West Suburban Gold, Whigham rushed for over 1,000 yards and has drawn interest from Northern Illinois. He rushed for 229 yards at 3 touchdowns on 27 carries against Addison Trail and had 4 other games where he was near the 200-yard mark. “He is a great kid and very coachable,” coach Tom Cerasni said. “He has great vision and breakaway speed. He was a leader on and off the field as well.”
Matt Zolper Schaumburg
Zolper was one of those rare four-year varsity starters. He played both sides of the ball for the Saxons. On defense he played tackle, where he kept opponents in check. On offense, Zolper, who is 6-foot-1 and 270 pounds, anchored an offensive line that helped his team rush for 4,098 yards. “The fact that he started more games than anyone in Schaumburg history really says something,” coach Mark Stilling said. “He has outstanding work ethic and is great leader by example.”
All-area roster
Player School Pos. Yr.
David Baureis Hoffman Estates LB Sr.
Mike Bishoff Elk Grove WR/LB Sr.
Isaac Branch Wheeling RB Jr.
Grant Burke Hersey LB Sr.
Bobby Calmeyn St. Viator QB Sr.
Matt Campbell Rolling Meadows WR/ S Sr.
Eddie Cardenas Rolling Meadows LB Sr.
Colin Castagna Barrington DE Sr.
Jake Coon Barrington LB Jr.
Matt Darling St. Viator WR Sr.
Ben Dickey St. Viator WR Sr.
Garrett Groot Fremd RB Sr.
Mike Kos Conant WR/LB Sr.
Daniel Kubiuk Barrington QB Sr.
Tyler LaBarbera Conant OL/DL Sr.
Matt Long Rolling Meadows OL/DL Sr.
DeAngelo McBride Conant WR/DB Sr.
Jeff McGlade Fremd RB Sr.
Eddie Miklasz Hersey WR Sr.
Scotty Miller Barrington WR Sr.
Danny Modelski Conant QB Sr.
Adam O'Malley Elk Grove QB Sr.
John Pass Elk Grove WR/DB Sr.
Sadarriss Patterson Schaumburg DB Sr.
Brad Ruehrdanz Fremd OL Sr.
Justin Sanchez Schaumburg OL Sr.
Steve Smearman Palatine DE Sr.
*Stacey Smith Schaumburg QB Sr.
Andrew Stark Fremd K Sr.
Bobby Suchecki Rolling Meadows QB Sr.
Eric Theis Palatine WR Sr.
Stephen Walsh Fremd LB Sr.
Jack Warner Hersey QB Sr.
Aaron Whigham Leyden RB Sr.
Matt Zolper Schaumburg OL/DL Sr.
* Team captain
Honorable mention
Andrew Apel ( Buffalo Grove, QB, Sr.); Johnny Assimakopoulos (Elk Grove, DL, Sr.); Brad Bauer (Palatine, OLB, Sr.); Sam Beutler (Fremd, QB, Sr.); J.P Brooks (Barrington, DB, Sr.); Mike Carbonara (Barrington, WR, Sr.); Chris Collins (Hersey, OL, Sr.); Kevin Copher (Conant, WR/DB, Sr.); Cameron Cornelius (Palatine, RB, Jr.); Tyler Dahnweih (Hersey, WR, Sr.); Amani Dennis (Wheeling, QB, Jr.); Eric Garmoe (Prospect, RB/LB, Sr.); Elias Gardner (Conant, RB/DB, Jr.); Billy Golaris (Rolling Meadows, OL, Sr.); Tylic Grace (Hoffman Estates, DE, Sr.); Dan Hanley (Barrington, OLB, Sr.); Sam Harvey (Hersey, DB, Sr.); Edwin Kelly (Schaumburg, DB, Sr.); John Magnani (Fremd, DE, Sr.); Seamus Moran (Barrington, WR, Jr.); Quintin Morgan (Leyden, OL/DL, Sr.); Joe Manella (Maine West, QB, Sr.); Alex Niecikowski (Rolling Meadows, SB/K, Sr.); Brian Peters (St. Viator, WR,DB,, Jr.); Alexsander Piotrowski (Schaumburg, OL, Sr.); Brandon Soriano (Elk Grove, OL/DL, Sr.); Scott Smithren (Buffalo Grove, RB/LB, Sr.); Matt Stopka (Schaumburg, OL, Sr.); Matt Wary (Elk Grove, WR, OLB, Jr.); Ryan Woloszyk (Schaumburg, DB, Sr.); Jackson Wrede (Prospect, OL/DL, Sr.); Sam Yoshino (Wheeling, OL/LB, Sr.)
Special mention
Dylan Abel (Barrington, RB, Jr.); Brandon Barwacz (Fremd, DL, Sr.); Jacob Bulandr, (Barrington, DL, Sr.); Nick Breitzman (Fremd, DB, Sr.); Jack Brandt (St. Viator, OT/DT, Sr.); Michael Bruno (Schaumburg, OL, Jr.); Ryan Calmeyn (St. Viator, LB, Sr.); Junior Castillo (Hoffman Estates, OL/DL, Sr.); Nick Chiodo (Rolling Meadows, Sr., LB/RB); Ryan Comstock (Fremd, OL, Sr.); Matt Drew (Prospect, QB, So.); Rainier Del Rosario (Hoffman Estates, DB, Sr.); Matt Dolan (Rolling Meadows, Sr., WR); Brady Eckert (Prospect, Jr., WR/LB); Michael Fan (Schaumburg, DL, Sr.); Luke Fulton (St. Viator, DL, Jr.); Alex Glynn (Christian Liberty, RB, Sr.) ; Adam Goyke (Buffalo Grove); Rahsaan Green (Schaumburg, DB, Jr.); Tommy Hennessy (Maine West, WR, Sr.); Chaka Kelly (Palatine, RB, Sr.); Nate King (Barrington, RB, So.); Conner Lapinski (Schaumburg, LB, Sr.); Luis Leguer (Prospect, RB, Jr.); Dominic Lombard (Fremd, OL, Jr.); Jeffrey Mayes (Hoffman Estates, QB, Jr.); Joey McIntyre (St. Viator, RB, So.); Justice Macneal-Young (Schaumburg, RB, Jr.); Kevin Montero (Rolling Meadows, RB, Sr.); Zack Niro (St. Viator, DE, Sr.); Nick Orlando (Palatine, QB, Jr.); Tom Pajor (Leyden, QB, Sr.); Kyle Polinski (Hersey, RB/DB, Sr.); Travon Royal (Elk Grove, RB/K, Sr.); Vince Serio (Palatine, LB, Jr.); George Someris (Rolling Meadows, LB/OL, Sr.); Ben Tietz (St. Viator, LB, Jr.); Tyler Urban (Wheeling, WR/DB, Jr.); Mario Thomas (Hersey, RB, Sr.); Ryan Tuma (Schaumburg, WB,SR.) ; Junior Watt (Leyden, OL, Jr.); Blake Wittkamp, (Schaumburg, CB/P, Sr.)
Selections and capsules by Dick Quagliano