Scouting the St. Viator Lions
After a disappointing 2018 campaign where the Lions went 1-8, St. Viator took some time off to reflect. It then took just one week for the Lions to get back into beast mode.
"After a week, we wanted to get back at it," St. Viator coach Dave Archibald said. "There was a real desire for this group to take a big step in the weight room and get going. We did that. We had a great offseason. We have grown our weight room culture and that has been great to see."
That work, along with increased numbers on the varsity squad, should help give the Lions some extra stamina as well as depth, as they approach a whole different football world.
Last season, the East Suburban Catholic Conference, a league that St. Viator was a charter member in, voted to merge its football schedules with the Chicago Catholic League. It was a move reminiscent of the Chicago Metropolitan Catholic League in the late 1990s.
"It was an exciting process," Archibald said. "I really like our formula and the way it has been planned out. I think it is going to be a great thing for many teams."
Viator will play in the Purple Division of the CCL/ESCC. But unlike the old CMCL which had six teams in a division, there will only be Viator, St. Patrick, Carmel and Marian Central in the newly revamped conference.
Because there are only four teams, the division winner will not be awarded an automatic bid to the state playoffs. That will again put Viator in the race to 5 wins for an opportunity at the playoffs.
"It's going to be a hard schedule," Archibald said. "But it has created more parity for teams for the smaller and medium size schools who won't be seeing four of the top 15 schools in the state."
Viator will look to get things rolling with an offense that could be very explosive.
Jack Mahoney, who threw for 1,011 yards and 5 touchdowns and ran for 357 yards last season as a junior, returns to guide the offense. Mahoney, a three-sport athlete who has accepted a baseball scholarship offer from South Carolina, figures to have a big season for the Lions.
"He has grown in his maturity as a quarterback and his ability to see the field," Archibald said. "He is really comfortable and he knows that this is his offense to run. He is a fantastic competitor."
Mahoney will have one of his main weapons returning in wide receiver Owen Hickey, who caught 19 passes for 258 yards last year. The 6-foot-3 Hickey was described by Archibald as a "tall ballhawk".
Daniel Niesman, Joseph Laterza, Luke DeJohn, PJ Scales will also be in the mix for passes from Mahoney.
Lucas Barisas has emerged to be the top running back this season. Only a junior Barisas, who was a defensive starter last season, has become the main cog in the ground game.
The best news is that the Lions' offensive line is a veteran group led by two-year starter Jeremiah Pittman. Only a junior, Pittman (6-2, 255) has been receiving some D-I interest, including Northwestern.
Pittman (6-2, 255) will be joined by Athan Huelskamp (6-1 290), Mark Crouse (6-0, 255), Brandon Taylor (6-0, 225) and Ryan McGuire (5-11, 225). All five return from last season and should give the Lions a solid front.
If the Lions are to be playoff-bound in 2019, they will need to shore up a defense that surrendered over 30 points per game last season. That's where the Lions' depth this season will come in.
Pittman, Huelskamp, Crouse, Taylor and McGuire will rotate in Viator's odd front. They also could get help from Jack Phelan, Will Stanisic and Greg Bowman.
Linebackers include Eric Adams, who was all ESCC last season. Daniel Niesman, and sophomore Carson Eggebraten along with Alec Scislowski and Ryan O'Malley.
The secondary will be led by Hickey and Barisas. There will be depth there as well with Jack Law, Michael Grossi, DeJohn, Parker Hellgeth, Nick Chiappetta and Michael Nuelle.
"Summer has been strong in many ways," Archibald said. "The guys are looking forward to getting back to the game field."