Kendall County notes: 'Super senior,' rugby player Brett Suter walks the line for Oswego

Brett Suter adjusted to a most unusual Friday night in a most practical way.

"I went home and got some rest," said the Oswego senior.

Suter, Oswego's starting right guard, is not often a kid at rest. On Saturday, in the Panthers' game postponed from Friday, he helped plow open holes for running backs Beau Miller and David Wilson in 5-0 Oswego's 14-13 win over Plainfield North. The Panthers are averaging 161.4 rushing yards per game through five, much on the strength of linemen like Suter, Troy Warner and Aidan Tweedy.

Suter in his third varsity season, stays busy year-round with football and a sport that isn't quite as well known but fast-growing – rugby.

Suter is going into his fifth season playing with the Naperville-based Fox Valley Chiefs. He was introduced to the sport in middle school when he moved across town from Thompson to Traughber.

"Originally I felt like I needed something to do to keep my endurance help," said Suter, 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds. "It's really helped me with football, especially in speed and keeping my weight in check, getting my speed up."

Rugby, which traces its origins to the 1800s, had 125,000 members playing in 2,673 clubs as of 2016, according to USA Rugby.

"It's the same as football, you have to be tough, there are no pads, just a mouth guard," Suter said. "It's a different kind of physical but you have to be just as physical with the running and the tackling and all that."

Oswego coach Brian Cooney has counted on Suter as a physical presence for going on three years now.

Suter fractured his shoulder in two places and tore his labrum in a playoff game against Naperville North his sophomore year, and had reconstructive surgery in December 2017. But he's totally healthy now with no shoulder issues.

"He is a super senior for us, up as a sophomore," Cooney said. "He plays with a certain confidence that shows with that experience. You can see when guys like him and Troy Warner step to the line, directing the guys and making the calls. Brett does it the right way. He's having fun playing football."

Suter enjoyed playing old-school football last Saturday in less than ideal conditions.

"The conditions we had, we couldn't get much of a passing game going," Suter said. "We had to rely on the run and overpower them. Our offense, especially our line, knew what we had to do. We knew it was a ground-and-pound, put the medal down type game."

Yorkville's Slavin plays with an edge

Yorkville was treated to a special guest speaker last week, Yorkville Police Chief and former Fox Jim Jensen, who reminded this group to "always play to the whistle."

Jarek Slavin need not be reminded.

"I get yelled at a lot," Slavin said with a laugh. "The guest speaker said we have to play to the whistle and the guys were like 'he plays beyond the whistle.' It's heard to hear that whistle."

The referees have noticed.

Slavin, moved from guard to left tackle in Week 3, has drawn four "excessive blocking" calls this season. Yorkville coach Dan McGuire, for one, likes the edge Slavin plays with.

"He's not the biggest kid in the world, he doesn't say much, but he has a mean streak," McGuire said, "and physically that helps us a ton. He doesn't stop until the whistle and sometimes after the whistle."

Jarek, the youngest of three Slavin boys, started at right guard this season but was moved to left tackle when Kendren Smith was hurt. He hadn't played left tackle since the fourth grade.

"I used to play left tackle but everybody grew and I stayed the same height," Slavin said. It's a lot different. You have to be a lot different, not just hit guys on the head. Guys are coming at you with swim moves and stuff."

Slavin had a key block to spring Tre Thomas' go-ahead 62-yard touchdown run in Yorkville's 21-19 win.

"I looked over to my left, Will Schumacher went and got a linebacker and I blocked the defensive end," Slavin said. "After that it was just Tre's speed."

Glad to have you

Cam Caldwell, at first, was not going to play this season for Yorkville.

Caldwell, a Foxes' senior linebacker, has plans to graduate early in December and wanted to focus on his academics. He didn't participate in much of Yorkville's summer work, but eventually had a change of heart in late July.

"And we're lucky he did," McGuire said. "He is very versatile in the fact that he is athletic, has good size, and he is a physical kid as well."

Caldwell played a lot of inside linebacker growing up, but now lines up outside opposite Jake Polowy. He can drop into coverage and allows Yorkville to show different looks defensively because of his versatility.

"West Aurora put a lot of pressure on Polowy, they like to run off tackle quite a bit and you have to be disciplined defending the run," McGuire said. "We had to be balanced on both sides and Cam and Jake allowed us to do that."

One adjustment Caldwell has noticed with Yorkville switching conferences is the amount of passing in the new league.

"We've proven that we can adjust to it," Caldwell said. "Especially with Oswego East this week, they have a good RPO (run-pass option) going, right now our biggest adjustment is balancing our coverage with our run defense. We've proved that our run defense is pretty solid. As the weeks go on our coverage will be tested."

Caldwell, for his part, is glad he ultimately chose to play one last year with guys he's suited up with since the fifth grade.

"It's a good decision, no regrets," Caldwell said. "The coaches called me, I went to practice and they welcomed me back with open arms. It was like I didn't miss a beat."