5 football storylines to watch in Kendall County in 2023

The high school football season got underway Aug. 7 with the start of preseason practices. Here are some of the top storylines to watch in Kendall County this season.

Can Oswego get back to the playoffs?

The 2022 season was not very Oswego-like. The Panthers were hit hard by injuries and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010 – and first time since Brian Cooney came aboard as head coach. Oswego’s 3-6 record marked the program’s fewest wins since 2001 and was only the Panthers’ third losing season since 1985. Offense, in particular, was an issue. In four of the Panthers’ losses they scored a total of 14 points.

A proud program like this generally doesn’t stay down for long, however. Oswego returns four of five starters along the offensive line, which will help break in a new quarterback. Can Oswego return to the playoffs and contend for a Southwest Prairie West title? Don’t bet against it, but a fast start will be important before the Panthers enter the SPC West ringer.

Sandwich varsity football returns

After canceling its 2022 varsity season due to low player numbers, Sandwich football is back. And while the Indians struggled to an 0-9 record in 2021, its last season of varsity football, there is reason for optimism around the Sandwich program.

The Indians fielded a JV team last fall which posted an 8-1 record. Junior running back Simeion Harris, who ran for over 1,300 yards and over 20 touchdowns for that team, is a player to watch. Close to 60 kids total are out for football. Turnout numbers are also said to be very good at the Sandwich junior tackle levels.

Sandwich returns to the varsity football field a night early, as the Indians host Manteno on Thursday, Aug. 24. In fact, the Indians’ first two games, against Manteno and Peotone, are on Thursdays. But the game that should be circled on the calendar is Week 3, when Route 34 rival Plano visits Sandwich for the first time since 2017.

Can Yorkville football keep up this run of success?

The 2022 season was one to remember around Yorkville. The Foxes posted a 10-2 record and reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 1999. Yorkville’s defensive line was the backbone to a unit that posted five shutouts.

That line graduated a number of stalwarts, including Record Newspapers Player of the Year Andrew Laurich, which could be an area of concern. However, the culture is in place at Yorkville for continued success. The Foxes have reached at least the second round of the playoffs in the past four IHSA postseasons.

Third-year starting linebacker Ben Alvarez, a Harvard recruit, and Luke Zook will lead the defense. Michael Dopart, who split time at quarterback last season, is the man behind center and will lean on the talents of running back Josh Gettemy, who, like Alvarez and Zook, is expected to play on both sides of the ball.

Who comes out of the SPC West?

The SPC West is, quite simply, a bear, and will be even more so in 2024 when Bolingbrook replaces West Aurora.

One does not need to squint hard to envision a scenario in which five of the six teams in the West division reach the playoffs. On the other hand, they could beat each other up enough to eliminate that possibility. It will be a dogfight, week in and week out, starting in Week 5.

So who comes out on top? Good question.

Plainfield North clearly was the class of the league last year, going 9-0 in the regular season, and has at least shared the past two titles. The Tigers were hit hard by graduations, but recent pedigree suggests they’ll be a factor. The same can be said for Yorkville. Oswego, king of the hill for much of the past decade, can’t be discounted. Minooka has an experienced core returning. Oswego East has been a playoff and winning program constant.

There simply is very little letup in this league, which will make banking wins in nonconference play all the more important for postseason fortunes.

Plano and Sandwich’s final season in the I-8

This will be Plano and Sandwich’s swan song in the Interstate 8 Conference, as both are leaving for the Kishwaukee Conference for the 2023-24 school year.

That is, in all honesty, very good news for both programs. It has been a struggle for both since the I-8 reconfigured in 2018, adding the likes of Kaneland, Sycamore and Morris. Plano and Sandwich have combined for only two playoff appearances since 2018, both by Plano. Both have had difficulty competing against much larger schools, Plano coming off a 3-6 season.

Can they fare better in 2023?

There is some reason for optimism on both sides. Sandwich, as mentioned before, posted an 8-1 record at the JV level. Both appear to have very talented running backs, senior Waleed Johnson for Plano and junior Simeion Harris for Sandwich. Both will need strong starts to the season as their schedules only get tougher as the weeks progress.