Brady Kentgen, Marengo defense look to make noise in 2025

Marengo’s Brady Kentgen earned a varsity call-up two games into his freshman year.

Shortly after, the hulking first-year player turned into one of the Indians’ most disruptive.

Needing a win to become playoff eligible in the final week of 2022, it was easy to spot the impact of Kentgen, who recorded three sacks in the first half alone of a 32-7 rout against Plano.

Quite simply, an overpowering Kentgen forced coach Paul Forsythe’s hand.

“Typically, we don’t want to bring a freshman up to the varsity level, but physically, he was ready,” Forsythe said. “On top of that, one of the things we talk about as coaches is, ‘Is he going to help us win games?’ Because you don’t want to bring up a kid that is 14, 15 years old playing kids that are 17, 18.

“He ended up having a real good year for us on both sides of the ball.”

Kentgen’s debut earned him All-Kishwaukee River Conference honors. This fall, he’ll go for his fourth all-conference selection in a row as a trouble-making, two-way lineman. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder leads a rugged group of Indians hungry for more after fighting their way back to the playoffs after missing out in 2023.

Similar to his freshman year, the Indians needed a win in the final week – 28-14 over Sandwich – to earn their spot in the playoffs. Kentgen and senior running back/middle linebacker Connor Sacco, friends since grade school, are among the Indians’ top returners ready to make noise.

“We’re excited to get right back at it,” Sacco said. “I’d say we’re kind of salty about losing the playoff game [35-14 loss to Dixon in the Class 4A first round]. We want to come back, make it to the second round and more.”

Kentgen will play defensive end and left tackle for the Indians in his final season. He previously played tight end – a position Forsythe said he could play at the collegiate level. But this year’s team needs and positional strength at tight end shifted him back to the O-line.

“For a kid his size, he’s really quick,” said Forsythe, who calls offensive plays for the Indians. “For what we do schematically, he moves around a lot post-snap. And on top of that, he’s just really strong. All of that combined, he’s explosive, he’s strong, he’s quick. And we’ve got some real good linebackers behind him.

“That’s enough to kind of make you nervous if you’re calling the offense. Even when I’m calling plays, it’s like, ‘He’s done enough today. Let’s get him out.’ But he’s got all of the attributes that a good edge-setter needs.”

Kentgen is excited to show his gains since the end of last season.

“I get to play really aggressive, and it gives me a lot of opportunities to use my speed,” Kentgen said of lining up at defensive end. “I think it just suits me.”

Sacco also is one of the toughest Indians after competing last year with a torn ankle he suffered during summer workouts. He then wrestled into February before getting surgery.

“He’s the hardest hitter, for sure,” Kentgen said. “He leads the defense, really.”

Both have a bit of a wild streak.

“He’s always been the person that will get the job done,” Sacco said of Kentgen. “Me and him butt heads a lot, but in a good way. We’re competitors, and that’s made us do things that normally kids wouldn’t do.”

Marengo, after going 5-5 last year, start 2025 on the road against Stillman Valley and Peotone in Weeks 1 and 2. The Indians then return home for the KRC opener in Week 3 against Woodstock North, the only KRC team to win a playoff game last year.

“Our defense is extraordinary,” Kentgen said. “We run some crazy plays, and it works really well.”