Team previews

Batavia Bulldogs

Coach: Dennis Piron

2024 record: 12-2, 6-1

Schedule: Aug. 29 Glenbard West; Sept. 5 at South Elgin; Sept. 12 Glenbard North; Sept. 19 at Lake Park; Sept. 26 at St. Charles North; Oct. 3 at Geneva; Oct. 10 Wheaton North; Oct. 17 St. Charles East; Oct. 24 at Wheaton Warrenville South

Worth noting: Coming off of a season where they won their fifth DuKane Conference title in seven seasons, as well as making it to the Class 7A state title game for the second time in three years, the Bulldogs enter the 2025 season ready to make the trip back to Hancock Stadium to try and win it all. Junior quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren will be the starter under center after his run through the playoffs last season, and will have plenty of options to pick from out wide in Brett Berggren, who had 851 receiving yards and 10 TDs last year, Plainfield North transfer Darin Ashiru and Bodi Anderson. Pair that with a towering offensive line unit headlined by Princeton commit Ryan Myers, as well as a power fullback duo in Preston Brummel and Gavin VanPelt, and it has Piron very excited about the offense’s potential. On defense, there’s a little bit less experience, especially after losing key pieces like Chase Osborne, the DuKane’s defensive MVP, to graduation. The Bulldogs will still have guys like Gavin Pecor anchoring the defensive line and Andrew Culotta to help in the backfield. But the nonconference games against Glenbard West and South Elgin will prove to be early indicators on how much growing will need to happen if Batavia wants to win its first state title since 2017.

“This year’s Bulldogs are a mix of seasoned linemen, a dynamic young quarterback, and skill players with pure speed,” Piron said. “I am confident that this team’s heart, loyalty, and commitment to our values will be the foundation for something truly special.”

Geneva Vikings

Coach: Boone Thorgesen

2024 record: 12-2, 6-1

Schedule: Aug. 29 at Larkin; Sept. 5 at Oswego; Sept 12 at St. Charles North; Sept. 19 Wheaton Warrenville South; Sept. 26 Lake Park; Oct. 3 Batavia; Oct. 10 at Glenbard North; Oct. 17 at Wheaton North; Oct. 24 St. Charles East

Worth noting: The Vikings enjoyed their most successful season since 2008, winning the DuKane Conference title and making it all the way to the Class 6A title game. But it might be a challenge for Geneva to make it to the big game in back-to-back seasons. The Vikings lost all but three starters from their high-flying offense from last season, which included wide receiver Talyn Taylor, the conference’s offensive MVP. But the Vikings are confident they have the athletes to fill in the gaps. Junior Ben Peterson will fill in at quarterback after going undefeated as a freshman and a sophomore and also holds offers from Miami of Ohio and Toledo. He’ll have a solid set of hands to throw to as well in Bennett Konkey, who had 548 receiving yards and six scores as the No. 3 option behind Taylor and Finnegan Weppner last season. They’ll also have solid options at running back in Nelson Wendell and Dominic Dileonardi, who have shown flashes of brilliance at the varsity level, and could do it again behind an offensive line led by Nicholas Elliott, Luke Hopkins and Erik Hartmann. The Vikings have a bit less to worry about on the defensive side. Dane Turner and Dylan Reyes will lead a very experienced defensive back room, with both players having five interceptions a season ago. Lex Griffith and David Avitia will lead the front line of the defense, while Tyler Drake will manage the middle at linebacker. While Thorgesen knows that it might take a bit for the offense to warm up, especially during the non-conference games against Larkin and Oswego, he hopes that once the unit gets moving, they’ll be hard to stop.

“We’re going to figure out what type of team we are and then we’re going to expand on that,” Thorgesen said. “They’re like a sponge and just constantly learning. Our offense is going to get better every week and every day, and throughout the season, we’ll keep working to continue to get better.”

Glenbard North Panthers

Coach: Ryan Wilkens

2024 record: 2-7, 0-7

Schedule: Aug. 29 Bartlett; Sept. 5 Benet; Sept. 12 at Batavia; Sept. 19 St. Charles East; Sept. 26 at Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 3 Lake Park; Oct. 10 Geneva; Oct. 17 at St. Charles North; Oct. 24 Wheaton North

Worth noting: The Panthers missed the playoffs for the third straight season, their longest streak since missing seven straight from 1992-99, and were held winless in DuKane Conference play in consecutive seasons. However, the season showed that the team had made some improvements, especially after pushing Batavia to the brink in a 35-34 loss to end the season. Pair that with a good returning core, and the Panthers have a chance to show some promise, especially in conference play. All-Conference running back Donato Gatses and wide receiver Zechariah Morris will look to be the propelling force on the offense once again after both players put up over 1,000 scrimmage yards last season, while players like Tyler Hvorcik, Lucas Kramer and Danny Mahoney will be hoping to lock down the defensive side.

Lake Park Lancers

Coach: Chris Kirkpatrick

2024 record: 4-5, 2-5

Schedule: Aug. 29 Conant; Sept. 5 at Bartlett; Sept. 12 at Wheaton North; Sept. 19 Batavia; Sept. 26 at Geneva; Oct. 3 at Glenbard North; Oct. 10 St. Charles East; Oct. 17 Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 24 at St. Charles North

Worth noting: The Lancers matched their win total from a season ago in their third year under Kirkpatrick. But Lake Park is hoping that this will be the season that gets the program back into the playoffs for the first time since 2017, especially with the returners the team has on offense. Quarterback George Tzamouranis is back for his second full season under center and will have his favorite target in wide receiver Niko Menos back as well. They’ll be working with an offensive line that’s returning three starters in Michael Gervasio, Alek Stranz and Adam Rozelle. Also benefitting from the returning line will be running back Anthony Orestano, who had 359 rushing yards as a backup to Robert Munaco last year. On defense, the team will be led by returners like linebacker Joey Michelini and defensive back Kamryn Ahmed.

“We have a dedicated group of seniors that have really bought into the vision that our coaches have for this program and we are hopeful that this will translate to Friday nights this fall,” Kirkpatrick said. “We love playing in the DuKane Conference and look forward to competing with the best talent in Illinois every week.”

St. Charles East Saints

Coach: Nolan Possley

2024 record: 2-7, 2-5

Schedule: Aug. 29 at Lincoln-Way Central; Sept. 5 Niles Notre Dame; Sept. 12 Wheaton Warrenville South; Sept. 19 at Glenbard North; Sept. 26 Wheaton North; Oct. 3 St. Charles North; Oct. 10 at Lake Park; Oct. 17 at Batavia; Oct. 24 at Geneva

Worth noting: While the Saints saw a slight improvement to their record from 2023 to last year, it also marked the fourth time in five years that the team finished with two wins on the season. But with the experience the Saints bring into the 2025 year, they’ll be hoping to eclipse that mark this season. A lot of the experience comes from the offensive side of the ball, with running back Xander Salazar coming back after rushing for 567 yards and seven touchdowns in six games last year. The Saints also returned plenty of receiving talent with guys like Sheko GJokaj and Gavin Matejko. Defensively, the goal will be to limit the amount of end-zone visits the opposing team makes after giving up 310 points last season. Defensive back Logan Tatar and linebacker Johnny Solano will be at the forefront of that effort. Possley said that he hopes that experience that the team brings into the season will help the team make some noise as the season progresses.

“The Saints bring back experience on both sides of the ball, especially offensively, and have committed, hardworking and focused athletes who are dedicated to stacking days together to make some noise on Friday nights,” Possley said. “Excited for the 2025 season.”

St. Charles North North Stars

Coach: Robert Pomazak

2024 record: 9-2, 6-1

Schedule: Aug. 29 at Minooka; Sept. 5 Homewood-Flossmoor; Sept. 12 Geneva; Sept. 19 at Wheaton North; Sept. 26 Batavia ; Oct. 3 at St. Charles East; Oct. 10 at Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 17 Glenbard North; Oct. 24 at Lake Park

Worth noting: The North Stars found themselves atop of the DuKane Conference for the second time in three seasons last year. And with 17 starters returning this year, St. Charles North is hoping to take last season’s success story even further this year. While the North Stars did lose four-year starting quarterback Ethan Plumb, whoever starts between St. Charles East transfer JT Padron and Michael Atkins will have plenty of experienced wide receivers to pick from. Northwestern commit Keaton Reinke headlines the list of wideouts after a record-breaking junior season last year, while other receivers like Braden Harms and EJ Mondesir provide solid secondary options. They’ll all also be playing behind a solid offensive line led by Cooper Kowalcyzk. The team also has a solid amount of experience returning defensively, highlighted by linebackers Central Michigan commit Matthew Plumb and Aidan McClure, who led the team with four interceptions and four defensive touchdowns a season ago. Declan Smith also returns to anchor the defensive line, while Daniel Escaro, who led the team with 119 tackles last year, will lead the backfield. The North Stars will face some tough nonconference foes in Minooka and Homewood-Flossmoor to start the season, but Pomazak said that the team has fully embraced the 1-0 mindset to hopefully get their first-ever state title.

“It’s a luxury to have that much experience coming back, which is great because you know that the foundation is set,” Pomazak said. “But we want to be 1-0 after Week 1, 9-0 after Week 9 and we want to be 14-0 by the end of Thanksgiving.”

Wheaton North Falcons

Coach: Joe Wardynski

2024 record: 4-5, 2-4

Schedule: Aug. 29 Simeon; Sept. 5 at Stevenson; Sept. 12 Lake Park; Sept. 19 St. Charles North; Sept. 26 at St. Charles East; Oct. 3 at Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 10 at Batavia; Oct. 17 Geneva; Oct. 24 at Glenbard North

Worth noting: The Falcons missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019, which also marked the last time the team only won two conference games in a season. And for the 2025 season, the goal is to make sure that they don’t miss out again. The Falcons did lose quite a bit to graduation between seasons, but Wardynski is confident in his mix of returners and newcomers. Leading the charge on both sides of the ball is linebacker and tight end Shane Diericx, who’ll manage the middle of the defense and provide a reliable set of hands to the starting quarterback. Also joining Diericx as a two-way player is senior Ryan O’Connor, a running back also set to play as a linebacker. Highlighting the newcomers is junior Adam Schilling, who’ll play a similar role as Diericx on both ends of the ball, and wide receiver/defensive back Johnny Clayton.

“Two difficult nonconference games against Simeon and Stevenson will tell the coaches a lot about the direction of the team heading into DuKane Conference games,” Wardynski said. “There are only a handful of returning starters on each side of the ball but our juniors are blending nicely with the seniors and should give us a chance to be successful in 2025.”

Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers

Coach: Sean Norris

2024 record: 5-5, 4-3

Schedule: Aug. 29 at Glenbard South; Sept. 5 at Lyons; Sept. 12 at St. Charles East; Sept. 19 at Geneva; Sept. 26 Glenbard North; Oct. 3 Wheaton North; Oct. 10 St. Charles North; Oct. 17 at Lake Park; Oct. 24 Batavia

Worth noting: The Tigers made it to the playoffs for the first time under Norris last season, and will be looking to start their longest playoff streak since making it to nine straight from 2003-2011. And with 17 starters returning to the team, it should help their chances of reaching that goal. Leading the returners on offense is running back Owen Yorke, who excelled in his first season in the starting role. And with guys like Angel Salcido, Oliver Glover and Ryan Freeding returning on the offensive line, he should see plenty more chances to pick up where he left off. Justin Miller will be under center for the Tigers after the graduation of three-year starter Luca Carbonaro. Defensively, the situation might be even better for the Tigers, with nine starters returning, which includes all of their defensive backs like three-year starter Zach Rogers and big-name linebackers like Axel Boecker (team-high 85 tackles last year), Kirby Christensen (team high 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks) and Amar’e Williams. With the amount of experience on the team, Norris is excited to see what his team can accomplish as they hope to get over five wins in a season for the first time since 2019.

“We are looking forward to the start of the 2025 season with a lot of experience and tough competitors returning,” Norris said. “We are looking forward to a great competition in our schedule and looking to compete every day as the team writes their chapter in Tiger football history.”

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Niko Menos, Lake Park, sr., WR/DB: A two-way player getting Division 1 looks, Menos will be a key piece as the Lancers try to make it back to the playoffs. As a junior, Menos finished with 625 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

Ryan Myers, Batavia, sr., OL: Myers, who committed to Princeton over the summer, played a crucial role in the Bulldogs’ deep run last season. This season, he’ll lead an offensive line that Piron said is one of the biggest and most experienced crews ever.

Keaton Reinke, St. Charles North, sr., WR: One of many returners for the North Stars, the Northwestern commit enjoyed a breakout junior season where he recorded 80 catches for 1,218 yards and 16 touchdowns, while also returning three kickoffs for touchdowns and adding a passing score.

Dane Turner, Geneva, sr., DB: One of the few returning starters from last season’s second-place team, Turner put up five interceptions to go with 71 tackles, two tackles for loss, a pass defended and a fumble recovery last season.

Owen Yorke, Wheaton Warrenville South, sr., RB: Yorke thrived in his first year as the starting back, putting up 1,254 yards on the ground and scoring 16 total touchdowns as a junior. And with a new QB under center this year, expect Yorke to get a heavy workload early in the season.

FIVE CAN’T MISS MATCHUPS

Week 3 — Geneva at St. Charles North: The first of three matchups between reigning DuKane Conference co-champions, St. Charles North handed Geneva its only loss in the regular season, 34-21, to force a three-way tie with Batavia. The Vikings graduated major losses on offense, losing all but three starters on that side of the ball, and a matchup against the senior-laden North Stars should prove to be an early test on how they’ll fair in the league.

Week 3 — Lake Park at Wheaton North: Lake Park denied Wheaton North a playoff bid by beating the Falcons 20-7 in Week 9 last season. Both teams finished 4-5 overall and 2-5 in conference play, and will be hoping that a win to start conference play can lead to an eventual return to the postseason.

Week 5 — Batavia at St. Charles North: Batavia put up a monstrous six-touchdown second half to get a 45-21 victory in handing St. Charles North its only conference loss of the season last year. Both teams have plenty of key players returning from last season, especially on the offensive side of the ball, which should indicate a high-scoring affair that could eventually prove to be the deciding game for the DuKane Conference title.

Week 6 — Batavia at Geneva: The most anticipated game of each team’s calendar, the matchup between two defending state runners-up should once again generate plenty of buzz. The Vikings took the game 30-7 last season to hand the Bulldogs their first loss in the rivalry since the year before Dennis Piron took over as Batavia head coach in 2011. Geneva will be looking to start a win streak of its own with a win on its own turf, while Batavia will look to get back into the win column.

Week 7 — St. Charles North at Wheaton Warrenville South: The past two games between St. Charles North and Wheaton Warrenville South have been absolute nail-biters, including the North Stars scoring two touchdowns in the final minute to take a 37-32 victory in Week 5 last season. With both teams losing multi-year starters at quarterback to graduation, it will be fun to see if the two teams can replicate a similar fun matchup for the third consecutive season.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH

(* - Projected playoff qualifier)

1. Batavia*
2. St. Charles North*
3. Wheaton Warrenville South*
4. Geneva*
5. Wheaton North
6. Lake Park
7. St. Charles East
8. Glenbard North