Team previews

Sycamore Spartans

Coach: Joe Ryan

2024 record: 11-1, 5-0

Schedule: Aug. 29 vs. DeKalb at NIU’s Huskie Stadium; Sept. 5 at Moline; Sept. 12 Mahomet-Seymour; Sept. 19 Rochelle; Sept. 26 at Ottawa; Oct. 3 Kaneland; Oct. 10 La Salle-Peru; Oct. 17 at Morris; Oct. 24 at Cahokia

Worth noting: The Spartans won the league for the second time in three years in 2024, finishing 11-1 before bowing out in the Class 5A quarterfinals. They’ve made the last six postseasons, winning at least one game each time and reaching the semifinals in 2021 and 2022. A handful of significant contributors graduated, but there’s still a lot of talent returning to the team. Senior Owen DePauw and junior Will Rosenow anchor the line ahead of expected starting quarterback Griffin Larsen. Kevin Lee emerged late in the year as a solid running back and returns for his senior year. Cooper Bode may be in the mix in the backfield as well, but is also a punishing linebacker. Earlier this year coach Joe Ryan announced this season will be the last with the Spartans. He’s 151-75 at Sycamore in 21 years, missing just five postseasons.

Rochelle Hubs

Coach: Kyle Kissack

2024 record: 10-2, 4-1

Schedule: Aug. 29 Geneseo, Sept. 6 at King, Sept. 12 Lena-Winslow; Sept. 19 at Sycamore; Sept. 26 LaSalle-Peru; Oct. 3 at Morris; Oct. 10 at Kaneland; Oct. 17 Ottawa, Oct. 24 Waterloo.

Worth noting: Six points is all that stood between the Hubs and a conference title last year, losing 25-19 at home to Sycamore in Week 4. They still made the playoffs and reached the quarterfinals, falling to eventual Class 5A state champion Nazareth. They’ve made the playoffs four straight years and have only missed four postseasons this century. Last year’s win total was the most since a 10-1 mark in 2003. Sophomore running back Dylan Manning burst on the scene last year with 1,267 yards and 18 touchdowns, both second on the team to the now-graduated Grant Gensler. Senior Roman Villalobos also returns after 1,119 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Markell Pogue will be blocking ahead of them on the line, and Gavin Neale should have an impact both in the backfield and at linebacker. Neale had 58 tackles last year, most among returning players.

Morris

Coach: Alan Thorson

2024 record: 8-5, 3-2

Schedule: Aug. 29 Wilmington; Sept. 5 at Mahomet-Seymour; Sept. 13 at Peoria; Sept. 19 LaSalle-Peru, Sept. 26 at Kaneland; Oct. 3 Rochelle; Oct. 10 at Ottawa; Oct. 17 Sycamore, Oct. 24 Byron Center, MI.

Worth noting: Morris got into the Class 5A playoffs with a 5-4 regular season record, but caught fire in the postseason and advanced to the semifinals before falling to Joliet Catholic. They return seven starters on each side of the ball from that team. OL Brogan Kjellesvik is a junior, but is entering his third year as a varsity starter. Kjellesvik will anchor a strong group up front, making holes for such running backs as Caeden Curran, Mick Smith and Keegan Kjellesvik. Brady Varner returns as the quarterback after passing for more than 1,900 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, while the defense will be led by linebackers Curran, Logan Sparrow and Owen Olson and lineman Chace Bachert.

Kaneland Knights

Coach: Michael Thorgesen

2024 record: 5-5, 2-3

Schedule: Aug. 29 at Rock Island, Sept. 5 Lemont; Sept. 12 at DeKalb; Sept. 19 Ottawa; Sept. 26 Morris; Oct. 3 at Sycamore; Oct. 10 Rochelle; Oct. 17 at La Salle-Peru; Oct. 24 Althoff Catholic.

Worth noting: The Knights have made every postseason starting in 2017, though they lost in the first round to Belvidere North last year. They started last year 4-0, including wins against Washington and Wauconda teams that each went 8-3, before losing five of six games. Each of the five teams they lost to reached at least the quarterfinals of the postseason. Jake Buckley has emerged as a beast on the offensive line and defensive line, while Rogan O’Neil had a breakout sophomore season at linebacker. He could also see some time at running back. Jackson Little is also back after a strong sophomore campaign at linebacker.

La Salle-Peru Cavaliers

Coach: JJ Raffelson

2024 record: 3-6, 1-4

Schedule: Aug. 29 at United Township; Sept. 5 Metamora; Sept. 12 at Ottawa; Sept. 19 at Morris; Sept. 26 at Rochelle; Oct. 3 Ottawa; Oct. 10 at Sycamore; Oct. 17 Kaneland; Oct. 24 O’Fallon.

Worth noting: Raffelson, previously an assistant, takes over as head coach of the Cavaliers after back-to-back losing seasons following three consecutive Class 5A playoff berths around a 5-0 COVID spring season. “We have a tough conference. Everyone knows that. ...” Raffelson said. “Those teams have been there for a while at the top. We need to work our butts off to get back up there.” L-P has reason to be optimistic that it can start building its program back up. It starts with sophomore QB Marion Persich, who threw for 1,398 yards and nine TDs plus ran for five more touchdowns a year ago as a freshman playing varsity and is almost universally viewed as a Division I/FBS prospect. Other expected standouts include RB/LB Griffin May, TE/LBs Jaron Morscheiser and Mason Morscheiser, WR/DB Landon Zellers, RB/DB Ryland Rynkewicz and OL/DLs Gus Konieczki, Bo Lawrence, Owen Mrowicki and Ever McCormick.

Ottawa Pirates

Coach: Chad Gross

2024 record: 1-8, 0-5

Schedule: Aug. 29 at Plano, Sept. 5 Streator; Sept. 12 La Salle-Peru; Sept. 19 at Kaneland; Sept. 26 Sycamore; Oct. 3 at La Salle-Peru; Oct. 10 Morris; Oct. 17 at Rochelle; Oct. 24 Granite City

Worth noting: The Pirates managed only one win in 2024, the sixth time over the past nine seasons the 2022 Class 5A playoff qualifier and 2012 6A state quarterfinalist was held to one or fewer victories. There are reasons O-Town is hopeful it can things around in 2025, however, beginning with a schedule that includes five games (versus Plano, Streator, downstate Granite City and two against archrival La Salle-Peru) against teams that won three or fewer games last season. Another is the Pirates’ 18 returners, led by the likes of WR/DB Owen Sanders, QB/DB Mark Munson, OL/DL Evan Paris, RB/DB Archer Cechowicz and RB/LBs Logan Mills and Ethan Poutre. “We’re going to have a lot of competition within the group,” said Gross. “It’s a little like putting a puzzle together. We feel we have a lot of good pieces to that puzzle, now it’s just finding where they go to not only make the kids better, but our team better.”

Five players to watch

• Cooper Bode, Sycamore, sr., RB/LB – The reigning DeKalb Daily Chronicle Wrestler of the Year, Bode was also a first-team all-area football selection last year. He had 55 tackles and two interceptions to go with a sack and six tackles for a loss.
• Jake Buckley, Kaneland, sr., OL/DL – Buckley was a force on both lines for the Knights. In addition to his blocking prowess on the offensive line, he had 41 tackles, 10 for loss and two sacks on defense. He was an All-Interstate 8 selection.
• Marion Persich, La Salle-Peru, so., QB – Persich will be a 6-foot, 3-inch, 215-pound, dual-threat headache for the rest of the Interstate 8 after an impressive freshman campaign playing varsity. Expect big, big things his sophomore campaign.
• Dylan Manning, Rochelle, jr., RB/DB – Manning was the No. 2 guy in Rochelle’s share-the-carries, share-the-yards rushing offense last season and still rang up 1,267 yards and 18 touchdowns. This year, he’s expected to be the Hubs’ primary ballcarrier.
• Brogan Kjellesvik, Morris, jr., OL/DL – A varsity starter since he was a freshman, Kjellesvik is a 6-foot, 4-inch, 265-pound menace to Morris’ opponents and will anchor an experienced, powerful O-line his junior campaign.

5 can’t-miss matchups

• Week 4 – Rochelle at Sycamore: The Spartans won the conference last year thanks to their 25-19 Week 4 win against the Hubs, kicking off an undefeated run through conference. Rochelle would go almost two months before losing again in the 5A quarterfinals to Nazareth.

• Week 5 – Morris at Kaneland: If either of these teams is looking to make a move on Rochelle or Sycamore and claim a conference title, it will have to start by beating the other. Last year, Morris rolled to a 50-10 victory before losing three of its next four games. It was the first loss for the Knights after a 4-0 start to the year.

• Week 6 – Kaneland at Sycamore: The Spartans have been dominant in the series against the geographic rivals of late, including last year’s 35-7 win in Maple Park. It was closer in 2023, a 22-21 win for the Spartans. The Knights last won in the series in 2018.

• Week 6 – Ottawa at La Salle-Peru: The Cavaliers captured both meetings last season, topping the Pirates at Howard Fellows Stadium 33-0 and then winning 14-7 at King Field. After already having met during Week 3 in Ottawa, the two longtime rivals will hit the gridiron across from each other for the 128th time. L-P currently leads the series 71-50-5 and has won the past 11 contests.

• Week 8 – Sycamore at Morris: Although it didn’t last year, this game decided the conference champion in three straight years. Morris won at home in 2021 and 2023, while Sycamore won in 2022. Last year, Sycamore won 42-0 in Morris to avoid tying with Rochelle for the league title.

Steve Soucie’s predicted finish

(* - projected playoff qualifier)

1. Sycamore*
2. Morris*
3. Rochelle*
4. Kaneland*
5. LaSalle-Peru
6. Ottawa