Kane County Football Notebook: Batavia’s Trey Urwiler set to finish career on future NIU home turf

Trey Urwiler’s high school football career will end on Saturday at Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Field.

It will be familiar turf soon enough.

He’ll start his collegiate football journey on that same field in just a few months – and walk across the graduation stage on the turf – before it gets there.

“It’s definitely a special thing; definitely something that not too many other people get to do,” Urwiler said. “...honestly, I’ve thought about it, but I haven’t really changed my approach too much. I just kind of told myself ‘obviously, this is going to have a lot of spotlight on it and it’s a pretty cool experience.’”

“I just kind of use it as motivation to I guess ball out on that field,” Urwiler continued. “Show them what’s to come the next four years at NIU, so this is a cool experience for me for sure.”

Urwiler’s senior season “has brought out literally everything inside” of him emotion-wise. From the postponed fall season to being thrust into the starting quarterback position from his customary wide receiver role due to injury, it’s been a rollercoaster.

“All the preparation; everything that’s built up from a young age like the leadership qualities, being a good teammate...it’s brought out all of those characteristics in me,” Urwiler said. “And, I’ve had to, obviously, change a lot of things like my role on the team...it’s been a learning experience. It’s been a great experience.”

“It’s been very emotional. This has probably been the most emotional and most invested I’ve ever been into a team and a team has been all together,” Urwiler continued. “I would say it’s been so emotional.”

The surprising 30-7 loss to Wheaton Warrenville South in Week 4 was “devastating.”

“At Batavia, you lose a game, and it’s like ‘Oh, my gosh’. It’s devastating, which is a good thing,” Urwiler said. “I would just say it’s [the season has] been so, so good. I’m just happy we’ve gotten a chance to play. It’s really been...it’s so hard to really sum up.”

“It’s like we’re making history [by playing this season amid the pandemic circumstances]. This has never happened,” Urwiler continued.

Saturday, it turns out, will be a busy day for the Urwiler family. As Trey competes against Wheaton North for the DuKane Conference championship, his older brother, Quinn, has a Football Championship Subdivision playoff game to compete in with the University of North Dakota against Missouri State.

“I’m having a lot of family come in since the stadium [capacity] is bigger,” Urwiler said.

In a few days, Urwiler and the 37 combined seniors will be putting on the Batavia jersey one final time.

“It’s really, really hard to believe that this is really the last game,” Urwiler said. “I’m just like, ‘Is this really it?’ I can’t believe that this Saturday is going to be the last time I put on that jersey on. And, I think that’s how it is for a lot of the seniors.”

“...Obviously, this town means a lot to me. Ever since I was in first grade, this is what I wanted to do. It’s just emotional, but I’m going to give it all I’ve got – like always,” Urwiler said.

Priami relishes year at St. Charles North

Senior quarterback Michael Priami’s career at St. Charles North might have only lasted six games, but the the experience has been “everything like I hoped for.”

“Coach [Rob] Pomazak [took] me under his wing,” Priami said. “Just kind of helped me with all the stuff and all the guys. I love being here. It’s one of the bets programs that I’ve been in in awhile.”

“Everyone just wants to do the same thing: Win a championship and it’s been great,” Priami continued.

Transferring in from Bartlett before the season, Priami saw the program from a distance.

“I just saw a good program that just needed that next step up to get to that championship-caliber level like in 2018,” Priami said. “...So I thought I could help raise the bar a little bit and hopefully, I did that this year.”

Priami’s top moment of this season was the team’s 14-12 victory over Wheaton North last Friday.

“Just winning that game; good team against another good team,” Priami said. “Just persevering through the mistakes we made, all the challenges we had in that game and coming out with that win [will be memorable.]”

Priami started with the program last April and had to adapt quickly through summer camp. That experience has paid off, but his final high school football game now looms large with a noon kickoff Saturday against Wheaton South at NIU.

It will be Priami’s first time playing on the NIU turf.

“Right now, I’m just focused on the game,” Priami said. “I’m not focusing on the last high school game. Definitely after the game, there will be tears shed for sure. It’s just going to be a lot of memories [to be made] on Saturday. It’s going to be difficult for everyone so hopefully we come up with the win.”