After unusual 2-3 spring season, Nazareth looking to pave a path back to winning football

LA GRANGE PARK – There’s a redirected pathway toward the football stadium at Nazareth Academy.

Suddenly when visitors pull up to the La Grange Park campus, the one-way entrance veers toward the right and forces cars around the building.

Along with the fresh roads on Ogden Avenue, the football team is hoping to also finalize a construction project this fall.

After recording a 2-3 record in the abridged spring season – the program’s first losing season since 2010 – Nazareth coach Tim Racki said the football team is looking for a new route this fall.

The first official day of football practice went off smoothly for the Roadrunners on Aug. 9. The late afternoon practice featured a few normal kinks, such as positional coaches unsure about a position of a newcomer. But the practice avoided weather issues that plagued some schools in the Chicago area.

“We had a great summer but it just feels good that it’s August and we’re playing football,” Racki said. “It’s not spring. It’s not weird. It’s normal, and hopefully it stays that way. We’re all excited.

“It’s been awhile since we had a losing season but that’s if you consider that a season. We had a spring and summer camp, so the rust is going to come off quick. They look great, worked out all summer. We’re excited.”

With the transfer of senior wide receiver Tyler Morris to Plainfield East – Morris was not slated to play this season because of a serious knee injury in the spring – the Roadrunners are lean on numbers this fall.

Senior wide receiver Trell Harris underwent his own rebuilding project since he last played a down in the fall. Two years ago, when Harris attended Lyons, he was a skinny but promising player.

Now, after adding almost 40 pounds, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Harris is a chiseled rock with a strong physique. He’s up to nine scholarship offers. Harris said he’s looking to make his mark in his first full season at Nazareth.

“It’s way different being bigger. My body is moving different but I like it a lot,” Harris said. “You have to get used to it. My uncle in Michigan got me right, and he helped me a lot right when quarantine started. That’s when I started adding weight.

“I feel great. My body feels good. My teammates are depending on me more being a senior. I’m still kind of new here but they understand we all have one goal. I’m ready to ball out. We’re all ready to make plays and win games. Everybody’s motivated. It’s fun to play.”

Offensive/defensive lineman Joe Urso said he gained 10 pounds to increase his frame to 5-11 and 230 pounds. Urso is among the seniors motivated to restore some of the lost luster to the program after a six-year run that included three state titles and two runner-up finishes from 2014 to 2019.

“It’s been a long time since we had a losing [season], so it’s exciting just getting back to the locker room for the first time in a year and a half,” Urso said. “We’re hoping to get back to normal. Every single one of us are motivated. The team last [season], it was a crazy season, but that’s not an excuse to not do as well. We’re hoping to prove all the people wrong. People think we’re not the same as the years before, so we’re looking to show that.”

Senior wide receiver/defensive back Peter Roll, a three-year varsity player, wrapped up his recruiting in July by committing to Navy. Roll said his new agenda is winning games.

“It feels great to be committed, and there’s so much lifted off my shoulders,” said Roll, who sported a Navy shirt. “It’s crazy that today is the first day of my senior season. It’s very emotional but it’s crazy. We’re trying to come back stronger than ever. We know we’re going to be overlooked by everybody. We’re going to be deep and have some young kids step up.”