FND Team of the Week MVP: York defensive lineman Ashton Nawrocki

Ashton Nawrocki wears a jersey number – No. 15 – traditionally worn by quarterbacks, and before this year he played linebacker.

Now he is a defensive lineman and a darn good one.

An anchor of a fierce York defense, Nawrocki played a huge role in the Dukes’ 31-7 win over Hinsdale Central on Oct. 7 that clinched at least a share of the West Suburban Silver championship. Nawrocki, a senior, made seven tackles, four tackles for loss, and had two sacks and two quarterback hurries as York improved to 7-0 on the season.

As a result of his efforts, Nawrocki was voted the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP.

Nawrocki earned 273 votes to claim the Team of the Week MVP belt. The Team of the Week is sponsored by SGKR Injury Attorneys.

Nawrocki answered a few questions from Friday Night Drive’s Joshua Welge about his big night.

Welge: How good was it to get that win, clinching a share of conference and staying undefeated, and beating a pretty good team. What did that mean?

Nawrocki: It’s awesome for the whole program beating Hinsdale Central. It’s the first time we beat them in over 10 years. Clinching the conference championship, it’s the first time we’ve done that in a while. We’re going to have our year up on the banner in the school’s field house. Everyone is excited. We just have to keep working, try to get to 9-0 and get ready for the playoffs.

Welge: What’s the enthusiasm like around this program?

Nawrocki: We’re getting a ton of support from the community and everybody with the fans, the games have been packed, it’s been awesome. The atmosphere is great. Us teammates, we all have a ton of respect and love for each other. We all love coming here every day and playing for each other.

Welge: What stood out about the win? Your defense held them to seven points, obviously that’s pretty good.

Nawrocki: Everyone did their job. We were getting pressure, all the D-line was making plays, linebackers were making tackles, coverage was great. I’m not making the plays I did if not for the rest of my teammates. Great team win for us.

Welge: Had you played linebacker at some point?

Nawrocki: Yes, freshman year, sophomore year and junior year, I played linebacker. I made the switch this year and it’s going great. I played defensive line when I was younger. It’s going great.

Welge: What played into the switch?

Nawrocki: I did it for the team. It was the best spot for me to go. We had a bunch of depth at linebacker. Going to the D-line was the right decision for me and my team.

Welge: Now you wear No. 15, sort of a quarterback’s number?

Nawrocki: It’s the number I’ve worn since seventh grade. I got 15 and it stuck with me.