May 14, 2024
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Led by Iowa State commit Cael Brezina, Downers Grove North’s defense expects to be rock solid again

Brezina, Jimmy Janicki headline large group of returnees defensively from 7-4 team

By Bob Narang
Senior linebacker Cael Brezina, who committed to Iowa State, will be one of the leaders of a stout Downers Grove North defense.

Senior linebacker Cael Brezina, who committed to Iowa State, will be one of the leaders of a stout Downers Grove North defense. (Photo provided by Cael Brezina)

After a promising junior season, Cael Brezina is aiming to finish his career with a number of noteworthy accomplishments. The Downers Grove North senior linebacker made a point to set his goals very high – individually and team-wise.

He started his summer by committing to Iowa State in the first week of June, selecting the Cyclones over offers from Indiana, Marshall, Northern Illinois, Syracuse, Air Force, Army and Western Michigan, among others.

“I picked Iowa State because of the plan they have for my future,” Brezina said. “I felt confident that they believe in my ability to be a star there and then make it to the next level. It was a tough decision because every program that I had the opportunity to talk to was full of amazing people and players.”

Brezina, a three-star recruit, is a player with an immense upside. The Trojans, coming off a 7-4 season, have a surplus of talented returnees on defense, led by Brezina.

Even so, the Trojans suffered heavy graduation losses on defense, mainly defensive lineman Ben Bielawski, who had 70 tackles, 11.5 sacks and blocked three punts last season, and linebacker Josh Lambert (85 tackles). Still, the combination of Brezina and linebacker Jimmy Janicki (92 tackles, three interceptions), along with numerous other talented returnees, puts Downers Grove North’s defense among the best in the conference.

“I’ve been doing a ton of different stuff, both on offense and defense and moving around,” Brezina said. “Defensively, it will make it much harder for teams to scheme for our defense. Offensively, we are putting in a ton of things that will probably be unexpected.

“I think dealing with the loss of the seniors has been super beneficial for our team. We have a ton of incredible young players that have had an opportunity to step into leadership roles throughout our program.”

Senior linebacker Cael Brezina, who committed to Iowa State in June, will be one of the leaders this fall for a stout Downers Grove North defense.

Senior linebacker Cael Brezina, who committed to Iowa State in June, will be one of the leaders this fall for a stout Downers Grove North defense. (Photo provided by Cael Brezina)

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Brezina said he’s been working tirelessly throughout the offseason to build toward a memorable senior season.

“I focused mainly on being able to move fluidly, getting super explosive and building my speed,” Brezina said. “I was super blessed to be able to work with such great coaches throughout the offseason who helped me hone those skills.

“My independent goals for the season are to make first team All-State and to have 100 tackles in the regular season. As a team, I think we have the ability to have a better record than last year and to win a state championship this year.”

Downers Grove North coach Joe Horeni said the defense will help his program stay in contention in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division despite losing seven players who have gone on to play in college.

“Defensively, we have most of our starters coming back,” Horeni said. “I’m excited about our defense. Based on our experience and how we’ve played the last couple of years, we’ve been pretty good defensively and sound. We’ve done a nice job keeping other offensive coordinators on their toes. I think it’s only natural to lean on that side of the ball because of our returnees.”