Suburban Life football notebook: After 41 years, Wheaton Warrenville South coach Ron Muhitch calls it a career

Tigers’ icon won seven state titles and 20 DVC championships as an assistant, head coach

Wheaton Warrenville South coaching icon Ron Muhitch is moving onto the next stage of his life.

His wife joked that it’s about time “he graduated from high school.”

After patrolling the sidelines for 41 years — 22 as a defensive coordinator and 19 as the Tigers’ head coach — Muhitch announced his retirement on Monday.

During Muhitch’s coaching career at Wheaton Warrenville South, the Tigers won seven state championships, placed second four times and won 20 DuPage Valley Conference titles.

As the head coach for the Tigers, Muhitch posted a 153-63 mark, going 92-42 in conference play from 2002-2021. He won three state titles in 2006, 2009 and 2010 and was runner-up twice, in 2007 and 2011.

“My wife joked that I finally graduated high school because I’ve been walking the halls of Wheaton Warrenville South for over 40 years in some capacity, whether teaching or coaching,” Muhitch said. “I loved it. Wheaton Warrenville South is a great high school. I built some great relationships. I made a commitment to a couple of families in the 2020 class at this time last year that I would stay when the kids were seniors.

“It was a fun ride, especially this year because the conference was a competitive group among the top four,” he said. “I can remember being that young guy, trying to beat top programs like Wheaton North in the early days. When you get momentum in a program, you have to run with it. I could see quality new competition in this new conference.”

Muhitch, who retired as a teacher in 2014, said he debated whether to come back for the truncated season, mainly because he currently lives in southwest Florida. But he wanted to have one last run with the Class of 2021. The Tigers notched a memorable victory over Batavia in Week 5 to finish with a 4-2 record this spring.

“I made commitment to a couple of families in 2020 class, did it at this time last year that I would stay when the kids are seniors,” Muhitch said. “It turned out great. We enjoyed a tremendous spring season.”

Wheaton Warrenville South graduate Reilly O’Toole was one of Muhitch’s most accomplished players. O’Toole, a quarterback, guided the Tigers to 26 consecutive wins, including Class 7A state championships in 2009 and 2010. He was named the 2010 Chicago Tribune Player of the Year and played five seasons at Illinois. O’Toole said Muhitch taught him the importance of leadership and accountability.

But O’Toole added Muhitch displayed a sense of humor from time to time. He recalled a practice where the veteran coach made the team run the same play over and over “then he had one of the assistants bring over a soccer bench on the field and he just sat there until we ran the play right.”

“(Coach) put a lot on the plate of the quarterback to get everyone on the same page,” O’Toole said. “He had high expectations and he was just one of those coaches you don’t want to let down…The (WW South) football program has a lot of tradition and Muhitch took a lot of pride in that tradition, not only because he played a key role in many of those historic seasons, but he also wanted everyone to be proud to play at South.

“Muhitch will not only be a legend at Wheaton Warrenville South, but he will be one of the best Illinois coaches of all time. He’s made such a positive impact on 1,000s of kids and deserves all the accolades coming his way.”

Historic season for Hinsdale Central

Through all the uncertainty over the last two-plus years, Hinsdale Central kept on doing one thing with regularity — win football games. The seniors endured a possible elimination of the football program two years ago and the coronavirus pandemic, but posted a 6-0 record in the abridged 2021 season. The Red Devils finished with an 8-2 record in 2019.

The Red Devils defeated Lyons 31-10 on Friday to conclude a historic season.

“Finishing undefeated meant a lot to the players and coaches,” Hinsdale Central junior linebacker Sean Allison said. “Finishing undefeated meant a lot to the seniors, especially beating Glenbard West. I think it’s unfortunate that this team didn’t get an opportunity to make that run in the playoffs.”

Hinsdale Central coach Brian Griffin credited his players for their hard work in the difficult and extended offseason.

“I’m so proud of how incredibly hard these kids have worked this season,” Griffin said. “The amount of hours they put in outside of school without being able to work out together is a true testament to their character and resilience. For our team to accomplish what they did is truly incredible.”

In six games, the Red Devils totaled 2,002 yards but allowed just 765. The defense forced 10 turnovers, gave up only three rushing touchdowns and one passing and limited opponents to 40 percent passing and a 12 percent third-down conversion rate. Quarterback Michael Brescia finished his stellar career completing 64 of 111 passes for 955 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception, while rushing for 490 yards and 12 TDs.

Senior linebacker Carson Boggs paced the defense with 56 tackles, a sack and an interception. Allison, who tallied 48 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions, said the defense relied on trust and good chemistry to lead the team to the West Suburban Silver title.

“On the field, we played as a team and we played hard,” Allison said. “We were one of the best (defenses) in the state.”

A memorable ending

Willowbrook senior linebacker Mohammad Ayesh finished a decorated career by getting a chance to do something most defensive players dream about — playing quarterback.

Defensively, Ayesh tallied 14 tackles, including three for a loss, in a 42-0 victory over Rich Township on Friday. Ayesh leaves a lasting legacy, breaking the program record for highest tackle average per game. Ayesh, a three-year starter and two-year captain, said he’s not planning to play in college.

“We all came in looking to win, play well and play fast and hard,” Ayesh said. “I feel we played really well. It was a good way to go out, just dominating. It got emotional after the game, especially when all the seniors lined up and all the underclassmen went around thanking them.”

And for his play at quarterback?

“The coaches let me play quarterback for a few plays, and they knew it would be my last time playing football, so they let me have some fun,” Ayesh said. “I’m not much of a thrower, but I did throw an interception. It was in double coverage. I just threw it up and hoped for the best.”

Franklin’s final numbers

Speaking of a stellar career, it’s hard to beat the final numbers of IC Catholic Prep senior running back Kyle Franklin. Over a four-year varsity career, the Indiana State commit in 42 games ran for 5,400 yards , and 84 touchdowns, 9.3 yards per carry and 128.6 yards per game.