Prep Football Preview: Sycamore Spartans

Sycamore at a glance

Conference: Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 White

Coach: Joe Ryan (110-67, 18th season)

2021 spring record: 6-0 overall and Interstate 8

2019 record: 10-2, 7-0

Meet the players

Keep an eye on: Nathaniel Altepeter, sr., RB. Altepeter will be back for his third year lugging the rock for the Spartans. He had 10 touchdowns in six games, rushing for 420 yards on 76 carries.

Also: Eli Meier, jr., QB; Xavier Gagnepain, sr., WR/KR; Byron Blaise, sr. TE; Kaden Ladas, jr., TE; Jake O’Donnell, sr., WR; Sam Carlson, sr., RB; Lincoln Cooley, jr., LG; Brady Hollendoner, jr., LT; Beau Cash, sr., RT; Kiefer Tarnoki, jr., LB; Dominic Bills, sr., LB; Dawson Alexander, jr., S; Ethan Bode, jr. LB; Ethan Storm, sr. LB; Tommy Rosenow, sr., DT; Brody Armstrong, sr., S

Sycamore in photos

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Sycamore High School junior receiver Kiefer Tarnoki catches a pass Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, during practice at the school. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

The Big Idea: The defense has the potential to be very, very good

The defense is poised for some big things. Eight starters return, and that’s not counting Jackson Funderburg, who played in the fall in Wisconsin last year after spending time on the varsity team as a sophomore. This was a team that gave up less than seven points per game last season, 6.5 points per game in 2019, and hasn’t allowed 20 points in a game since a 21-17 playoff loss to Montini in 2018.

Here’s what coaches and players are saying about the defense this year:

“We hope it’s a big strength. That’s where we always want to be really good. Football hasn’t changed. If you can run the ball and you can play great defense, man you’ve got a chance to be in a lot of games. It doesn’t mean you’re going to win every one of those games, but you’re going to be in every one of those games.”

—  Ryan

“I am extremely confident in our defense. Our chemistry, a lot of us have been playing for a long time together. I think the chemistry is building up and we’re more of a team instead of individuals. We play together.”

—  Bills

“I’m really excited. We’re going to be a really good defense. I think it’s just knowing one another and being close to one another in the locker room. We’re just a close group and we’re just ready to roll.”

—  Alexander

“I think their communication is really well and I think they play well together. It’s not like there’s 11 moving parts out there. There is one moving part working together. They know where they’re supposed to be and the strengths and weaknesses of the guys playing around them and rally around one another.”

—  Ryan

What else they’re saying

* Bills on the mindset heading into the season:

“We’re just trying to repeat the season and do even better than we did last season. I think it was kind of just a preseason to this season to be honest. We kind of build off of it and keep working hard.”

* Ryan on if he agrees with the spring’s six-game, postseason-less slate being like a preseason for this year:

“It kind of does lend itself to that since it wasn’t that long ago we played. You play spring ball then you’re into the fall. There are advantages of those teams in the south that are able to get spring football then go into their seasons. It allows them to be really familiar with what we do and the people who play around them.”

* Alexander on what he took out of last season:

“I saw it as a chance to overcome adversity, get stronger as a group, and really learn to trust one another. ... Obviously you want to take that confidence and roll it into next season. But right now last season doesn’t mean anything. It’s a new season, we’ve got to start new and be ready to go.”

* Ryan on his offensive line taking reps against the defense:

“If we take a wrong step in practice We’re going to pay for it. Well, that’s the same thing in a game. So they’re getting some great reps against some good guys on defense.”

The schedule

All games at 7 p.m. unless noted; an asterisk denotes conference games

The lowdown

While the defense comes back loaded, the offense has a lot of skill guys back but just one lineman in the position he played last year – junior Lincoln Cooley. Beau Cash will move from guard to tackle but has not started. And Brady Hollendoner is a 6-4, 290-pound junior that has never taken a varsity snap.

Junior Eli Meier is also back after taking over the quarterback job last season. He’s had another year to grow and will have receiver Jake O’Donnell plus tight ends Kaden Ladas and Byron Blaise back. Xavier Gagnepain, who was a huge target for Meier last season, will miss at least the first week with an injury suffered last week.

For information

[  After surprising sophomore season, Sycamore linebacker Kiefer Tarnoki ready for another leap ]

[ Sycamore welcomes return to normalcy as it prepares for fall season ]

[ 2021 fall preview: Scouting the Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 White ]