Naperville North wide receiver James O'Shaughnessy has given a verbal commitment to Illinois State. The 6-foot-4-inch, 210-pound senior finished this season with 19 catches for 184 yards and a touchdown. O'Shaughnessy was also a special-teams presence for the 5-5 Huskies, returning 10 kicks for 294 yards.
Four Benet players were named to the East Suburban Catholic Conference honor roll: senior offensive lineman John Cannova; junior offensive lineman Pat Flavin; senior defensive lineman Nick Melka; and senior linebacker Mike Runger. For the entire all-ESCC list, click here. The conference's individual awards are listed below.
Most Valuable Player: Julian Sipiora, St Viator
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Mike Perish, Marist
Most Valuable Offensive Lineman: Dan Foreman, Joliet Catholic
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Jake Stockman, Joliet Catholic
Most Valuable Defensive Lineman: Steve Lester, Carmel Catholic
Coach of the Year: Dave Mattio, Marian Catholic
2009 All-DuPage Valley Conference
OFFENSE
Offensive Team Co-Captains: Nick Linne, Naperville Central; Leon Spears, West Aurora
Outstanding Co-Offensive Lineman: Mike Partipillo, Glenbard North; Roco Ammons, Wheaton Warrenville South
Running Back
*Evin Natick, Glenbard North senior
*Idris Hanidu, Naperville North senior
Leon Spears, West Aurora senior
Wide Receivers/Ends
Mike Carev, Glenbard North senior
*Hayden Daniels, Naperville Central junior
Richard Finley, Wheaton North junior
Greg McAndrews, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
Offensive Line
Nick Wozniak, Glenbard North senior
Mike Partipillo, Glenbard North senior
*Soern Osborne, Naperville North junior
Nolan Randall, Naperville North senior
Rocco Ammons, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
Chris Cortopassi, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
Quarterback
Jack Merrithey, Glenbard East senior
Nick Linne, Naperville Central senior
Reilly O'Toole, Wheaton Warrenville South junior
TE/Offensive All Purpose
Lee Skinner, Glenbard East senior
Cam Brate, Naperville Central senior
Mack Tracey, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
DEFENSE
Defensive Team Captain: Nick Lifka, Naperville North
Outstanding Defensive Linemen: Nick Abbate, Glenbard North
Defensive Back
Brandon Salemi, Glenbard North senior
Blake Zumpano, West Chicago senior
Carson Rajcan, Wheaton North senior
Shane Dierking, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
Caleb Bednarz, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
Linebacker
John Pullia, Glenbard North senior
Chris Wahrman, Glenbard North senior
Will Sayer, Naperville Central junior
*Nick Lifka, Naperville North junior
Jack Krejci, Naperville North senior
Jack Eshleman, Wheaton Warrenville South junior
Defensive Line
*Nick Abbate, Glenbard North senior
*Alex Schaefer, Naperville Central senior
*Matt Ives, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
*Tyler Becker, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
Specialist
Steve Jones, Wheaton North senior
Nick Immekus, Wheaton Warrenville South senior
*Represents unanimous selection
The playoff pairings will be announced live on Saturday at 8 p.m. across a range of local radio stations and IHSA television partners, including My 50 and CN100. For a list of options, click here or here.
Maine South, the defending Class 8A champion, could be the bracket's top seed by Saturday night. It's ranked second in the Midwest by the National Prep Football Poll and has to be considered the favorite in Class 8A. You might remember Cathedral -- the Indianapolis school pounded Neuqua Valley 63-34 at the beginning of October.
Midwest
1. Cleveland, St. Ignatius, 8-0-0
2. Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South, 8-0-0
3. Fort Thomas, Ky., Highlands, 8-0-0
4. Cincinnati, Moeller, 8-0-0
5. Cincinnati, St. Xavier, 7-1-0
6. Cleveland, Glenville, 7-1-0
7. Steubenville, Ohio, 8-0-0
8. Indianapolis, Cathedral, 8-1-0
9. Novi, Mich., Catholic Central, 8-0-0
10. Dublin, Ohio, Coffman, 8-0-0
While breaking down Wheaton North during the next two weeks, Naperville Central and Naperville North won't have to plan for Falcons quarterback Taylor Graham. The senior - who has verbally committed to Ohio State and is the son of Kent, the former NFL quarterback - is out with a knee injury.
"He's done," Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski said Wednesday. "He won't play again (this season)."
Graham missed a significant part of his junior season with a broken ankle. The 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound pocket passer then injured his knee during a Week 2 defeat at Lake Zurich. The knee problem was aggravated again when he returned to last week's 45-0 loss to Wheaton Warrenville South.
"I feel bad for the kid," Wardynski said. "He had - what? - four-and-a-half games where he was healthy last year. And one-and-a-half games this year."
Check out this feature on Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour. Lars Anderson writes:
At Benet Academy...LeFevour played in a rush-heavy double wing. Because he attempted only a dozen passes a game, he attracted little interest from I-A schools. Even after he sent video to 30 programs, including Notre Dame and every team in the Big Ten, he received scholarship offers only from Central Michigan, Ball State, Eastern Michigan and Eastern Illinois. "I went to football camps and thought I had as much talent as anyone, but looking back I was just raw," says LeFevour, whom some NFL scouts rate as a first- or second-round pick. "I had to learn how to be a quarterback."
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