For 10 seasons I’ve selected an all-state team consisting of players on Class 5A through 8A teams. I also select an offensive player of the year, a defensive player of the year and a coach of the year.
Here are this year’s leading candidates.
Offensive player of the year
To many, Wheaton Warrenville South senior quarterback
Reilly O’Toole
seems like the easy choice.
Other area nominees:
Plainfield North senior RB
Kapri Bibbs
, who in nine games ran for 2,646 yards and 38 touchdowns Mount Carmel senior QB
Chris Sujka
has been nothing short of spectacular running the belly option. Others include Kaneland senior QB
Joe Camiliere
; St. Rita senior RB
Jahwon Akui
; Lake Zurich senor RB
Jacob Brinlee
; Homewood-Flossmoor senior RB
Malik Norman
; Joliet Catholic senior RB
Josh Ferguson
, who ran for 1,868 yards and 25 touchdowns; . Or Thornton senior RB
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Damien Bell
; and Simeon junior QB
Robert Gregory
.
Out-of-area nominees:
Jacksonville senior QB
Nick Lonergan
, who passed for 3,200 yards and 33 touchdowns in 10 games. Danville junior QB
Dennis Hightower
, who will surpass 1,500 yards rushing and passing . Don’t forget about Boylan junior RB
Tyreis Thomas
.
Defensive player of the year
Stats alone don’t do this award justice. My defensive player of the year needs to be all over the field and needs to make a presence felt at all times.
Nominees: Loyola defensive end
Mark Sullivan
, the Catholic League’s Defensive Player of the Year. Marmion senior FB/LB
T.J. Lally
, who plays like throwback on both sides of the ball. Glenbard West senior ILB
Beau Warden
and Lincoln-Way East LB
Pat Meehan
belong in the discussion.
Coach of the year
Last season, Danville’s
B.J. Luke
was selected, and his amazing turnaround of the program continues.
Nominees: Homewood-Flossmoor first-year coach
Craig Buzea
took a Vikings program that was 1-8 last season to 10-2 and a spot in the 8A semifinals this season. Maine South’s
Dave Inserra
didn’t panic after an 0-2 start. His two-time defending state champs are back in the semis this year and on a 10-game winning streak. Montini’s
Chris Andriano
would open next season against Ohio State and Iowa if he could. His team started 0-2 but is back in the semis looking to defend its 5A title. Is any team as focused every week as
Ron Muhitch’s
Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers, who are unbeaten and looking to defend their 7A title?
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Frank Lenti’s
Mount Carmel Caravan have cleaned up the defense and are back in the semis again.
Loyola’s
John Holocek
, Lake Zurich’s
Bryan Stortz
, Prairie Ridge’s
Chris Schremp
and Kaneland’s
Tom Fedderly
also should be considered.