Nate Ashford is putting the bar nice and high for himself.
A debut like Ashford’s 27-carry, 153-yard effort Friday at Lake Park sounds worthy of a pat on the back, but the Waubonsie Valley junior is having none of it.
“I thought it could be better,” Ashford said. “I didn’t get the ball into the end zone.”
He should get ample opportunity.
The transfer from Metea Valley knew he’d be changing uniforms this fall. Ashford’s family moved across the street from Waubonsie last school year.
Ashford, though, was a pleasant surprise for Warriors coach Paul Murphy when he showed up at June camp. Ashford’s addition allowed Murphy to put Quaid Gill back full-time on defense, where he starts at safety.
“It strengthened two positions,” Murphy said. “Very rarely do you get a guy like Max Ihry who can do it both ways. Nate runs hard and he runs fast.”
Ashford didn’t necessarily wish to leave Metea, although he can attest to the benefit of a fresh start.
In seventh grade, his family moved to District 204 from Austin on Chicago’s West Side after two cousins were shot.
“That’s something most people don’t go through,” Ashford said. “It’s way better here, less violent. Just a nice place to be.”
With Ihry having graduated, Ashford knows he has big shoes to fill in Waubonsie’s backfield. And he isn’t Ihry.
Murphy, rather, sees a little of ex-Waubonsie back Tony Durns in the 5-foot-7, 150-pound Ashford.
“It’s big standards to live up to but I feel like I can do things (Ihry) couldn’t do,” Ashford said. “I can make some plays with my speed and I can break tackles too. He was a great player. I want to be known like that.”
Catching on: Like offensive coordinator Mike Fitzgerald, junior wide receiver Nick Calcagno came to Naperville North from St. Francis this year.
Familiarity with the system isn’t the only thing Calcagno has going for him.
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“It helps that he’s 6-4 and runs great routes,” North coach Sean Drendel said.
North could start its own pickup basketball team with its receiving corps.
There is 6-6 Mitch Lewis, who is a standout for the Huskies basketball team. Juniors Ryan Laurenzo and Calcagno go 6-4 and Matt Malan is 6-1.
“It’s a dangerous group,” Drendel said. “They’re very athletic kids, very good in traffic.”
They’re a big reason why quarterback Luke Cegles finished 15-for-18 with 254 yards and five touchdowns in North’s 42-14 win at Sandburg.
Calcagno — who led North with five catches for 66 yards — and Lewis each caught two TDs and Laurenzo caught one.
“(Calcagno) was at St. Francis and they moved to Naperville,” Drendel said. “He knows a lot of the kids. He’s fit in really nice.”
Junior achievement: Benet could be without one of its best defensive backs, Erik Jones, until Week 4 after he suffered a broken hand.
A younger face stepped up in his absence. Junior Ben Cooney, in his first varsity game, intercepted a pass and didn’t allow a completion. Cooney did a little bit of everything. On offense he received a handful of carries in Benet’s 31-21 loss to St. Laurence.
“Ben played a solid corner,” Benet coach Pat New said. “At running back he’s one of those guys who is quick and shifty.”
Redhawks reboot: To those concerned about Naperville Central’s 35-6 season-opening loss to Glenbard North, Redhawks coach Mike Stine offers a history lesson.
“We lost three in a row the year we won a state title (2013),” Stine said. “We’re not in a panic, oh-my-God mode. We need a good week of preparation for Neuqua.”
Joshua Welge is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.