A controversial first-half call that went against Barrington gave Broncos senior right tackle John Stefan a ready-made excuse for his team’s season-ending 42-27 loss to Maine South in a Class 8A second-round game Saturday in Park Ridge.
But Stefan dismissed the incident, a possible simultaneous catch in the end zone that was ruled an interception instead of a potential game-changing Barrington touchdown. Instead, the 6-foot-5, 305-pound lineman chose to give credit to the opponent, the No. 26-seeded Hawks, a team No. 10 seed Barrington had beaten 41-27 in Week 3.
“I never think of refs’ calls as a positive or negative. Both teams have to play through it,” said Stefan, a second-year starter who lives in Deer Park. “The fact that we beat (Maine South) in Week 3 … it’s tough to beat a team twice in one year. They are a very talented team, and that’s just how it ended.”
The classy response seems right in character for a player Barrington coaches and teammates lauded for his integrity, leadership, work ethic and accountability in addition to his athletic ability.
“He’s an elite athlete, an elite thrower (in track). His size and athleticism are unbelievable,” Barrington coach Joe Sanchez said. “But I’m more impressed with his leadership and character. He’s an outstanding young man and he’s going to do great things well beyond Barrington High School. I’m just glad we got to spend some time with him and be part of his development.”
Stefan helped anchor an offensive line that played a major role as senior running back Logan Moews and junior quarterback Ray Niro became one of the most dangerous one-two punches in the Chicago area this fall.
The Broncos (9-2) rushed for more than 3,700 yards — Moews and Niro each surpassed 1,400— and the linemen yielded only three sacks. Playing alongside Stefan for a second straight season, Barrington senior center Mark Bach said he always could depend on Stefan for his play-making ability and intelligence.
“John is somebody you can look at and know that guy will be doing his job,” said Bach, who lives in Barrington. “(When I was) making the line calls, if there was something I didn’t know or was iffy on, I’d go to John and he’d always know what to do. He was my go-to guy.”
“He’s a great kid, but he’s kind of a nasty player on the field. He’ll work hard right to the whistle.”
With football season over, Stefan will soon go back to channeling that on-field intensity into throwing the shot put and discus. As a junior, he finished sixth in the state in the shot put, throwing 58 feet, 9.5 inches at the Class 3A state meet.
Stefan said there are obvious differences between throwing and football, but many similarities.
“In football, everything is team and in throwing obviously you have to be self-motivated, it’s more about you versus you,” Stefan said. “But one thing I like about both is the physical and mental intensity you can bring and that there is a lot of thinking involved in both of them.”
More Top Picks Best Juicers
Stefan said he is planning to throw in college rather than play football, and already has been in touch with track and field coaches at schools such as Villanova, Illinois, Princeton and Notre Dame. He hopes to study finance or economics.
“I know how difficult it is time-wise to do sports in college, so I knew I had to pick one, because you’re going to college to get a good job,” Stefan said. “With football being harder on the body and the head-injury risk, I just like the choice of throwing more.
“When I got to high school, I gave throwing a try, and after the first season, I just fell in love with it. So my decision was about my love for throwing.”
Dan Shalin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press