Lake Zurich lineman Rocco DiCanio is a quick study.
On a senior-laden team with high expectations last season, there was no time for a sophomore like him to dip his feet into the pool to test the water at the varsity level. So DiCanio dove into the deep end.
“For my first game, I remember being as nervous as I’ve ever been in my whole life,” DiCanio said of starting on the defensive line in the Bears’ 2025 season opener. “But I went out there and competed, and after a few plays, I realized I belonged.
“I made a couple of tackles, and the fact that I was anchoring double-teams and not giving up ground was a good sign.”
That was the first of many signs that suggested the Bears could get three really good years from the 6-foot, 225-pound DiCanio, who started last season at defensive end in the base three-man front. Then his workload expanded further when he was thrust into duty at left tackle for four games due to a teammate’s injury. He hadn’t envisioned that.
“I had come up getting some practice reps at tight end and guard, but that was the first time I played offensive line,” DiCanio said. “They basically said, ‘You’ve got three or four days to learn this.’ I already knew most of the plays, and I just studied them a ton for a few days. But it was definitely a challenge I had to overcome.”
DiCanio has continued to take on new challenges during his junior season as the Bears (5-2, 5-0) bounced back from two losses with five straight North Suburban Conference wins to set up a showdown against Libertyville on Friday for sole possession of first place. DiCanio has reprised his role on defense, moved to right guard on offense and has become the long snapper too.
“He’s an absolute rock as a human being and an absolute rock in what we ask him to do, which is a lot,” Lake Zurich coach Dragan Teonic said. “He doesn’t say too much but just goes out and does his jobs at a high level.
“He’s a beast in the trenches and also checks a lot of boxes in the leadership department. I promise you teams know exactly where he is on all plays.”
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It’s certainly easy to find DiCanio, who had 23 tackles and a sack last season.
“Playing both ways at the end of the year gave me a taste of what it’s like this year being on the field pretty much all the time,” he said. “The coaches do their best to try to sub me out a little bit to get a breather, but I try to make it as quick as possible so I can get back on the field.”
As a full-time two-way starter, DiCanio has learned how to use his knowledge of one side of the ball to enhance his performance on the other.
“At both positions, it helps to get off the ball as quickly as possible, and being lower quicker always wins,” he said.
DiCanio seldom loses those battles. His effectiveness at guard is best reflected by how smoothly the Bears’ offense runs despite no returning starters, a new system and numerous injuries.
DiCanio prefers guard to tackle, and the reason aligns perfectly with Lake Zurich’s longtime identity on offense.
“I get to pull a decent amount at guard, and that’s what I like the most,” he said. “When you pull, you get to have a full running start, and I feel like I can really use my aggressiveness and quickness.
“In the first game this year, I absolutely bulldozed someone. I interlocked with him and then threw him on his back.”
Plays like that speak volumes, as does DiCanio’s lone individual offensive metric. He has graded out at 88% this season.
DiCanio is also playing well on defense. He has 18 tackles with six for loss and a sack in a scheme that suits his gritty, physical demeanor. The Bears have allowed a total of 33 points during their five-game winning streak.
“He takes on all blockers, and he takes on two, three guys so I can run freely,” Lake Zurich junior linebacker Tyler Bonelli-Schultz said. “He must be the strongest guy on the team. You can see him make plays where he bursts into the backfield. The running back isn’t going to have a good play on those, and he’s going to get hit hard.”
DiCanio is the youngest of three brothers, and the two oldest, Charlie and George, also played football for the Bears. Growing up with them, DiCanio learned to be resilient.
“We used to play Wiffle ball almost every day, and it could get heated sometimes,” he said. “I didn’t know if I’d ever win a game. But as I got older, their support has also been a big help.
“I always played sports with their older friends, and that helped me as a player. Being the youngest helped me on my football journey. I’ve always had to find a way.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.