Top 10 Teams
1. Batavia (10-4): Senior quarterback Ryan Boe (North Dakota State) returns for third season as starter. Bulldogs seek another extended playoff run after taking second last year in Class 7A. Junior transfer Isaiah Brown joins talented receiver group after leading Yorkville with 42 receptions for 461 yards in 2022.
2. St. Charles North (10-2): North Stars will build around Jake Furtney (Army), a 6-foot-5, 230-pound senior tight end and middle linebacker. With junior quarterback Ethan Plumb back to lead offense in third season on varsity, defending champs figure to again be factor in DuKane Conference race.
3. Yorkville (10-2): Quarterback Michael Dopart shared time last season but took most of the snaps. He’s joined by fullback/linebacker Ben Alvarez and two-way lineman Logan Brasfield as the senior leaders for Foxes, who will be playing their home games this year on field turf installed during the summer.
4. South Elgin (11-0): Storm lost quarterback Jacob Sullivan, who transferred to Marmion after family’s move out of the district. Seven starters, including two-way starter Lucas Noworol at wide receiver and linebacker, return from team that won program’s fourth straight Upstate Eight Conference title.
5. Jacobs (8-2): Grant Stec (Wisconsin), a 6-6, 247-pound tight end/defensive end, leads a trio of four-year starters who return from back-to-back teams that won eight games. Three starters return on offensive line for Eagles, including Anthony Fetting, Rocco Sauer and Matthew Shannon.
6. Oswego East (5-5): Veteran offensive line led by senior tackles Tim Savchuk and Zac Clarke should lead Wolves to eighth straight playoff appearance. Program is hungry to make it past the second round, though.
7. Oswego (3-6): Senior Gustavo Guzman, a 6-7, 290-pound tackle, is one of four returning starters on the offensive line as Panthers look to bounce back from missing playoffs for the first time in coach Brian Cooney’s 11-year tenure.
8. Geneva (6-4): Junior wide receiver Talyn Taylor has eye-catching offers from top college programs, but a boatload of 15 returning starters also could push the Vikings up the area rankings in very short order. Don’t be surprised by an elongated playoff run.
9. Kaneland (7-4): Troyer Carlson, in his fourth year as the starter at quarterback, has reliable, big-time targets in receivers Aric Johnson and Dominick DeBlasio to lead offense for first-year coach Mike Thorgesen, who has been in the program for more than a decade, the last five seasons as defensive coordinator.
10. Burlington Central (4-5): Rockets return a bunch with 18 starters, looking to make program’s first playoff appearance since 2014. Improving junior quarterback Jackson Alcorn returns for second season leading the offense.
The 25 Players to Watch
Ben Alvarez, Yorkville, senior, fullback/linebacker; Angelo Bradley, St. Charles North, senior, defensive tackle; Ryan Boe, Batavia, senior, quarterback; Logan Brasfield, Yorkville, senior, offensive lineman; Jordan Buckley, Batavia, senior, defensive end; Troyer Carlson, Kaneland, senior, quarterback; Zac Clarke, Oswego East, senior, offensive lineman; Carson Cooney, Oswego, junior, linebacker; Tommy Diamond, Geneva, senior, linebacker; Ben Fiegel, Batavia, senior, linebacker; Jake Furtney, St. Charles North, senior, tight end/ linebacker; Gustavo Guzman, Oswego, senior, offensive lineman; Owen Hampton, Aurora Christian, senior, wide receiver; Aric Johnson, Kaneland, senior, wide receiver; Julian Johnson, Waubonsie Valley, senior, tight end/defensive end; Waleed Johnson, Plano, senior, running back; Jack Lesher, Marmion, senior, linebacker; Bodey McCaslin, St. Charles East, senior, offensive lineman/defensive lineman; Jalen Miller, Larkin, senior, running back; Tim Savchuk, Oswego East, senior, offensive lineman; Terrence Smith, West Aurora, junior, wide receiver; Grant Stec, Jacobs, senior, tight end/defensive lineman; Talyn Taylor, Geneva, junior, wide receiver; Arnold Walker, East Aurora, senior, defensive end; Charlie Whelpley, Batavia, senior, tight end.