Winning teams like Wauconda have winning players like Jackson Ori.
The senior receiver/cornerback has been a steady contributor for the Bulldogs, who have won 19 straight regular-season games and can clinch another outright title in the Northern Lake County Conference with a victory against Grayslake North on Friday.
“I think I have a good grip of the game and what the team needs to be successful,” Ori said. “Even if people don’t notice, I want to do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
A receiver on a run-heavy team, Ori is often blocking. Not having a lot of passes thrown his way doesn’t bother him one bit.
“Blocking is just as important as catching passes, and I get just as hyped making a big block as when I catch something,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be a massive pancake block, just as long as you stop a defender from making a play.”
That Ori is proficient at shielding defenders from Wauconda’s ball carriers isn’t a fluke.
“Jackson is a smart player who plays a variety of positions for us,” Wauconda coach Chris Prostka said. “He has a calm demeanor and plays with good poise.”
Those traits helped Ori on his most memorable block of the season. It occurred on a run against Lakes in Week 7. Running back Connor Vanselow bounced outside, and Ori was able to help spring him for a long touchdown run.
“I just got in front of the defender at just the right time. It was nothing crazy,” Ori said. “But that’s what we needed on that play. It was amazing.”
Knowing the lay of the land on offense gives Ori an advantage when he’s on defense. Film study and instinct allow him to read whether a play is a run or a pass. He can just look at the opposing receiver’s approach to the line.
“You’ve got to know situations and schemes each week,” said Ori, whose younger brother Nick is a freshman getting varsity time this season. “You usually get a good feel by the formation, and luckily we have a lot of players who are smart like that.”
Al Hindi brings energy: Amir Al Hindi has been productive for Lakes all season, but not like this.
The senior running back rushed for 226 yards and three touchdowns on Oct. 13, and the Eagles needed every bit of that production in a 21-18 Northern Lake County Conference win against Grant to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Perhaps most revealing, Al Hindi had 35 carries for Lakes (4-4, 3-3).
“I have that workhorse mentality, and I want the ball to keep being fed to me,” Al Hindi said. “I’ve been waiting for one of these games this season, and there was a ton of positive energy.”
That energy has continually come from Al Hindi, who enters the regular-season finale against Grayslake Central on Friday with 783 yards and nine touchdowns on 139 carries.
How the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Al Hindi gets his yards can vary because of his unique skill set and physical makeup.
“He’s more of a power runner,” Lakes coach Jason Ellerman said. “Because he’s pretty compact, he cuts back well and also has good vision. It’s a different game with him out there for us.”
Al Hindi is even more to the point about what he strives to do with the ball in his hands.
“I’m not one to juke and cut for no reason,” he said. “I’m an aggressive runner who’s not scared of contact. I just put my foot in the ground and go.”
Tidbits: Lake Zurich’s ground game has become a strength as the Bears close in on their first North Suburban Conference title since 2017. The six-player rotation up front of Bryce Sanders, Nick Panico, James Strojny, Richie Marmol, Trevor Schuetz and Collin Byrne paved the way for 223 yards and six touchdowns on 21 carries in the first half alone in a 42-7 win against Mundelein last week. … Grayslake North sophomore running back Dom Pulliam had a night to remember in a 70-0 win against Round Lake last week. He not only had a rushing touchdown but also found the end zone on a punt return and a kickoff return. Another reason Grayslake North (7-1, 5-1) is in the mix for a conference crown is its plus-10 takeaway margin.