5 football storylines to watch in Kendall County in 2024

The Illinois high school football season gets underway Monday, Aug. 12, with the start of preseason practices. Here are some of the top storylines to watch in Kendall County this season.

Can Sandwich build on its bounce-back season?

Sandwich was the most surprising, and best story of the football season in 2023 – certainly in the area and perhaps statewide.

A year after canceling its varsity football season, two years removed from an 0-9 season, Sandwich in 2023 made a triumphant return. The Indians won their first three games, reached the playoffs for the first time since 2013 and then made it all the way to the Class 4A quarterfinals for the first time since 2011.

What will they do for an encore?

Hard to top 2023, but the pieces are in place for another big fall in Sandwich. Speedster Simeion Harris, who rushed for 1,448 yards and 15 touchdowns, is back as the feature back in Sandwich’s wing-T offense. He’s one of a large group of underclassmen last year that figured heavily in Sandwich’s success. Tate Frieders was an all-conference pick and two-way starter along the line as a junior.

Sandwich gets a huge test in its Week 2 home opener against defending Class 2A champion Wilmington. Don’t be surprised, however, that when it’s all said and done the Indians are back in the playoff hunt and maybe even contending for a Kishwaukee River Conference title.

The Southwest Prairie West – even tougher?

The SPC West has proven to be an absolute bear since the league went to two divisions. Five of the six teams in the division made the playoffs last season; Plainfield North was one of a group of teams statewide that managed to get in with 4-5 records. Yorkville emerged with its first conference championship in 33 years, beating Plainfield North in Week 9 on a dramatic last-second field goal by Dominic Recchia. Oswego dominated the Southwest Prairie for much of the last decade and surely will be among the chief contenders.

The league, year in and year out, is a grind typified by tough defenses and games won up front.

And it could get even tougher this fall.

Gone is West Aurora, which won just one SPC West game over five seasons and returned to the Upstate Eight Conference. In the Blackhawks’ place slides in Bolingbrook. The Raiders are coming off a 3-6 season that, by that program’s pedigree, was nowhere near its standard. Added to that, dynamic quarterback Jonas Williams – just committed to Oregon – transferred to Lincoln-Way East. That said, Bolingbrook has missed the playoffs just twice since 1991. History suggests it won’t be down for long.

A good indicator of how the conference race will flow could come right away, when Bolingbrook visits defending SPC West champ Yorkville in the division opener Week 5.

One thing is certain – the path to five wins and a certain playoff bid just got a little tougher for SPC West clubs.

Plano’s new coach

It was a whirlwind summer in Plano, specifically for Kyle Tutt. The 38-year-old Tutt, who resigned after five seasons at Streator last fall, came aboard as an assistant at Plano in June. But when Rick Ponx left Plano to become an assistant at Benedictine University, Tutt was promoted to head coach in mid-July.

It isn’t often, or ideal, for a first-year football coach to take over a program six weeks before the start of the season, but Tutt does bring experience and a youthful vigor. He takes over a program that graduated Record Newspapers Player of the Year Waleed Johnson.

Tutt will get a rather familiar opponent in his Week 1 debut with Plano, as the Reapers pay a visit to Ottawa.

Can Oswego East return to the playoffs?

Oswego East, a regular in the playoffs over the last decade under head coach Tyson LeBlanc, had a disappointing 2023 season by its standards.

The Wolves went 3-6, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and for only the third time in LeBlanc’s 12 seasons.

Can they bounce back?

It won’t be easy. Oswego East must replace its entire offensive line, including two that are now playing Division I college football. The Wolves added a Week 2 nonconference game at Sycamore, which went 9-2 last season. Then there is the SPC West ringer to squeeze five wins out of.

Good news is junior quarterback Niko Villacci is back with a year of varsity starting experience under his belt. The defense, typically a Wolves’ strong suit, likewise has a good dose of experience.

Who are some players to watch?

The Kendall County area is not exactly lacking with future Division I talent.

Oswego senior linebacker Carson Cooney, leader of a defense that allowed just 70 points during the regular season last year, is one of the state’s top senior prospects and is committed to Iowa. Teammate Jeremiah Cain, a Northern Iowa recruit, is a big-play threat at receiver and defensive back.

At Yorkville, dynamic 6-foot-3 senior wide receiver Dyllan Malone is committed to NIU and edge/outside linebacker Bryce Griffin, who had a monster junior season, is pledged to Kent State.

And don’t be surprised if Harris puts up huge numbers running the football in his second varsity season at Sandwich.