2024 season preview: Scouting the Chicagoland Prairie Conference

Chicagoland Prairie Conference

Team previews

Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington Trojans

Coach: Luke Standiford

2023 record: 5-5, 4-3

Schedule: Aug. 31 Dakota; Sept. 6 at Elgin St. Edward; Sept. 13 at Aurora Central Catholic; Sept. 20 at Marquette; Sept. 27 Walther Christian; Oct. 4 at Seneca; Oct. 11 St. Bede; Oct. 18 Alton Marquette; Oct. 25 at Marquette.

Worth noting: The Trojans had three of their five losses come by three or fewer points last year. Last season’s Class 2A bid was the first trip to the playoffs for Dwight – which co-ops with Gardner-South Wilmington – since making the Class 3A postseason in 2018 in Standiford’s first season leading the varsity team. Prior to that It had been a 12-year playoff drought. Dwight will look to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the second time in school history, the first coming in 1983 and 1984. The Trojans return nine players on both sides of the ball, including seniors Dylan Crouch (RB/OLB; 375 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, 110 receiving yards with two TDs), Caiden Nelson (RB; 540 rushing yards and five TDs), Landon Burkhardt (OL/DL), Wyatt Statler (OL/DL); juniors Evan Cox (LB; first team all-conference), Filemon Ortiz (G/DT) and Jackson Launius (T/DE); and sophomores Will Anderson (OL/DL), Graham Meister (OL/DL), Aydan Collom (RB/LB), Joe Duffy (WR/DB) and Collin Bachand (QB/OLB).

Marquette Crusaders

Coach: Tom Jobst

2023 record: 7-3, 6-1

Schedule: Aug. 30 Aurora Christian; Sept. 6 at Madison; Sept. 13 Seneca; Sept. 20 Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington; Sept. 27 at St. Bede; Oct. 5 at Walther Christian; Oct. 11 Aurora Central Catholic; Oct. 18 at Seneca; Oct. 25 Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington.

Worth noting: Over the past 11 fall seasons under Jobst, the wing-T Crusaders are 101-21 and reached the playoffs in each of those years. Marquette returns four Times All-Area second-team choices in seniors Payton Gutierrez (RB/S; 90 rushes, 652 yards and six TDs) and Sam Mitre (OL/DL/K; 3-year starter) and juniors Anthony Couch (QB/DB; 31 of 61 passing for 508 yards and five TDs) and Marcus Baker (FB/DL). Also back in key spots are seniors Jaxon Rix (OL/DL), Tommy Walsh (OL/DL), Keaton Davis (TE/LB), Adrian Schaefer (DL/LB), Sean Kath (OL/LB), and junior Grant Dose (RB/LB; 46 rushes, 336 yards, five TDs). “It has become the expectation here, and that’s not a bad thing at all,” Jobst said of reaching the postseason every fall. “Each offseason and season, the kids here work toward that goal, because it’s expected of them, and they expect it from themselves. It’s not easy to make the playoffs. It’s a long season.”

St. Bede Bruins

Coach: Jim Eustice

2023 record: 5-5, 4-3

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Tri-Valley; Sept. 6 Eureka; Sept. 13 Walther Christian; Sept. 20 Seneca; Sept. 28 Marquette; Oct. 4 at Illinois Valley Central; Oct. 11 at Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington; Oct. 18 at Bloomington Central Catholic; Oct. 25 Ottawa.

Worth noting: If St. Bede hopes to extend its playoff streak to four consecutive seasons, the Bruins will have to get through a challenging regular-season schedule. St. Bede’s slate includes six playoff teams from last season – starting with Tri-Valley, which went 10-1 last season. Juniors Geno Ferrari and AJ Hermes are battling for the QB spot. Sophomore Landon Marquez (44 carries, 303 yards, two TDs) will be the lead running back, while senior Halden Hueneburg (29-163-2; 23 catches, 248 yards) and sophomore Brennen Hirst also will run the ball. Juniors Carson Riva (18 receptions, 175 yards, three TDs) and Jose De La Torre (10-88) return as the top pass catchers. Four starters return on the offensive line in seniors Mason Moreno, Jake Migliorini, Garrett Connelly and junior William Sramek, with senior Jaxon Kozak joining the group. On defense, Moreno and fellow seniors Jack Maschmann and Gavin Marquez return on the line, while Connelly, Sramek, Hueneburg and senior Grady Gillan are back at outside linebacker. Riva and senior Ryan Nawa are back in the secondary, while senior Logan Pineda will play free safety.

Seneca Fighting Irish

Coach: Terry Maxwell

2023 record: 11-1, 7-0

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Tremont; Sept. 6 Lisle; Sept. 13 at Marquette; Sept. 20 at St. Bede; Sept. 27 Aurora Central Catholic; Oct. 4 Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington; Oct. 12 at Walther Christian; Oct. 18 Marquette, Oct. 25 Durand-Pecatonica.

Worth noting: The past two seasons the Seneca football program has gone 21-2, including last year’s squad that reached the Class 2A playoff quarterfinals and rushed for more than 3,600 yards out of a power-T offense behind a strong offensive line. Graduation has left the Fighting Irish with just three starters back, meaning many spots need to be filled, including the entire offensive line. Seneca returns senior Paxton Giertz (QB/CB), who, after taking over as quarterback at midseason, passed for 119 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions and rushed for 343 yards and three TDs on 36 carries. Classmates Nick Grant (RB/LB; 43 carries, 446 yards, three TDs) and Casey Klicker (TE/LB; 25 tackles, 16 solo) also are back. In the mix on both sides of the ball will be seniors Brody Rademacher (FB), Kellen Arnold (C), Memphis Echeverria (G), Sam Finch (TE/LB), Sullivan Feldt (DT) and Kevin Einhaus (CB) as well as juniors Cam Shriey (RB/LB), Gunner Varland (RB/S), Liam Knoebel (RB/LB), Landen Venecia (OG/DT), Landyn Ramsey (T), Zeb Maxwell (T), Brady Sheedy (TE), Brayden Simek (TE/S), Colton Angeloff (NG) and Ethan Othon (S).

Walther Christian Broncos

Coach: Brad Hytrek

2023 record: 0-8, 0-6

Schedule: Aug. 30 Christ the King; Sept. 6 at Georgetown (Scott County), Kentucky; Sept. 13 at St. Bede; Sept. 20 at Aurora Central Catholic; Sept. 27 at Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington; Oct. 5 Marquette; Oct. 12 Seneca; Oct. 26 Westmont.

Worth noting: In his first year as coach of the Broncos, Hytrek brings with him a wealth of experience from coaching high school football for 15 years at a variety of Chicago-area schools, including Taft, Loyola, Lake View and Westinghouse. He takes over a program that forfeited four games last season, finished 0-8 and last made the playoffs in 2008. Walther Christian returns 15 starters, including seniors Hunter Frankum (TE), Donte Hall (RB/WR), Jonathan Perez (OL/DL), Sebastian Riviera (K) and Javon Finley (LB); juniors Kyrie Kyles (WR), Alexis Mosso (C), Bryce Pullen (OL), Tyler Whitaker (DB), Jeremiah Lebron (DB); and sophomore Jonathan Griggs (T). Others expected to make an impact for the Broncos are senior Antonio Gonzalez (QB), junior Brian Gutierrez (G/DT) and sophomore Kamarion Reese-Stinnett (RB).

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Dylan Crouch, Dwight/GSW, sr., RB/OLB – A two-way, two-year starter, Crouch rushed for 375 yards and seven TDs, posted 110 receiving yards with two TDs and was third on the team in tackles last year.

• Paxton Giertz, Seneca, sr., QB/CB/K – Also an all-state point guard in basketball and all-conference baseball player/pitcher, Giertz ran 36 times for 343 yards and three TDs after taking over as Seneca’s quarterback midway through last season.

• Nick Grant, Seneca, sr., RB/LB – In a power-T offense that rushed for over 3,600 yards in 10 games, the 6-foot, 190-pound ball of fire Grant posted 446 ground yards on 43 carries with three touchdowns.

• Payton Gutierrez, Marquette, sr., RB/S – The second leading rusher for the wing-T Crusaders last season with 652 yards on 90 carries and six TDs, Gutierrez looks ready to carry a heavier load to help the Cru reach a 12th straight postseason.

• Halden Hueneburg, St. Bede, sr., RB/LB – Hueneburg recorded 163 rushing yards on 29 carries with two TDs while also making 23 catches for 248 and a score last season. He also led the Bruins defense with 77 tackles (23 solo) and snagged an interception.

FIVE CAN’T-MISS MATCHUPS

Week 4 - Seneca at St. Bede: The Fighting Irish and Bruins came out swinging in last year’s Week 9 matchup as the squads were knotted at 21-21 after the first quarter. Seneca eventually forged ahead and closed out a second straight undefeated regular season and unbeaten league title with an eye-popping 79-35 win. The two teams combined for almost 1,000 yards in total offense.

Week 5 - Marquette at St. Bede: Last fall Marquette and St. Bede renewed their rivalry that began in 1949 for the first time since the two were members of the Big Rivers Conference in 2011. The Crusaders topped the Bruins 34-20 in the Chicagoland Prairie Conference game at a rain-soaked Gould Stadium. St. Bede leads the all-time series 30-27-1.

Week 7 - St. Bede at Dwight/GSW: Last season’s back-and-forth contest featured four ties and four lead changes with the Bruins kicking the go-ahead field goal in the final minute for a 31-28 win. The Trojans’ pass on the last play from the St. Bede 20-yard line was intercepted. Both sides finished the season 5-4 and made the playoffs, the Bruins for the fourth straight year and the Trojans for the first time since 2018.

Week 8 - Marquette at Seneca: The Crusaders and Fighting Irish already will have played each other, that in Week 3, so this one might come down to which team can adjust the most from the first meeting. Last season Seneca topped Marquette at Gould Stadium 28-6 on the way to an undefeated Chicagoland Prairie Conference and regular season.

Week 9 - Ottawa at St. Bede: Although not a conference game, this one holds historic value. The Pirates and Bruins last met on the football field Sept. 12, 1980, when the Pirates grabbed a 21-6 win over Bruins. Ottawa leads the all-time series 16-6-2, the first meeting in 1923, and topped St. Bede the past five matchups. More than a blast from the past, the contest also may be a win both sides need for a chance at the playoffs.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH

(* - Projected playoff qualifier)

1. Marquette*
2. Seneca*
3. St. Bede
4. Dwight/GSW
5. Walther Christian