2024 season preview: Scouting the DuKane Conference

Team previews

Batavia Bulldogs

Coach: Dennis Piron

2023 record: 11-2, 7-0

Worth noting: The reigning DuKane Conference champions will have quite the challenge ahead of them if the Bulldogs want to win their third conference title in four years or make it to their third consecutive Class 7A state semifinal. Batavia lost a lot of firepower on both sides of the ball, graduating both quarterback Ryan Boe, the conference’s offensive MVP, and linebacker Ben Fiegel, DuKane’s defensive MVP, as well as multiple other key role players to graduation. But luckily, the Bulldogs still have some athletes set to fill in some of those holes. On offense, Nathan Whitwell will fill in at running back after picking up nine touchdowns last season as a third-stringer. Isaiah Brown will act as a reliable pair of hands at wide receiver to new quarterback Bodi Anderson, while Brett Berggren will look to build off his impressive run in the postseason, where he had two 100-plus yard receiving games. Gavin Pecor will look to lead a rebuilt front line, which includes some potential Division I prospects in newcomers Joshua Hecht and Ryan Myers. Defensively, the Bulldogs will have a little less work to do to get back up to speed. Malachi Smith will head an explosive D-line, while an experienced secondary group of Josh Kahley, Chase Osborne and Jacob Jansey look to lock down some talented receivers in the conference. The Bulldogs start to season with some tough matchups with nonconference games at Glenbard West and against South Elgin. But while Piron knows that the team will be filled with inexperience, he’s confident that the Bulldogs can be a threat by season’s end.

“This year’s squad is one of the most explosive we’ve ever coached, especially strong in the trenches and incredibly physical,” Piron said. “While it might take a little time to get rolling, we believe this team has the potential to be very special.”

Schedule: Aug. 31 at Glenbard West; Sept. 6 South Elgin; Sept. 13 Lake Park; Sept. 20 St. Charles North; Sept. 27 at Wheaton North; Oct. 4 Geneva; Oct. 11 at St. Charles East; Oct. 18 Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 25 at Glenbard North.

Geneva Vikings

Coach: Boone Thorgesen

2023 record: 9-3, 5-2

Worth noting: The Vikings have qualified for the playoffs in each of Thorgesen’s first three seasons after going through a five-year drought. And after their best season yet under Thorgesen, Geneva is poised to make waves once again after returning plenty of talent from the nine-win team that finished third in the DuKane. Wide receiver and Georgia recruit Talyn Taylor will look to be at the center of the offense once again after puttingup 32 receptions for 512 yards and six touchdowns in just seven games after being forced to miss time with a torn meniscus in his knee. But even if defenses put everyone on the four-star recruit, the Vikings have a pair of veteran running backs in Michael Rumoro and Troy Velez. They could be seeing the ball a lot more after the departure of quarterback Nate Stempowski. A line led by Joe Pettit and James Bucholz could give the new starting quarterback plenty of time to get the ball to Taylor. The defense, however, is a bit of a different story. While the Vikings do return some of their top players like Pettit on the line and Dane Turner in the backfield, Geneva still lost nine of its top 12 tacklers from a season ago. And against nonconference teams like Larkin and Lemont to open up the season, the inexperience on the defense could definitely show. But if the team adjusts accordingly and the offense lives up to the hype, the Vikings could be in line to win their first DuKane Conference title.

“We’ve just got to go out there and take it one game at a time,” Thorgesen said. “One thing about us is that we’re going to play hard and we’re going to play fast. Our kids have been doing that for the last three, four years, and we’ve gotten better every year because of it.”

Schedule: Aug. 30 Larkin; Sept. 6 Lemont; Sept. 13 at Wheaton Warrenville South; Sept. 20 at Lake Park; Sept. 27 Glenbard North; Oct. 4 at Batavia; Oct. 11 Wheaton North; Oct. 18 at St. Charles East; Oct. 25 St. Charles North.

Glenbard North Panthers

Coach: Ryan Wilkens

2023 record: 0-9, 0-7

Worth noting: Last season marked the first time that the Panthers didn’t make it to the playoffs in consecutive seasons in Wilkens’ 19 seasons as head coach. It was also the second time they went winless in a season, with the other time coming in 2018. The Panthers were outscored 274-67 and failed to score more than 14 points in a game, and were shut out three times. But Glenbard North is returning plenty of players from last season, especially on the offensive line and at the linebacker position. Seniors Dylan Bradford, Teddy Dost, Xavier Cantrelle, Chase Mora and junior Danny Mahoney will be tasked with securing the line again, while Tyler Hvorcik, Lucas Kramer and Dylan Hendee will hold down the middle of the field on the defensive side. The Panthers also return some key skill players in wide receivers Jaysek Thompson and Zechariah Morris and running back Donato Gatses.

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Bartlett; Sept. 6 Willowbrook; Sept. 13 at St. Charles East; Sept. 20 Wheaton Warrenville South; Sept. 27 at Geneva; Oct. 4 at Lake Park; Oct. 11 St. Charles North; Oct. 18 at Wheaton North; Oct. 25 Batavia.

Lake Park Lancers

Coach: Chris Kirkpatrick

2023 record: 4-5, 2-5

Worth noting: The Lancers’ four wins was the most that they’ve had in a season since their last appearance in the playoffs back in 2017. And in their third season under Kirkpatrick, Lake Park is hoping to make a jump once again to earn its spot in the playoffs. The big thing to watch with the Lancers is the ability to beat winning teams. Each of their wins last year came against teams that finished with a losing record, while all their losses were against teams who finished with five or more wins. While the departure of Declan Fortuna does take a hamper out of their offense, wide receiver Niko Menos has been described by Kirkpatrick as an up-and-coming star in the league. Junior quarterback George Tzamouranis gets the nod to start after playing in six games in relief last season. Same for running back Robert Munaco, who saw some time behind Fortuna. Also returning is an experienced offensive line led by Charlie Michelini and a solid linebacker group on defense, headlined by Val Roins.

“Our players are looking to put together a great season,” Kirkpatrick said. “Our seniors have very high expectations for themselves and we have a hungry and talented junior group. We are setting the bar high for ourselves, and I am excited to see if we will raise to the occasion.”

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Conant, Sept. 6 Bartlett; Sept. 13 at Batavia; Sept. 20 Geneva; Sept. 27 at St. Charles East; Oct. 4 Glenbard North; Oct. 11 at Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 18 at St. Charles North; Oct. 25 Wheaton North.

St. Charles East Saints

Coach: Nolan Possley

2023 record: 1-8, 1-6

Worth noting: The Saints’ 1-8 record was their worst in a nine-game season since 2003. With it comes a sense of urgency to get St. Charles East back to its winning ways and quickly. While the Saints are expected to have a new quarterback in JT Padron to step in for Mac Paul, he’ll have a reliable option to go to in wide receiver Sheko Gjokaj, who was on the receiving end of nearly half of Paul’s passes last season. The Saints only managed 20 or more points in two games last year, so Possley knows that they’ll need some more young talent to step up. On defense, it’s a very similar situation, especially after giving up 294 points throughout the season. The returns of linebacker Luke Herrera and defensive back Sean Keegan will help a bit, but the back end talent will need to step up and fill the holes left by players like Bodey McCaslin and Charlie Bolsoni. While the Saints know of the challenges that are ahead of them this season, Possley says that it is time for them to face the challenge head on.

“Simply put, everything we have done this year is with an elevated sense of urgency,” Possley said. “Our team is young and hungry, with a senior group that has a chip on their shoulder. The expectations are to compete every day with a playoff mindset and mentality.”

Schedule: Aug. 30 Lincoln-Way Central; Sept. 6 at Wheaton Academy; Sept. 13 Glenbard North; Sept. 20 at Wheaton North; Sept. 27 Lake Park; Oct. 4 at St. Charles North; Oct. 11 Batavia; Oct. 18 Geneva; Oct. 25 at Wheaton Warrenville South.

St. Charles North North Stars

Coach: Robert Pomazak

2023 record: 6-4, 4-3

Worth noting: The North Stars failed to repeat as DuKane champs after going 4-3 in conference play. But this season, St. Charles North will have something that only one other team in the conference can say they have: an experienced quarterback. Ethan Plumb is heading into his fourth varsity season as the starter and is hoping that his experience will be what’s needed to take the North Stars back to the top of the conference. That experience will also be important for the receiving corps, which was gutted by graduation. Junior Keaton Reinke is expected to lead the young group, while Marmion transfer Braden Harms looks to be a key addition on the squad. The lack of receiving experience will also open the door for running back Joell Holloman, who finished with 673 rushing yards and seven touchdowns last season, and is a player that Pomazak thinks could break out this season. The linebacker duo of Matthew Plumb and Aidan McClure will look to be the backbone of the North Stars’ defense, while Declan Smith, who mainly played offensive line last season, is expected to be a key addition to the defensive line to replace stars like Jake Furtney. The North Stars will have some tough nonconference games against Palatine and Crete-Monee, but Pomazak is confident that with the pieces that have returned they can find themselves back atop the conference.

“All in all, the North Stars will be a team to beat in the always challenging DuKane Conference,” Pomazak said.

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Palatine; Sept. 6 Crete-Monee; Sept. 13 Wheaton North; Sept. 20 at Batavia; Sept. 27 Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 4 St. Charles East; Oct. 11 at Glenbard North; Oct. 18 Lake Park; Oct. 25 at Geneva.

Wheaton North Falcons

Coach: Joe Wardynski

2023 record: 7-4, 5-2

Worth noting: Three years removed from winning the Class 7A state title, the Falcons find themself in a similar situation as Batavia. Much of their talent from last season, including quarterback Max Howser, running back Walker Owens, wide receiver Matt Kuczaj and defensive lineman Joe Barna, who’s playing at Illinois now, are gone to graduation. However, the Falcons did manage to retain more of their starters, which fares well in their quest to reach the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Of them, wide receiver Rich Schilling will be one of the most important pieces returning to the roster, supplying whoever replaces Howser with a reliable set of hands. The offensive line will see three key players return in Jonathan Hurst, Carl Givens and Aiden Varney, which will bode well for linebacker Dylan Jung, who will be getting reps at running back throughout the season. Joining Jung on defense is Shane Diericx, who bursted onto the scene during his sophomore campaign. While a majority of the starters on both sides will be new, they’ll get thrown into the fire early with nonconference matchups against Providence and Lockport before starting conference play against St. Charles North. Either way, Wardynski hopes that his team can be competitive in a league that is “as competitive as ever.”

“We hope to be able to run the football this year and our defense will be built around good team speed,” Wardynski said.

Schedule: Aug. 30 Providence; Sept. 6 at Lockport; Sept. 13 at St. Charles North; Sept. 20 St. Charles East; Sept. 27 Batavia; Oct. 4 Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 11 at Geneva; Oct. 18 Glenbard North; Oct. 25 at Lake Park.

Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers

Coach: Sean Norris

2023 record: 5-5, 4-3

Worth noting: In four seasons under Norris, the Tigers have not finished a season with a winning record. But if there’s any season where that could change, this one could certainly be it. WW South is returning a majority of its starters from last season, which saw the Tigers defeat Wheaton North for the first time since 2019 and take St. Charles North to the brink before losing in overtime. Luca Carbonaro returns for his third season at quarterback and will have two solid passing options in Northern Illinois wide receiver recruit Amari Williams and Illinois State tight end commit Brady Goken. The Tigers also return three starters on the line in Sean Semp, Jake Winters and Rory Masse. They hope to create holes for running back Owen Yorke, who’s the No. 1 option after the graduation of Matt Crider. Defensively, the Tigers will be a younger team, returning only three starters from a season ago. Linebackers Axel Boecker, who was second on the team in tackles last season, Chis Walton and Jackson Whitkanack look to be the cornerstone of the defense for the season, while safety Zach Rogers proved to be a safety that can provide pocket pressure with four tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles last season. The Tigers will face six teams that appeared in the playoffs last season, including nonconference opponents Glenbard South and Lyons to start the season.

“We are looking forward to a great competition in our schedule and looking to compete everyday as the Tigers write their story,” Norris said.

Schedule: Aug. 30 Glenbard South; Sept. 6 Lyons Township; Sept. 13 Geneva; Sept. 20 at Glenbard North; Sept. 27 at St. Charles North; Oct. 4 at Wheaton North; Oct. 11 Lake Park; Oct. 18 at Batavia; Oct. 25 St. Charles East.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Talyn Taylor, Geneva, sr., WR — Now that Taylor is fully recovered, the Georgia commit is ready to prove why he’s considered the best wide receiver in the state.

Ethan Plumb, St. Charles North, sr., QB: A four-year starter for the North Stars, Plumb proved his capability as a true dual-threat quarterback after throwing for 2,546 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 253 and picking up 10 scores last season.

Malachi Smith, Batavia, sr., DT: Smith is the backbone of a defensive line that Piron called one of the most explosive and best groups that the Bulldogs have ever seen after having 12 tackles for loss and two sacks last year.

Sheko Gjokaj, St. Charles East, jr., WR: One of the breakout stars of the league a season ago, Gjokaj finished last season as a top-3 receiver in the conference in yards (664) and receptions (63).

Joell Holloman, St. Charles North, sr., RB: A top-5 rusher last season, Holloman proved to be a solid replacement for Drew Surges for the North Stars.

FIVE CAN’T MISS MATCHUPS

Week 5 — Batavia at Wheaton North: After finishing first and second, respectively, in the DuKane Conference standings a season ago, this matchup will look very different compared to last year, where Batavia won 23-17. Both teams saw major losses on offense to graduation, with the Bulldogs losing Boe, Charles Whelpley and Luke Alwin, while the Falcons had Howser, Owens and Kuczaj depart. This time round, it’ll be a battle to see which program has had a better recovery.

Week 5 — Wheaton Warrenville South at St. Charles North: Last season’s matchup between the two teams ended up being an offensive slugfest, with the North Stars walking away with a 42-35 victory in overtime. Both teams are the only ones in the conference to be returning their starting quarterbacks from last season, with the North Stars having Plumb and the Tigers returning Carbonaro, which could mean a similar high-scoring affair in this matchup.

Week 6 — Geneva at Batavia: The crosstown rivalry has been a game circled on each team’s calendar for years, and this year should be no exception. Piron has still not lost a game to the Vikings since taking over in 2011, but Geneva has made it close the past two years. With the Bulldogs losing key offensive players like Boe, while the Vikings will have Taylor to keep the offense flying, it may be their best chance to finally break their 13-year losing streak.

Week 7 — Lake Park vs. Wheaton Warrenville South: This pick could be a shock, but don’t be surprised if either of these teams make a jump after finishing in the middle of the pack last season. The Tigers have a lot of returning talent on their roster that could make them dangerous, while the Lancers have a lot of players that showed flashes of brilliance last season.

Week 9 — St. Charles North at Geneva: Considering the potential hype surrounding both teams heading into the season, there’s a chance that this game could be a battle for the DuKane Conference title. Either way, the matchup between the second and third-highest scoring offenses from a season ago will be a fun one to watch as regular season play comes to a close.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH

(* - Projected playoff qualifier)

1. Batavia*
2. Geneva*
3. St. Charles North*
4. Wheaton Warrenville South*
5. Wheaton North
6. Lake Park
7. St. Charles East
8. Glenbard North