‘Back to basics:’ Prairie Ridge works on perfecting details ahead of 2022 season

CRYSTAL LAKE – Prairie Ridge fullback Nathan Greetham and his teammates are approaching the summer with a simple mindset.

“We really want to go back to the basics and have a solid foundation,” said Greetham, who will be a senior in the fall. “Keep it simple, keep it strong and keep it effective. Our shirts this year say, ‘Back to basics,’ so we need to make sure every detail is crisp and just stick to the normal ‘PR’ stuff.”

The normal stuff for Prairie Ridge has been quite effective.

Prairie Ridge went 9-3 last season, dropping Fox Valley Conference games to Cary-Grove and Hampshire in Weeks 5 and 6. The Wolves bounced back, however, and won their next five games, averaging more than 54 points a game, while coming seconds away from a rematch against C-G in the Class 6A state semifinals.

That rematch was not meant to be.

The Wolves fell to Lake Forest, 22-21, in their quarterfinal after losing a fumble and surrendering a 92-yard, game-winning drive with 14 seconds left. Prairie Ridge, if it held on, would have played in the semifinals for the fifth time in six years.

“We don’t talk about that specific game,” said Wolves coach Chris Schremp, who will be entering his 21st season at Prairie Ridge. “What we talk about is having another nice playoff run. They’re excited about getting that opportunity again, to be in a quarterfinal and be in that atmosphere. That’s something they’re looking for. You get that feeling of being out there in a big game, and it makes you want it more.”

Although the Wolves won’t dwell on the loss, it’s still something that serves as motivation.

“I take a lot of things from that,” center Henrik Nystrom said. “You really can’t get a big enough lead. We felt like we were in control, a couple of mistakes, and we kind of just fumbled the ending there. I take away that you really can’t take your foot off the gas.

“You have to keep going.”

The Wolves had one of the most prolific offenses in the FVC last fall, piling up 500 points in 12 games. Tyler Vasey, who fractured a bone in his elbow about 10 days before the start of the season, will be back as the team’s starting quarterback. Last year’s QB Mason Loucks has since graduated.

Vasey ended up returning about halfway through last season, playing wingback, and provided a spark to an already explosive offense.

Greetham was fifth in the Northwest Herald area with 1,207 yards and 14 touchdowns and will resume his role as Prairie Ridge’s powerhouse fullback. Nystrom and Ethan Goudschaal both return as leaders on the offensive line.

Victor Ebirim, Dominic Creatore and Joey Vanderwiel are a few players who have stood out on defense this summer, Schremp said.

In all, the Wolves will get about six starters back on each side of the ball.

Schremp has been encouraged by what he’s seen so far.

“I was telling our coaches back in January that I was nervous about where our team was,” Schremp said. “I looked in our weight room and I’m like, ‘Holy cow, we’ve got a lot of skinny guys.’ But they’ve done a nice job in the weight room. They’re just kind of a gritty group, they show up everyday, and they’re working hard. They’re coachable, and right now that’s all I can ask for. Guys who show up and work hard every day.”

Ebirim, whose older brothers, Kingsley and Emmanuel, ran the ball during their time with the Wolves, said the team has been fired up this summer.

“We’re aggressive,” Ebirim said of the team’s mindset. “I’m starting to notice it. A lot of people are buying in and trying to make plays, hitting people hard.”

Prairie Ridge has finished first or second in the FVC in each of the past five seasons [not counting the COVID-19-shortened 2021 spring season] and should be in the mix again. The Wolves start the season Aug. 26 at McHenry.

For now, Schremp is happy with the progress of his team.

“Give me a bunch of scrappy kids that want to get better every day, and we’ll make them into something,” Schremp said.