La Salle-Peru Cavaliers look to build on successful 2019

Coming off its best season in a decade, the La Salle-Peru football team has a strong core of returning players to build on.

Especially on the offensive side of the ball.

“We want to start out on a good note and end on a good note. It’s an old cliché, but we want to get better every game.”

—  L-P football coach Jose Medina

The Cavaliers return NewsTribune All-Area quarterback Tyler Hartman to direct their triple-option attack along with running backs Carlos Larios and Drake Weber, receiver Reese Kurtz, and offensive linemen Reid Robeza, Carson Mrowicki and Eric Lane.

“We have some good players back, offensively for sure,” said sixth-year coach Jose Medina, who guided L-P to a 5-5 record and its first postseason appearance since 2009 last season. “We want to continue to run the ball. That’s been the No. 1 thing since we transitioned into this offense (in 2017).”

Hartman was a dual-threat last year, as he passed for 396 yards and eight touchdowns and ran for 550 yards and seven scores.

Junior Sean Whitfield, who saw action when Hartman was injured early in Week 7 and started with Hartman out in Week 8 last season, also will get some time under center.

“We just trying to utilize them and give them opportunities to get out there,” Medina said. “For the most part, we’re going to stick to our base formations. We’re still going to be running the triple option. We saw some good improvements last year.

“We want to continue to grow off that.”

Larios rushed for 674 yards and four touchdowns last season, while Weber racked up 273 total yards and five scores through six games before suffering an injury. Trevon Hunter also has experience at running back.

Medina said the Cavs are looking for a younger player to step up and fill the third running back spot.

Noah Hamilton, Drew Lane and Tyler Wrobleski will contribute at receiver.

On the line, L-P lost All-Area tackle Logan Turigilatti, but Mrowicki is back at tackle, Robeza returns at guard, and Eric Lane moves from center to tackle. Andrew Demaso, Landon Morscheiser and Aidan Vanduzer are in contention to fill the other two spots.

“The offensive line is pretty solid with three of five from last year returning,” Medina said. “We’re still trying to piece some things together to find those other two guys. Hopefully, with a couple practices, we should be ready to roll.”

While there’s plenty of experience back on offense, there are voids to fill on defense.

The Cavs lost their entire defensive line, including All-Area end Nick Krolak, and senior Levi Reed is the lone returning linebacker with any experience.

In the secondary, Hunter, an All-Area pick last year, and Whitfield return.

Will Daugherty and Mike Lemrise are expected to contribute on the defensive line, while Medina said some offensive linemen could pull double duty.

“The defensive line is going to be a work in progress for us,” Medina said. “We’re going to miss Nick Krolak. He created a lot of things, as did Payton Piraino.”

Hartman, Weber, Chris Swayne, Byron Verdun and Luke Mertes could see time at linebacker.

“We’re going to be young in the linebacker corps, but I think we have some good, quality kids who got some reps as sophomores who should help us out.”

David Narkis, Ethan Bell and Ethan Tarkowski may see time in the secondary.

“It’s a pencil-in type of defense, because we haven’t been able to see these guys except for last year,” Medina said.

Weber will handle kicking and punting duties as he has since his freshman year, while Whitfield, Hunter or Weber could all return kicks and punts.

With no playoffs to shoot for this season, the Cavs have other goals.

“We want to start out on a good note and end on a good note,” Medina said. “It’s an old cliché, but we want to get better every game.”

The Cavs were set to open the season against Sandwich on March 20, but can’t because they won’t have the required number of practices due to the school’s COVID-19 shutdown.

L-P will open against Rochelle at home (1 p.m. March 27), travel to Plano (1 p.m. April 3), play host to Ottawa (6 p.m. April 9), play at Morris (6 p.m. April 16) and welcome Kaneland to Howard Fellows for the finale at 6 p.m. April 23.

L-P went 3-2 against its opponents last year with wins over Rochelle, Plano and Ottawa and losses to Morris and Kaneland.