On Campus: Crystal Lake South alum Trevor Keegan helps put No. 4 Michigan in national spotlight

Taking the field at left guard for No. 4 Michigan in one of the Big Ten’s Conference’s biggest rivalries reminds Trevor Keegan of playing for Crystal Lake South.

Facing Michigan State in primetime Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC-TV) is akin to his Gators facing rival Crystal Lake Central, but on a whole different level.

“It’s South vs. Central times 50,” he said. “It’s a big deal.

“Now that I’m here on a big stage, it’s everything I dreamed of. I just want to take advantage of the moments, prepare, play well and have fun with my teammates.”

Keegan and the Wolverines have had plenty of fun this season, starting 7-0 in back-to-back years for the first time since 1973-74. Thanks to a punishing offensive line, Michigan ranks No. 8 nationally in rushing offense and is coming off of a 418-yard output on the ground against Penn State two weeks ago.

“We can get even better,” Keegan said. “I feel like there’s definitely another level.”

Keegan and his line mates continue to thrive, helping Michigan power its way to 241.7 rushing yards a game and allowing only nine sacks in seven games, which ranks in the top 30 nationally.

After winning the Joe Moore Award last season, which is given to the nation’s best offensive line, the Wolverines are one of 18 teams to be named to the midseason watch list this season for the honor.

“It’s a bunch of guys who love ball and love each other,” Keegan said of Michigan’s O-line. “If you play for one another and have each other’s back, you’re going to be successful – as well as having a really good coach (co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore) that trusts you.

“You put all those things together and you’re going to be pretty successful.”

Perhaps Keegan’s biggest success in the offseason was a personal one.

He said his weight reached 340 pounds a year ago, sparking the need for a change. This season, Keegan said he is keeping his weight between 300 and 305 pounds.

“It’s been a good experience losing 40 pounds, I can tell you that,” he said with a laugh. “I just feel better, more in shape. I can play a whole game and not get out of breath. It’s pretty nice.”

Being lighter has helped Keegan in a number of ways on the field already.

“With blitzing linebackers, out in space on screen plays, or when I’m pulling, and being lighter on my feet in pass protection for sure,” he said.

Keegan said he has also expanded his overall knowledge of the game.

“Knowing the ins and outs, figuring out the defense more and knowing what they’re doing pre-snap. I feel like that’s helped me this year,” he said.

Whitewater Hall class grows: McHenry West grad Megan Kielar Carstens will join the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday in recognition of her impressive track and field career.

A 2006 Whitewater grad, Kielar Carstens was a three-time All-American in the 800-meter run and qualified for nationals five times in indoor and outdoor track. A two-time national qualifier in cross country, she still holds school records in the indoor 1-mile run (5 minutes, 2.79 seconds) and the 6-kilometer cross country event (21:41.7).

When she graduated, Kieler Carstens also owned the indoor (2:12.6) and outdoor (2:11.13) 800 records. In 2006, she earned third-team Academic All-America honors.

Loras soccer wears crown: The D-III Loras College women’s soccer team locked up its second consecutive American Rivers Conference title and an unbeaten regular season with a 2-0 victory Tuesday against seventh-ranked Wartburg.

The No. 14 Duhawks (14-0-3 overall, 8-0 ARC) have dominated thanks to senior forward Abby Eriksen (Prairie Ridge), who is the team’s second-leading scorer with 10 goals and 21 points. Senior defender Caitlin Scopa (Cary-Grove) has played in 11 games, starting eight this season. Junior defender Rylee Quillen (Dundee-Crown) has appeared in eight games.

This season, Loras has outscored opponents, 62-12, and won by shutout 10 times.

Rosch a Redbird great: Cary-Grove grad Ashley Rosch, the first player in Illinois State volleyball history to be named first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference four times, was inducted Oct. 15 into the school’s athletics hall of fame.

A 2015 ISU grad, Rosch still ranks in the top five in school history in career kills (1,609), attack attempts (4,194) and points (1,821). The outside hitter is one of only seven MVC players to earn first-team all-conference four times. She was also a three-time All-MVC Tournament selection and the 2012 MVC Freshman of the Year.

Winning at NCC: The North Central College men’s soccer team earned the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin regular-season title Wednesday with a 4-1 victory against Augustana on Senior Night.

Senior midfielder Jack Fairwood (Hampshire) was one of seven seniors honored before the Cardinals improved to 14-0-4 and 7-0-1 in league play. Fairwood has three goals – including two game-winners – and three assists this fall.

Contributing at WIU: Senior defensive end Jake Detiveaux (Hampshire) is expected to start his fifth game of the season Saturday when the D-I FCS Western Illinois football team plays at Missouri State. Detiveaux has a team-high two sacks along with 19 tackles for the Leathernecks (0-7).

Detiveaux, who became a starter this fall, had a sack and a season-best five tackles Oct. 1 against South Dakota State, the nation’s No. 1 team.

• Barry Bottino writes about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at barryoncampus@hotmail.com and follow @BarryOnCampus on Twitter.