College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
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College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin 2012 Football Notes (#1) August 29, 2012 Augustana • Carthage • Elmhurst • Illinois Wesleyan • Millikin • North Central • North Park • Wheaton 2011-12 CCIW Highlights: 16 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans • 1 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year • 89 All-Americans • 1,323 Academic All-Conference Recipients • 3 National Championship Teams Augustana Second-year coach Rob Cushman enters 2012 with five new CCIW Sports Information assistants, a new playing surface and plans for a renovated stadium set to open next fall. On the field, Cushman will have to replace the Assistant Commissioner/SID: graduated David Lee at quarterback. Senior Nick Welch (Oswego, Mike Krizman Ill./H.S.) and junior Ken Clay (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Office: (630) 637-5719 Valley) are the two veteran front runners. The offensive line returns email: [email protected] three starters including senior Mike Krautz (East Moline, Ill./ Fax: (630) 637-5694 Alleman) and sophomore Anthony Roome (Geneseo, Ill./H.S.) at the tackle spots and senior Derek King (New Boston, Ill./ Westmer) at guard. On defense, junior all-conference performer 2011 CCIW Football Standings Erik Westerberg (Elmhurst, Ill./York) returns at linebacker School CCIW Overall as well as all-conference senior Joe Weber (South Elgin, Ill./ North Central 7-0 10-2 Marmion Academy). Senior Robby Mago (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) Illinois Wesleyan 6-1 9-2 returns on the outside to shore up a veteran group of linebackers. Wheaton 8-2 5-2 Fifth-year seniors Shane Holl (Batavia, Ill./H.S.) and Pete Elmhurst 4-3 6-4 Schimeck (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) return to occupy the Carthage 2-5 5-5 defensive end positions. Millikin 2-5 4-6 Augustana 2-5 2-8 Carthage North Park 0-7 3-7 The Red Men brought in 144 players into preseason camp this year Final including 86 freshmen and 26 returning letter winners. A pair of all- conference performers return to lead the defense including senior 2012 Preseason Coaches Poll linebacker Brandon Mecozzi (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) and senior defensive end Tyler O’Brien (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove). Also School Points 1st Pl. Votes back on defense are senior end Mike Merucci (Kenosha, Wis./ North Central 48 6 Bradford) and senior defensive back Alex Vitkauskas (Tinley Wheaton 43 2 Park, Ill./St. Rita). Offensively, senior wide receiver/quarterback Illinois Wesleyan 36 Pete Djurickovic (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Bradford) returns Elmhurst 32 after an ankle injury sidelined him during the CCIW opener against Augustana 21 North Central last October. Senior wide receiver/quarterback T.J. Carthage 19 Trepanier (Winthrop Harbor, Ill./Zion-Benton) also returns after Millikin 18 seeing time at both positions last season. Junior Mike Greenwood North Park 7 (Oswego, Ill./H.S.) returns to anchor the offensive line after starting nine games at left tackle last season. Elmhurst The Bluejay offense averaged 454.6 yards and 34.1 points per game last season. Senior quarterback Joe Furco (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) has started the last 26 games for the Bluejays and is back to lead the high octane offense. Joining him in the backfield is senior running backScottie Williams (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) who rushed for 1,374 yards in 2011. The offensive line returns four starters including senior guard Peter Stamos (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern), senior tackle Adam Smith (Plymouth, Mich./Calvary Christian), senior center Chris Kirkpatrick (Elk Grove, Ill./ H.S.) and senior left tackle Charlie Homoky (Boca Ratan, Fla./West Boca). On defense, senior linebacker Wayne Tuckson (Louisville, Ky./Dupont Manual) is back after leading the Bluejays with 93 tackles last season. Even with the loss of four-time all-conference safety Jon Janus, head coach Tim Lester has plenty of depth in a defense that utilizes three safeties. Seniors Ryan Johnson (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) and Ryan Szymonik (Elmwood Park, Ill./St. Patrick) and juniors Alvin Chackungal (Miami, Fla./John A. Ferguson) and Alec Giles (Crystal Lake, Ill./South) have experience starting at the position. Illinois Wesleyan Illinois Wesleyan is coming off its second NCAA postseason appearance in three years. The Titans lost four all-conference performers on defense from last season and will look to retool that side of the ball. Senior defensive lineman Trey Cunningham (Springfield, Ill./Chatham-Glenwood) returns after an all- conference season in 2011. Cunningham is one of four starters returning on the defensive line including seniors Bert Blodgett (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) and Andrew Biggerstaff (Brookfield, Ill./Riverside- CCIW.org Twitter: @CCIW_athletics Facebook.com 2012 CCIW Football Notes 2 Illinois Wesleyan (Continued) Brookfield) and junior Joe Schneider (Palos Park, Ill./Sandburg). Offensively, T.J. Stinde (Lexington, Ill./H.S.) returns after a knee injury sidelined him in the third game of the 2011 season. Junior quarterback Rob Gallik (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) broke a 24-year old school record with 203 completions last season, breaking the old mark of 184 set by Doug Moews in 1987. Senior fullback Cameron Blossom (Graymont, Ill./Flanagan-Cornell) led the Titans in rushing last season with 379 yards on 123 carries. Senior wide receiver Joe Musso (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) was an all-conference selection last season and will serve as co-captain in 2012. Millikin Like Augustana, the Big Blue will also have a second-year coach in Patrick Etherton. He’ll have all-conference quarterback Matt Holmes (Wheeling, Ill./H.S.) back to lead the offense after he threw for 1,891 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2011. Holmes will have all-conference wide receiver Erik Tobey (Herscher, Ill./H.S.) to throw to after the senior led the Big Blue with 707 receiving yards last season. Three starters return on the offensive line including senior center Tyler Fawbush (Rantoul, Ill./H.S.) and juniors Brad Rucker (Jerseyville, Ill./Jersey Community) and Eric Whitaker (Shumway, Ill./Effingham). Junior defensive back Jacob Alvis (Mt. Vernon, Ill./H.S.) is back after being named the team’s most valuable defensive player last season. Junior Jake Hazelton (Wilmington, Ill./H.S.) and senior Marquette Moore (Mt. Vernon, Ill./H.S.) return to lead the linebackers. North Central North Central will go for its seventh-straight CCIW title in 2012, having won the outright regular season championship in 2008, 2010 and 2011, while sharing the title with Wheaton and Augustana in 2006 and Illinois Wesleyan in 2007 and 2009. The conference record for consecutive titles is eight, set by Augustana from 1981 to 1988. The Cardinals return eight players who earned all-conference honors last season. Senior defensive back Josh Mitchell (Bloomington, Ill./H.S.) is one of those players and enters this season as a D3Football.com Preseason All-American. Senior linebacker Joey Michals (Frankfort, Ill./Providence Catholic) and junior defensive back Shane Dierking (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) join Mitchell on defense as returning all-conference performers. Junior offensive lineman Jace Werkheiser (Freeport, Ill./H.S.) was also named a D3Football.com Preseason All-American. Werkheiser, along with senior Joe Guenther (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet Township), will anchor a line to block for a pair of returning all-conference running backs in Nick Kukuc (Naperville, Ill./Central) and Jordan Tassio (Naperville, Ill./North). Senior Tyler Rasche (Moline, Ill./H.S.) resumes his punting duties after an all-conference performance last season. North Park Vikings’ head coach Scott Pethtel enters his seventh year in charge of the program and is coming off his best season during that time. North Park finished 3-7 last season, but started the year 3-0 against non-conference competition. In conference play, the Vikings came close in losses to Augustana (27-24) and Carthage (31- 28). Sophomore quarterback Tyler Krebs (Cary, Ill./Cary Grove) and junior running back Matt Hassan (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard West) return to run the program’s signature triple option offense. Senior slot back Jake Chvatal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East) is back after suffering a knee injury during a scrimmage last year. Junior free safety Andrew Saltzman (Coloma, Mich./H.S.) and junior cornerback Cicero Porter (Mount Prospect, Ill./Thornridge) return to anchor the defensive backfield. Saltzman and Hassan were both all-conference performers in 2011. Wheaton The Thunder are coming off an 8-2 season and third place finish in the CCIW standings. Plenty of talent returns in 2012 including a pair of accomplished student-athletes at quarterback. Wheaton head coach Mike Swider has options at the position with 2011 Art Keller Offensive Player of the Year and D3Football.com Preseason All-American Garrett Meador (Fishers, Ind./Heritage Christian). Meador stepped into the starting role for 2010 starter Jordan Roberts (Yorkville, Ill./Aurora Christian) who was injured during the 2011 preseason. Sophomore wide receiver Mark Hiben (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) was an all- conference selection as a freshman with 628 yards on 38 catches. Junior Nolan Randall (Naperville, Ill./ North) earned all-conference honors last season and is back at tackle. Joining Randall on the offensive line is senior guard Charlie Bell (North Aurora, Ill./Geneva) and sophomore center Spencer Clark (Waycross, Ga./Ware County). Junior defensive lineman Brandon Dykstra (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) was an all-conference player last year and will anchor a line that lost ends JD East, Robert Ramsay and David Seamon. Senior Pat Dansdill (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) returns at inside linebacker. CCIW.org Twitter: @CCIW_athletics Facebook.com 2012 CCIW Football Notes 3 CCIW Composite Football Schedule/Results (all times Central) Augustana Illinois Wesleyan North Park (0-0, 0-0 CCIW) (0-0, 0-0 CCIW) (0-0, 0-0 CCIW) 9/1 @ Dubuque 6 p.m. 9/1 Aurora 1 p.m. 9/1 @ Hope 12:30 p.m.