NAPERVILLE, Ill. (August 1) - Each successive year of head coach John Thorne's tenure thus far has been a game of, “Can you top this?”
A winning record his first year (6-4) was followed by two straight years of 7-3 marks and the most successful three-year period in the College's history. In his fourth season, the team finished 9-2 and earned its' first-ever trip to the NCAA III Playoffs. Last season, Thorne led the Cardinals to their first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship since 1960 and first postseason victory in the school's history. So what's next for a program that has become a juggernaut on the national football scene?
“We always want to go one step further than we did a year ago,” Thorne said. “This year's group of seniors wrote their goals and the first one is to be the first team in school history to go 10-0. Secondly, they want to go deeper into the playoffs than we've ever been. And finally, they'd love to have a shot to play for a national championship.”
“I think we can be really good,” Thorne said of the team's 2007 prospects. “We were young last year and we have a lot of experienced players coming back.”
Eight starters return on offense and eight on defense, and the team's top punter and kicker also return. All-CCIW First Team running back Dominic Sulo (Oak Forest, Ill./Mount Carmel) is aiming to repeat his 1,000-yard season of a year ago when he led the conference in rushing and scored nine touchdowns. Senior Israel Brown (Normal, Ill./Community) also returns after gaining the second-most yards (278) and scoring two touchdowns.
The quarterback position will be a battle between returners Jon Knapczyk (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) and Aaron Fanthorpe (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) and transfer Kyle Kniss (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) from Eastern Illinois University. Kyle is the younger brother of four-year starting quarterback Kam Kniss '07, who finished his North Central career by breaking 14 of the school's 16 passing records.
Whoever wins the battle behind center has a talented corps of receivers to rely on. Michael MacIntosh (Decatur, Ill./Mt. Zion) and Perry Welch (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) enjoyed breakout years last season when MacIntosh was a CCIW Second Team pick after hauling in 42 catches for 477 yards and five touchdowns. Welch's numbers were even better with 55 receptions for 667 yards and seven TDs. Joe Mastrino (Elmhurst, Ill./Immaculate Conception) also contributed offensively with 15 catches for 240 yards and three TDs. Transfer Matt Jones (Mount Zion, Ill./Mount Zion) from Millikin University (Ill.) will also figure into the mix.
The offensive line returns All-American right guard Don Kasper (Bridgeview, Ill./Argo), in addition to center Andrew Braga (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South), Scott Palmer (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) and Weston Welnack (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central), who missed the 2006 season with a back injury. Kasper anchored the line at right guard to help the offense average 253.6 yards passing (first in CCIW), 151.6 yards rushing (fourth in CCIW) and 33.9 yards per game (second in CCIW) for a total offensive average of 405.1 yards per game (second in CCIW). Linemen Brad Trepanier (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) and Josh Delancy (Stuart, Fla./Jensen Beach) and tight end Michael Larson (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) also return.
Defensively, new coordinator Tim Lester has an abundance of talent to work with. Linebacker Wes Kostellic (Oglesby, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) enjoyed a breakout year and was an impact on both offense and defense en route to All-CCIW Second Team honors. In 12 games, the linebacker had a knack for making plays, compiling 72 tackles (32 solo, 40 assisted), 10 tackles-for-loss of 55 yards, 3.5 sacks for a loss of 28 yards, two interceptions, two pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Offensively, he scored four touchdowns, one a 52-yard pass reception. Middle linebacker Matt Wenger (Davis, Ill./Dakota) burst onto the scene after four games and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 55 (35 solo, 23 assisted) in addition to six tackles-for-loss, one interception returned 52 yards for a touchdown and a 2-yard TD reception. Fellow backers Nick Hammers (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru), David Treglown (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier), Derek Coleman (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) and Adam Clendenning (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) will also be in the rotation as well as contribute on special teams.
Returning on the defensive line are John Guzaldo (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley), Eric Schmidt (Willow Grove, Penn./Upper Moreland) and Anthony Imbordino (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central). Guzaldo finished with 43 tackles, six tackles-for-loss and two sacks; Schmidt 31 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss of 41 yards and a team-leading 6.5 sacks; and Imbordino 26 tackles, six tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks. Imbordino now ranks in a tie for fourth on the College's career sacks list with 14. The two upperclassmen will be joined by Zach Baldacci (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North), Tim Janecek (Dwight, Ill./Dwight), Brian Peterson (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central), James Watson (Wonder Lake, Ill./McHenry) and Chris Kuhn (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central), who is switching over from the offensive line.
Derek Sulo (Oak Forest, Ill./Mount Carmel) and Tyler Venier (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) enjoyed solid years as starters in the defensive backfield. Sulo was fifth on the team in tackles with 49 in addition to five pass breakups and three interceptions. Venier totaled 24 tackles, eight pass breakups and five picks. Nick Swanson (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) returns as the starting free safety and Jordan Hoffman (Dwight, Ill./Dwight) is back after missing the 2006 season because of injury. Others who will figure into the mix are Kevin Johnston (Oak Lawn, Ill./Richards), Joe D'Antonio (Morris, Ill./Morris) and University of St. Francis transfer Eric Stanish (Tinley Park, Ill./Providence).
Kicker Anthony Bognanno (Moline, Ill./Alleman) highlights the special teams after finishing with 11 field goals to break the school's single-season record. His 73 total points (43 extra points, 11 field goals) led the team and the CCIW and ranks as the fifth-highest total in North Central history. Punter Adam Pucylowski (New Berlin, Wis./Catholic Memorial) enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign, averaging 35.4 yards with eight punts placed inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
Primary kickoff and punt returner Joe Rubin (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) enjoyed some exciting moments in 2006. Rubin returned 15 kickoffs for 283 yards (18.9 avg.) and 10 punts for 85 yards, including a 65-yarder for a touchdown.
“We've got a chance to repeat,” Thorne said of the team's outlook in the CCIW. “That's certainly our goal. Wheaton is going to be really good. Carthage will be better if they can keep everybody healthy. Augustana is always there. Millikin, Elmhurst, Illinois Wesleyan and North Park will all be much stronger. Like most years, it will be very competitive.”
The 2007 season kicks off Saturday, Sept. 8 when the team plays at Concordia University (Wis.) at 1 p.m.
Preseason Quick Facts
