Friday Night Lights are Back: Don't Forget O-Linemen, Recalling Memorable Openers
Anonymity does not necessarily have to be part of the trench territory occupied by the offensive players wearing numbers in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
As another season of high school football kicks off this weekend, you’ll read and hear a lot about quarterbacks and running backs who put up big numbers. You may even see them quoted along the lines of saying, “I owe it all to my offensive line,” or “none of it happens without my O-line.”
Then, in some cases, you’ll keep reading and looking and realize these guys are just as anonymous as ever. To say it’s a huge pet peeve is an understatement. Hey, how about a little something for the effort for these guys doing all the dirty work to make the offensive magic happen.
Is it too much to ask to get their names in the story? It shouldn’t be.
There are a couple of simple ways reporters can make sure O-linemen get their due. Write down their numbers during the game. Or ask the coach in the postgame interview. PA announcers should make a point to mention them during the game, too. Schaumburg’s legendary Karl Barons, who passed away last November, would always use his booming voice to give the offensive linemen some acclaim.
I was fortunate to learn a lot in my early days in the late 1980s at the Peoria Journal Star from Bob Leavitt, who was not only a great writer but an amazing teacher on how to cover high school sports. One thing that always stuck with me was him saying, “Don’t be afraid to talk to the linemen,” to ensure you knew the unsung guys shouldn’t be forgotten.
And there’s nothing wrong with interviewing an O-lineman along with the quarterback or running back. They may give a surprised “you want to talk to me” look but they are usually excellent at explaining how they were able to open up the holes or provide the time for the guys with the ball to get their glory.
I certainly am not going to say I’m some big technical aficionado of the intricacies of offensive line play. Math isn’t a strong suit, either, but if an offense gains around 400 or more yards or puts up 30-plus points the line likely had something to do with that success.
You just hope it comes with a little name recognition.
Opening Thoughts
My favorite opener was always Hersey-St. Viator because they were crosstown rivals a mile apart with the added spice of the public-private school issue. The 1997 matchup ranks as one of the three most memorable openers I covered as more than 5,000 crammed into Forest View to see the much-anticipated high school football debut of Jarrett Payton, the son of Bears and NFL legend Walter.
Payton had switched to football from soccer before his junior year and was playing quarterback for Viator. The typical electricity for this game was amped even higher with Walter and a number of ex-teammates on hand along with all the big Chicago newspapers and TV stations. Payton’s debut to varsity football was a tough one as Hersey won 23-6 with coach Bruce Glover opening up his always big bag of tricks that turned tight end Chris Stenzel into the game’s passing star with 81 yards on a pair of option completions.
It would be a bit better for the younger Payton a year later as he scored 3 touchdowns and kicked a field goal but Hersey retained the Arlington Heights bragging rights with a 33-23 victory as Brendon Reilly rushed for 278 yards to break the 29-year-old school record of 263 by Skip Peterson.
It was a much different scenario in 2004 when Niles North visited a Wheeling team on a 35-game losing streak. Dave Dunbar, who had been an assistant in the program and ranks as one of the classiest people I was fortunate to know in the coaching profession, entered his fourth season in charge still in search of his first victory.
There was a sense the program was about to turn the corner and it was a wonderful mix of joy and relief as students stormed the field after the Wildcats won 15-6. Ryan Manning and Kyle Barton ran for TDs and the defense led by Ken Kamentsev and Ross Hazeltine held up to end the long victory drought. It was also the start of a gradual progression to another field storm to celebrate a share of the 2007 Mid-Suburban East title and the first of consecutive playoff trips under Dunbar.
And then there was one of the wildest openers and games I ever saw in 2011 in what was an incredible debut for Rolling Meadows coach Matt Mishler with a 50-49 victory over York that didn’t end until around 11:15 p.m. Amazingly, the Mustangs didn’t score for the game’s first 21 minutes and trailed 21-0.
Jack Milas threw for 483 yards and his sixth touchdown with 32 seconds left to Ryan Gundersen got Meadows within a point. With key players cramping, and surely taking into consideration a reporter’s deadline, Mishler opted to go for two and the win and Milas delivered to standout receiver Artie Checchin. Fittingly, an interception by Kevin Learnan sealed an unforgettable night.
And there will be more memories throughout the area and state as the drive for 5 wins and a playoff spot kicks off.
Sanchez Closing in on MSL History
Joe Sanchez enters his 22nd season as head coach at Barrington with a 151-69 record, which includes a forfeit victory from last season for Maine South using ineligible players. That puts Sanchez just 2 wins behind the 153 by Mike Donatucci for most by a coach at an MSL school or schools.
Sanchez and Donatucci (137 at Fremd) are 1-2 for most wins at one MSL school. Donatucci also won 16 at Hoffman Estates and is currently an assistant for Tom Nelson at Hersey.
Familiar Territory for Two New Coaches
Conant’s Anthony Donatucci and Elk Grove’s Danny O’Donnell join a group of MSL coaches who also played at league schools. Donatucci played at Buffalo Grove and the Grenadiers’ O’Donnell joins Fremd’s Lou Sponsel, Hersey’s Tom Nelson and Mark Gunther and Wheeling’s Brian Hauck as returnees to their alma mater to lead the football program.
The other MSL player-coaches are: Brent Pearlman (played at Buffalo Grove/coached at Prospect and Wheeling), Fred Lussow (Prospect/Forest View and Rolling Meadows), Tom Whalen (Wheeling/Elk Grove), Miles Osei (Prospect/Elk Grove), Joe Sanchez (Wheeling/Barrington), Joe Pardun (Fremd/Hersey), Matt Mishler (Hoffman Estates/Rolling Meadows), Jim Farrell (Fremd/Buffalo Grove), Bill Helzer (Prospect/Hoffman Estates) and Tim Heyse (Conant/Hoffman Estates).
You know you're getting old when the head coach for the football team grew up down the street and went through school with your own kids. Good luck to Danny O'Donnell.