Counting down the Top 10 teams from the Aurora and Elgin area as the Illinois high school football season nears.
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As a sophomore last season, Jackson Alcorn proved that he can hang in the Fox Valley Conference at quarterback as Burlington Central narrowly missed the playoffs.
Over the summer, however, Alcorn took his game on the road.
“When you go to Florida, those camps I went to this summer, those are the best in your class in the whole country,” Alcorn said. “It really does open up your eyes.”
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Alcorn arrived for preseason camp having filled out for the Rockets, who are No. 10 in the Beacon-News/Courier-News rankings.
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Despite a coaching change in the offseason at Kaneland, there’s definitely a sense of familiarity on the practice field.
And there should be.
Senior quarterback Troyer Carlson, for one, is back for a fourth season of leading the offense for the Knights, who are No. 9 in the Beacon-News/Courier-News preseason rankings.
While Pat Ryan has departed for a new teaching position at Bartlett, the message is much the same, with defensive coordinator Mike Thorgesen moving up to head coach but still directing the defense.
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As a sophomore last season, Talyn Taylor broke out in a big way for Geneva.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound receiver finished with 45 catches for 660 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season, putting him into the national recruiting spotlight.
For an encore, the growing Taylor set out to improve upon not relying solely on his athleticism while also becoming a better overall player as only a junior for the Vikings, who are No. 8 in the Beacon-News/Courier-News preseason rankings.
“What I was trying to clean up in the offseason was to be a smooth receiver,” Taylor said. “I was fast, but I needed to get myself under control. I feel like I’ve progressed a lot more.
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Like father, like son? For junior middle linebacker Carson Cooney, the answer is both yes and no.
His father, Brian, is the head coach for Oswego and also played linebacker for the Panthers before handling the same position in college at Aurora University.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Carson Cooney is different in one respect.
That height makes the younger Cooney the tallest in his family, with his dad under 6-0. It’s a distinction that will very likely have a huge impact on Carson’s football future. He didn’t start with the varsity last year for the Panthers, who are No. 7 in the Beacon-News/Courier-News preseason rankings.
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Starting high school at Oswego East during the pandemic, Tim Savchuk and Zac Clarke both had an interest in football. Playing in college, however, was not at the top of their list.
Especially after that freshman season in the fall of 2020 was pushed back to the spring and then shortened to only six games.
But look at them now.
The senior duo provides a pair of formidable bookend tackles in anchoring the offensive line for the Wolves, who are No. 6 in the Beacon-News/Courier-News preseason rankings.
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As senior Joey Scrivani prepares to become the latest in a recent string of stud running backs at Jacobs, he knows his work in another sport has helped him get to this level.
“I think if I never wrestled, I wouldn’t be in the position I am right now in football,” Scrivani said. “It plays a big role in my ability and what I’m able to do on a football field.”
The 6-foot, 190-pound Scrivani backed up Antonio Brown last season, a year after watching Nasir Canty and Ben Ludlum dominate for the Golden Eagles during the best two-year stretch in program history.
Jacobs, which is No. 5 in the Beacon-News/Courier-News preseason rankings, has won eight games in consecutive years for the first time, going 16-6. That includes a trip in 2022 to the Class 7A quarterfinals.
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Lucas Noworol is the third in the family to go through South Elgin’s football program. Patrick, the oldest, Alex and now Lucas have all brought different strengths to the Storm.
“Patrick was the stronger one and Alex was the faster one,” Lucas said. “I’m kind of in the middle of that.”
A receiver/linebacker, Noworol may be a combination of his two older siblings, but he will be relied upon much like both of his brothers were during their senior seasons.
The plan is to have Noworol on the field for virtually every snap, including special teams, for the Storm, who are No. 4 in the Beacon-News/Courier-News preseason rankings.