April 23, 2024
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High school football preview 2016: Crystal Lake Central

By Joe Stevenson
Crystal Lake Central quarterback Jake Staples runs a drill during football practice at the high school on Monday, July 25, 2016 in Crystal Lake

John Konstantaras - For Shaw Media Crystal Lake Central quarterback Jake Staples runs a drill during football practice at the high school on Monday, July 25, 2016 in Crystal Lake. John Konstantaras - For Shaw Media (John Konstantaras)

Quick hits

Coach: Jon McLaughlin (eighth season, 33-34)

2015 record: 4-5 overall, 3-3 Fox Valley Conference Fox Division

Fast fact: Crystal Lake Central had been to the playoffs seven consecutive seasons before it came up one victory short last season.

Scouting report

• McLaughlin returned for his second stint as Central’s coach last season after Matt Fralick coached the team for five seasons.

• Central struggled to score last season, going one six-week stretch against its toughest opponents by scoring a combined 51 points. The Tigers will switch from a double-wing set, out of which they ran almost all the time, to a spread offense under new coordinator Dirk Stanger.

• OT Wyatt Blake is one of the area’s most heavily recruited players and has five offers heading into his junior season. Blake and OT Dan Berg (6-foot-5, 270 pounds) should be standouts on the offensive line.

• RB Vinny May usually will line up with QB Jake Staples in the one-back offense. May rushed for 713 yards last season. Staples started the last three games last season and has worked with Stanger in quarterback lessons for several years.

• DE Cade Keenan (6-4, 250), LB Seamus O’Donnell (6-0, 195), DB Christian Mitsven (6-0, 158), DB Shannon Madura (5-9, 185) and DB Richard Logan (5-11, 170) are returning starters on defense. Berg played some on the defensive line, and DE Joe Podczerwinski (6-3, 225) is a transfer from Prospect who should help. … “We’re going to be solid (on defense),” McLaughlin said. “We’re young, but that doesn’t necessarily mean bad, it’s just young. They’ve been doing a great job. Each day they keep getting better.”

Top recruits

Blake (6-4, 308) has Division I offers from Central Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Northwestern and Virginia, and likely will get many more. Blake performed well at several camps over the summer. … OL coach Steve Spoden considers Berg, the other OT, a D-I prospect not many schools know about.

Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Aug. 26 Grant* 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 Crystal Lake South 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 Prairie Ridge 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 @ McHenry 7 p.m.

Sept. 23 Hampshire 7 p.m.

Sept. 30 @ Jacobs 7:15 p.m.

Oct. 7 Huntley 7:15 p.m.

Oct. 14 @ Dundee-Crown 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 @ Cary-Grove 7:15 p.m.

* - Nonconference game

– Joe Stevenson

joestevenson@shawmedia.com