Next man up.
That’s how Neuqua Valley coach Bill Ellinghaus put it on Friday night after watching senior linebacker Nick Osikowicz churn out yards after yards.
On his birthday, Osikowicz ran for 80 yards and three touchdowns to help lead new QB Jack Stankoven and the Wildcats to a season-opening, 38-14 victory over Metea Valley.
Color Stankoven not surprised.
“I knew Nick had those capabilities,” Stankoven said of Osikowicz. “I’ve seen him do it since sophomore year. I just didn’t think we’d need to use him. But with our running back situation, we had to pull him out and he did what he’s always done. He put up three TDs for us, so it was good.”
Osikowicz and junior linebacker Jon Rhattigan accounted for all four Neuqua Valley rushing touchdowns as four other running backs – Greg McClellan, Griff Philgren, D’Andre Tatum and Mark Banovetz – were either out or played sparingly due to injuries.
“Nick – he’s been working a lot at running back and he ran exceptionally hard, which was really good,” Robertson said. “He put a load on and he did well for us.”
All told, the Wildcats – ranked 24th by Tim O’Halloran and CSN Preps this week – ran for 174 yards on 40 carries against the Mustangs.
Manny being Manny: A sophomore on Naperville Central’s Class 8A state title team in 2013, Emmanuel Rugamba knows about winning.
So it should come as no surprise as to what he expects out of the Redhawks this fall – even if it means he has to go both ways.
“I really felt comfortable at the defensive back position and I feel I could help the team at the position as well,” he wrote in a text when discussing his commitment to Iowa.
In limited time on Mike Ulreich’s defense, he recorded 12 tackles last year and with the Hawkeyes looking at him as a defensive back, his contributions there this fall are all the more important.
He wasted no time in putting his imprint on matters by intercepting Brett Conway and returning it 61 yards late on Friday to help preserve a 13-12 Naperville Central victory over Glenbard North.
That’s not to say he didn’t forget about his primary objective – being the No. 1 target of Conor Joyce.
Rugamba caught eight passes for 89 yards and a touchdown while having a highlight reel catch for a TD nullified because of a penalty.
“Manny played an outstanding game,” Joyce said. “They were having a hard time covering him and towards the end of the game, after he had already been tearing it up, then they started to kind of double him a little bit. That’s when (Matt) Lehmann opened up a lot, as well. So those two were very good for us all night.”
Benet D’s up: Throughout the offseason and the summer, Benet coach Pat New would have his team occasionally look at some film of the 2012 team, which went 11-2.
While not admitting it or ready to put pressure on the 2015 defense, New believes the capability of this year’s group to match what the 2012 defense did is there.
The proof might being starting to show after just one week.
Benet forced four turnovers during last Friday’s 42-21 victory at St. Laurence to help aid an offense that saw junior quarterback Jack Sznajder throw for five touchdowns.
“The defense did one heck of a job,” Sznajder said. “They stepped up, made big plays. Erik Jones with some interceptions, fumble recoveries. They did a great job and I’m not surprised. We have tremendous defense and they came out there and did what they’ve done all summer long.”
Senior middle linebacker Charlie Weidenbach recorded a pick-six, but it was two interceptions junior cornerback Erik Jones hauled in that has New excited looking ahead.
“That was nice,” New said of Tim Cederblad’s unit coming away with four turnovers. “Our DBs looked (good). Erik Jones did a great job. He intercepted the ball twice. He’s a junior, so for him to step up and do that was great. He’s one of our most athletic kids on the team.”
