At the core, those who love football allĀ first came to love the sport as fans.
No matter where the sport takes those who play it or coach it, that feeling never goes away.
Naperville Central defensive coordinator Mike Ulreich is certainly no different.
A very interested observer over at Neuqua Valley on Nov. 7 watching Waubonsie ValleyĀ face Neuqua Valley,Ā Ulreich the defensive coordinator and Ulreich the fan came together down the stretch.
With his team awaiting the winner the next week, Ulreich the fan got an opportunity to appreciate what Ulreich the defensive coordinator would eventually be tasked with stopping.
No timeframe than the final 9:41 of Waubonsie Valleyās 21-14 upset of the Wildcats better demonstrated the impact Max Ihry had at most opportune times all year long.
On 15 of the Warriorsā final 17 plays from scrimmage, quarterback Jack Connolly turned around to hand off to his 6-foot, 210-pound fullback ā including eight times on the eventual game-winning drive.
āAs a fan of football, he was fun to watch,ā Ulreich said. āThatās for sure. He just kind of willed his team to win and put everybody on his back and his team responded ā so tremendous leadership by that kid. As a fan in the stands, it was fun to watch for sure.ā
Ihryās 190 yards and his three-yard TD on that eventual game-winning drive against the Wildcats sent the Warriors into a state quarterfinal with Naperville Central, where his 146 yards and a score helped send the Redhawks home.
The only starter left on a defense that helped Waubonsie Valley win nine games in 2014, Ihryās double duty as a middle linebacker and fullback willed the 40-year program to heights rarely seen.
A Week 2 triumph over Glenbard North, the programās first postseason victory over Neuqua Valley and a pair of victories over Naperville Central highlighted the programās first year in the DuPage Valley Conference.
But the programās sixth straight season of at least eight wins and the programās first state semifinal trip since 1992 doesnāt come close without Ihry ā the 2015 Positively Naperville Prep Football Player of the Year.
Just ask the man who has guided the programās renaissance over the last 11 years, including half of the programās four state quarterfinal berths.
āYouāre playing Class 8A where most teams are two-platooning,ā Waubonsie Valley coach Paul Murphy said of Ihry. āHeās playing two of the toughest positions in the game of football ā heās playing running back, heās playing middle linebacker. He leads our team in tackles on defense. He leads the team in rushing on offense. What else is there to say?ā
A unanimous All-DVC selection, Ihry was also named to the IHSFCAās Class 8A all-state first team on the way to running for 1,493 yards and 14 touchdowns on 244 carries.
Nine times in 2015,Ā he eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground ā with a 222-yard effort against Wheaton Warrenville South in Week 6 leading the way.
A stretch of four straight games of going over 100 yards came midway through the season ā starting with a 107-yard, two-touchdown effort in Week 4 as the Warriors erased a 14-0 deficit against the Redhawks.
The future Northern Illinois wrestler makes his transition from aĀ player back to a fan on an high note.
Ihry concluded his prep football career by running for at least 100 yards in all four of Waubonsie Valleyās postseason games as he ran for at least 130 yards in three of the four.
The year he enjoyed running the football was reminiscent in some ways to what Austin Guido did on his way to setting a program record with 2,377 yards in 2012.
But while Guidoās exploits were part of an offense built around Dylan Warden, Troy Fumagalli, Christian Gibbs and DeMario Webb and averaged 37 Ā½ points, Ihry was asked to carry a heavier load.
And he welcomed it with open arms ā especially when it came to that final sequence against Neuqua Valley in November.
āThey were feeding it to me,ā Ihry said. āI was more than willing to help get that āWā honestly, but it was a team effort. I donāt think we should just put it all on one single person because everybody did their jobs well and thatās why we won.ā
One of the four teams to beat Waubonsie Valley, Naperville North was also one of the four teams to hold Ihry under 100 yards rushing.
But in the days leading up to the Huskiesā 25-24 overtime victory over the Warriors, Huskiesā coach Sean Drendel, another person who can appreciate good DVC defense, paid quite the complement.
āHeās just a great football player,ā Drendel said of Ihry. āHeās as good as they come in our league and playing on both sides of the ball. Depending on what game film you see, he impresses you on one side and then the next week, heāll impress you on the other side. So I think heās just a great football player.ā
Pressed into offensive duty late in 2014 because of an injury to Tony Durns and again this year as Rodney Gee battled injuries throughout the year, his primary craft was playing middle linebacker.
A year after recording 110 tackles and 5 Ā½ sacks as a junior, Ihry led a young, aggressive and opportunistic unit with 135 tackles.
His defensive influence will be felt in the ensuing years with linebackers Josh Dominiak (127 tackles) and Quaid Gill (93 tackles) and safety Connor Yukna (102 tackles) all back for the Warriors in 2016.
Never one to take all the credit, Ihry always was one of the first to put the focus on the entire team during its run to a Class 8A state semifinal.
He did it after his exploits helped the Warriors overcome a 14-0, fourth-quarter deficit against Naperville Central in September.
He did it after his fourth-quarter effort in the second-round victory against Neuqua Valley and he did it once again after his 146 yards helped account for a second defeat of Naperville Central.
The way he saw it, the innate ability to play two of the toughest positions on the football field was all about what was best for the team.
āItās difficult just going from ā¦ playing on both sides of the ball, you donāt get much rest,ā Ihry said back in September. āBut I think our defense playing so well is helping me out when Iām coming back from offense and going right to defense. Our young defense is really stepping up. Thatās all I can really say.ā
While the Warriors were in the midst of turning themselves from a 5-4 team into an 8-4 team on the brink of their first state title game, they spoke often about an unwavering belief.
At various points throughout the year, they did a tremendous job of practicing what they preached.
And it all started with Ihry, the man in the middle of everything Waubonsie Valley was able to do in 2015, even if it left some of his teammates lost for words when looking for descriptions.
āThat kid is incredible, man,ā Connolly said. āI could never find the words to explain like what that kid means to this team and what he is.ā