Needless to say, the last three years have set a standard at Neuqua Valley.
A pair of double-digit winning seasons, including a 12-win season in 2012, and two state quarterfinal appearances over the course of three years under Bill Ellinghaus has the program on solid footing.
As Neuqua Valley begins its tenure inside the DuPage Valley Conference in 2015, it will do so with a sense of unfinished business, a Class 8A first-round loss to Homewood-Flossmoor.
“The quarterfinals, not making the quarterfinals last year was disappointing,” Ellinghaus said. “I feel like we can compete with anybody in the state. I’ve always felt that way. I don’t back down from that. I know this is going to be a ‘bloodbath,’ as they call it. You’re going to run through the gauntlet, so to speak, with the DVC.”
The Wildcats will run that gauntlet with the knowledge they have three high-level skill players for one of their quarterbacks to throw to.
Junior wide receivers Isaiah Robertson and Owen Piche, along with Western Michigan-bound tight end Brett Borske certainly will give the offense an aerial vibe to it.
Robertson, who caught 30 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns, and Piche, who hauled in 14 passes for 207 yards and four TDs, gave quarterback Broc Rutter consistent production.
Meanwhile, Borske is primed for a much more increased role in the offense after only catching 10 passes for 180 yards and four TDs.
“We run that multi-set offense, so we’re going to always utilize the talent that we have on the field,” Ellinghaus said. “Obviously, with those three receivers, they’re going to have to touch the football. But being that we’re a multi-set offense, I feel like that gives us the ability to utilize them when we need to and then run the ball when we want to slow things down and control the clock.”
Rutter is now gone to Indiana State after a two-year varsity career that saw him toss for a combined 4,131 yards and 52 touchdowns.
Senior Jack Stankoven is likely to get the first crack at taking Rutter’s place under center and he saw action in three games behind Rutter last year.
“We’ve really liked Jack Stankoven,” Ellinghaus said. “(He) has emerged as a pretty good leader for us and he’s done very well. That’s not to say that Jack Bastable will not get in the mix, as well as Riley Foran. But right now, I’d pencil in Jack Stankoven as definitely the guy coming into camp with a head start on everybody else.”
When not looking for one of Robertson, Piche or Borske, Stankoven will have numerous options to hand off to.
Two juniors, Greg McClellan and Griffen Philgren, along with sophomore Jack Trelo and senior D’Andre Tatum are a quartet that are likely to see time early on at running back.
“That’s another interesting phenomenon we have going on here,” Ellinghaus said of his team’s stable of running backs, which could include Piche, as well.
Defensively, the Wildcats lose their top eight tacklers from last year, with senior linebacker Luke Sawicki’s 27 tackles pacing those coming back.
With two returning starters back on defense, senior linebacker Nick Osikowicz along with junior linebacker Jon Rhattigan and junior safety Anthony Ippolito are players to keep an eye out for.
“Osikowicz’s got to play big for us,” Ellinghaus said. “Jon Rhattigan’s obviously got to play big for us. (Tommy Cwiok and then Jake Zeiler) are going to be two-way guys for us. (Anthony) Ippolito has got to have a monster year, too. … So I’m excited about the opportunity for those kids. I really am. I think that their upside can be very good.”
The quest for a third 10-win season in the last four years begins anew with the school’s move from the Upstate Eight into the DVC.
Season-opening games against Naperville North and Naperville Central have been constant since 2005 and 2009, respectively, and the Wildcats have a long history with Lake Park.
But the presence of Wheaton North, Wheaton Warrenville South and Glenbard North now annually on the schedule certainly provides Neuqua Valley an opportunity to prove its worth.
“I know we’re looking to not ease into anything this year,” Ellinghaus said. “Our expectations are remaining the same, so we’re going after it with jumping in it with both feet.”
