Loyola Academy’s Jake Marwede. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER
Six players in the DailyNorthShore.com area earned all-state recognition from the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA).
Loyola Academy placed two players on the Class 8A team. Senior receiver/quarterback Jake Marwede claimed first-team honors. Senior offensive lineman Jack Badovinac was honorable mention.
New Trier also had two Class 8A honorees. Senior quarterback Clay Czyzynski was awarded first-team accolades. Senior linebacker Max Rosenthal was honorable mention.
In Class 7A, Highland Park senior running back/defensive back DJ Penick was a first-team pick. Glenbrook North senior quarterback Kevin Burnside was honorable mention.
Marwede, who will play college football at Duke University, is recognized by many as the best football player in the state. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, he’s Mr. Big Play. He’s had a hand in 20 touchdowns — 14 rushing, 6 receiving and 1 passing — for the reigning Class 8A champion Ramblers (13-0), who will face Maine South in the title game on Nov. 26 in Champaign. He’s averaging 5.5 yards per carry (60-327) and 13.3 yards per catch (41-544).
Badovinac is a two-year starter at left guard. The Colgate recruit anchors LA’s offensive line which is averaging 40.7 points and 289.5 yards per game.
Czyzynski, a three-year starter at quarterback, put up impressive numbers for the 8-3 Trevians this fall. A dynamic dual threat, he rushed for 1,216 yards and threw for 1,939 yards. He had 12 rushing TDs to go along with 21 TD passes.
Rosenthal, a hard-hitting inside linebacker, was the centerpiece of New Trier’s defense. He finished the season with 50 unassisted tackles to go along 20 assists. He sacked the quarterback twice and added three tackles-for-loss.
Highland Park’s Penick was a true crowd-pleaser. Combining breakaway speed and power, the running back racked up 1,718 rushing yards for the 7-3 Giants. He also was a standout at outside linebacker: 44 tackles, four ½ sacks, six TFLs and two forced fumbles.
Burnside ended up with terrific numbers for Glenbrook North (9-2). He completed 180 of 265 passes for 2,475 yards with 18 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 120 times for 545 yards and scored eight times.
The other Class 8A recipients include first-teamers linebacker Micah Awodiran (Marist), quarterback Josh Beam (Hinsdale Central), running back/linebacker Davion Cross (West Aurora), center Nathan Gray (Naperville North), linebacker Blake Holley (Barrington), defensive lineman Jacub Panasiuk (Lake Park), running back Ivory Kelly-Marting (Oswego East), quarterback Zach Mitchell (St. Charles East), quarterback Aidan O’Connell (Stevenson), quarterback Zach Oles (Palatine), defensive end Devin O’Rourke (Lincoln-Way East), wide receiver Alec Pierce (Glenbard West), linebacker Jon Rhattigan (Neuqua Valley), tight end Charles Robinson (Waubonsie Valley), defensive lineman Tate Rujawitz (Edwardsville) and offensive lineman John Schmitz (Homewood-Flossmoor).
The other Class 8A honorable mentions were quarterback Jaxon Aubry (Joliet West), offensive Sam Diehl (Lincoln-Way East), defensive end AJ Epenesa (Edwardsville), defensive back Grant Ericksen (Naperville North), offensive lineman John Ivlow (Bolingbrook), defensive end Caleb Jones (Huntley), running back Logan Moews (Barrington), linebacker Jake Portz (Plainfield South), wide receiver Tyrice Richie (Homewood-Flossmoor), defensive tackle Noah Shannon (Oswego) and wider receiver Kendall Smith (Bolingbrook).
The other Class 7A first-teamers include two-way lineman Sam Ambrogio (St. Charles North), offensive lineman Evan Day (Batavia), defensive tackle Ari Ekowa (Plainfield North), wide receiver James Jace (Glenbard North), quarterback Jacob Keller (Fenwick), running back Jack Jessen (Willowbrook), offensive lineman Tyler Jost (Libertyville), quarterback Chris Katrenick (Jacobs), wide receiver Michael O’Laughlin (Fenwick), wide receiver Cameron Moore (Wheaton Warrenville South), quarterback Burtis Morion (Bradley-Bourbonnais), kicker Gavin Mottl (St. Rita), linebacker Jack Sandborn (Lake Zurich), running back/linebacker Deven Smith (Quincy), linebacker Trey Telez (Lincoln-Way West), running back Vittorio Tricase (Glenbard North) and linebacker Ben Wong (Normal).
The Class 7A list of honorable mentions include defensive end Nate Barbary (Jefferson), defensive back Kevin Block (Plainfield North), running back/defensive back Harrell Camron (Bradley-Bourbonnais), running back Nick D’Ambrose (Addison Trail), wide receiver Andrew Edgar (St. Patrick), linebacker Rayshawn Gay (Proviso East), safety Marcus Hayes (Rockford East), linebacker LaRon Johnson (Collinsville), wide receiver/defensive back Julian Hill (Pekin), tight end Matt Kentgen (Maine West), running back Kindrel Morris (Larkin), running back Giovanni Purpura (McHenry), wide receiver Brantrell Seymore (Reavis), running back Brenton Shaw (Harlem), running back/wide receiver Jimmy Trieb (Buffalo Grove), running back/defensive back Aaron Woolford (Mundelein) and offensive lineman Jim Wormsley (Jacobs).
New Trier’s Clay Czyzynski. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE HANDWERKER
Highland Park’s DJ Penick. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
Loyola’s Jack Badovinac. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER
Glenbrook North’s Kevin Burnside. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
New Trier’s Max Rosenthal. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER