Summer takes added importance at Glenbrook South

Glenbrook South football coach Mike Noll referred to last year’s 6-5 campaign as a bridge year.

Now, the coach hopes his team has crossed the bridge.

Last fall, the Titans were coming off a spectacular 2009 when they went 9-3 and reached the Class 8A quarterfinals. Several of the key players from that squad had graduated.

After a rough start, last year’s team put together a five-game winning streak and eventually made its way back to the playoffs, defeating Barrington in the first round before losing to Palatine.

With plenty of talent returning this fall, Noll believes 2011 can be another vintage year for the Titans.

“Don’t think we’re disappointed about last year, we’re not,” Noll said. “I think it was kind of a bridge to this year. We’re hoping to have a better summer and a little bit better results this fall.”

Noll said one of his team’s major problems in 2010 was that its summer preparations were hampered by injuries and illness. Those obstacles meant the team was less prepared than he would have liked for its opening games against Minooka (a 42-14 loss) and Stevenson (a 42-20 defeat).

As a result, there is an extra edge to proceedings this summer as the Titans once again gear up to open the season against top competition. Perennial power Prospect comes to Glenview in Week 1 (Aug. 26), there is a trip to Stevenson the following week (Sept. 2), followed by a visit to Glenbrook North (Sept. 9)

Glenbrook South is in the middle of its summer camp and already has participated in 7-on-7 passing competitions at Fremd and Lake Zurich.

“We have to have a good summer program if we’re going to play the competition that we play,” Noll said. “Last year, wasn’t anybody’s fault. We just had bad luck. But we have to be focused on that, have better attendance and a good work ethic. We’re trying to ramp up and recommit and have a better summer, so we’re better able to compete in Week 1, 2 and 3.”

On the agenda has been the introduction of new defensive concepts by first-year defensive coordinator Al Greenberg. Greenberg, who has been on the varsity staff for six years, replaced Vito Andriola, who took the head coaching job at Dundee-Crown.

Greenberg welcomes plenty of talent as Glenbrook South returns all of its starting defensive linemen: seniors Matt Power, Mike Demos, JJ Bamaung, Steven Minkus and Gus Shipp.

Senior linebacker Nick Greco is back, as are safeties Sean Christ and Sully Stadler and corner Marsean Hood, all seniors.

The offensive line features four retuning senior starters in center Scott Spalek (5-foot-11, 260), tackles Jreis Sweilem (5-9, 260), and Max Leonard (6-7. 240) and Demos (6-4, 255).

Senior Mac Zabriskie appears to be at the head of the line to replace graduated quarterback Matt Jenkins, while junior Max Cohen is also taking snaps.

There will be experienced receiving targets in senior Zach Jones and Stadler.

Senior Billy Pappas started three games at wingback last year and will be one of the players called upon to help replace graduated running backs John Strickland and Kyle Kwasniewski.

“Experience has to be one of our biggest assets,” Noll said. “There should be maturity and that’s going to help us in the early part of the season. We just have to keep working hard and have a really good summer, and we’ll benefit a great deal.”

At the next level: From last year’s team, Strickland is scheduled to play football at University of Indianapolis. Noll said Kwasniewski, defensive back Michael Barth, linebacker Andy Legge and Jenkins all could still decide to play college football, as well.

From previous years, Michael Hirsch (2010) has switched from running back to tight end at Harvard and is No. 2 on the depth chart heading into the season. Linemen Alex Mann and Peter Mann (both 2010) were expected to play at North Central College and Alex Garvey (2010) is a wide receiver at Illinois Wesleyan.

Former Titan Sean Cascarano (2009) is expected to see playing time on the offensive line at Virginia and Sean Progar (2008) will once again start at defensive end for Northern Illinois after being named the Huskies’ Defensive Lineman of the Year and earning all-MAC first team honors last season.

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