Super 25 countdown: Lincoln-Way East

Updated: August 16, 2011 10:23AM

Getting into the IHSA playoffs never has been a problem for ­Lincoln-Way East.

East is the only program in the state that has reached the postseason in every year of its existence: 10 seasons and counting. But though the Griffins won a Class 8A title in 2005 and went to the semifinals in 2004 and ’06, their recent playoff ­record is less distinguished with three straight second-round losses.

That’s something quarterback Blake Winkler and his teammates — ranked 10th in the Sun-Times preseason Super 25 — aim to change.

“It’s been disappointing the last few years to have so much talent and be kind of shut down short of your goal,” said Winkler, a 6-foot, 180-pounder who’s being recruited by several Ivy League schools. “The ultimate goal is definitely to win a state championship. We want that more than anything.”

Rob Zvonar, the only coach the Griffins have had, knows the Griffins face a tough task.

“Look at [Class] 7A, you see the Wheaton Souths, Glenbard West, East St. Louis and St. Rita,” Zvonar said. “Seven-A is a meat grinder. We obviously had those good teams in ’05 and ’06. We won nine games a year since we split with Lincoln-Way North. [But] we have not been a great postseason team. I think this group would like to break that trend.”

If that happens, it’ll likely be due to the efforts of Winkler and his favorite receiver, senior J.J. Robertson.

“He is a special player,” Winkler said of Robertson, a 6-0, 190-pound Illinois recruit. “We know that they’re going to try to double-cover or try to shut him down.”

It’ll be a pick-your-poison situation for East’s opponents, because Zvonar has expanded the playbook to create more options for Winkler. It helps that there are other playmakers, including senior receiver Jay Yancy (6-4, 190) and senior running back Tyler Starke (6-1, 200).

“Hopefully teams will play us pass-first so we can run the ball on them,” Winkler said.

Run or pass, the Griffins have the size up front to keep the chains moving. They’ll line up four seniors — Frank Toland (6-3, 265), Dan Patteson (5-10, 295), Josh Bottoms (5-10, 250) and Alex Hern (6-2, 265) — along with sophomore Nick Allegretti (6-3, 260), who was the varsity heavyweight on the Griffins’ wrestling team as a freshman.

There’s also talent on the defensive front with Matt Solner (6-2, 260), who already has an offer from Eastern Michigan, Joel Magrum and Kevin Bayer. Jake Aleck and Kyle Langenderfer return as linebackers, while Nate Royer, Erik Stanek, Kevin Slawkowski and Joe Tomasik are veterans in the secondary.

“It’s unfortunate, many people have been down-talking our defense,” Winkler said. “I think we have one of the best defenses in the area.”

The goal is to prove that, not just in the regular season, but into November as well.

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