Sophomores playing like veterans for undefeated Kaneland

Updated: October 27, 2011 7:34PM

Here they go again.

Despite heavy graduation losses and counting on varsity contributions from seven sophomores, Kaneland has repeated the feat. For the second year in a row, Coach Tom Fedderly’s Knights have run the table, completing a perfect 9-0 regular season and earning a No. 1 seed in the IHSA Class 5A playoffs.

“We knew they were a talented group. We wouldn’t bring them up if they couldn’t handle it,” said Fedderly, whose team plays host to 5-4 Belvidere at 7 p.m. Friday in the opening round as it tries to improve upon last year’s playoff run that ended in the semifinals against Montini.

The seven include quarterback Drew David, who has thrown for more than 2,300 yards and running back Jesse Balluff, who has run for more than 700 yards. The others — WR/LB Dylan Nauert; K/DE Matt Rodriguez; linemen Shane Jorgensen and Alex Snyder; and RB/LB Gary Koerhring — have also played well.

Could this Kaneland team be a year ahead of schedule?

Senior lineman Ben Kovalick, a two-way starter and one of five returning all-conference players on this year’s team, doesn’t think so.

“We were counting on (the sophomores) a lot, but all of them have stepped up. They’ve all been great on varsity,” he said. “There’s usually that little break-in period where they don’t do as well, but everybody on our team has done a great job.”

Kovalick is one of two current seniors (WR Quinn Buschbacher is the other) who had the same experience, getting promoted to varsity as sophomores.

“I was starting right guard that year,” he said of the final season for the Western Sun Conference, when the Knights were one-and-done in the playoffs, losing to a Sycamore team they had beaten earlier in the year in the first round.

“It was pretty tough (playing up),” continued Kovalick. “There’s a lot to learn and it’s a lot to just jump up in physicality from freshman-sophomore (level) to varsity. On the line, if you don’t learn and do the technique right, you’re in trouble.

“We went up against some good teams that year. But it was a great experience contending for a conference championship, even if we didn’t go too far in the playoffs.”

Snyder, who actually played up last year as a freshman, and Jorgensen join Kovalick on the offensive line. Snyder backs up the senior on defense.

“It’s not like a weak link or anything,” Kovalick said. “All of us, we kinda have that chemistry where we just work good together. Everybody on the line just feels like they belong.”

Fedderly refuses to let his team look ahead, but they can see the brackets and know they will likely have to get past either the Montini team that eliminated them (27-14) last year or No. 2 seed Marian Central (9-0).

“They know we need to not overlook anyone,” said Fedderly, noting first priority goes to stopping the Bucs and their unique offense.

“They run the pistol and spread you out and they also run wishbone, give you multiple formations,” he said.

Kovalick knows how it works.

“(Last year’s Montini team) was a really good team,” he said. “But it was just the end of a great season.

“(Winning each week) was our goal the whole year. We knew we could there, we just had to work for it. We definitely have a special group, but it’s our whole team. We work great together.”

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