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Men's Football

ELMHURST, Ill. - Coming off a 6-4 overall record and a fifth-place finish in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) last season, the Elmhurst College football team is primed to enter the top half of the league standings in 2007.

"Last year was certainly successful," said Head Coach Tom Journell. "We had a winning record, but we were not completely happy with the results. We had a chance to win some ball games and break into the upper echelon of the league, but we couldn't get it done."

With 14 starters returning from the 2006 squad, the Bluejays are in a position to crack the upper half of the league standings and be right in the thick of the CCIW title hunt.

The Bluejays lost one of their biggest offensive weapons in the opening quarter of the first game in 2006 when quarterback Chris Kudyba (Des Plaines/Elk Grove) went down with a knee injury. A healthy Kudyba returns to the helm of the Bluejays’ offense in 2007.

"Having a healthy Chris Kudyba back is a huge boost," said Journell. "Chris had a great year in 2005 and the team has a lot of confidence in his ability to lead our offense."

In addition to junior Mike LaFleur (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./H.S.) returning, the Bluejays also have a pair of talented freshmen in Phil Pedi (Addison/Driscoll Catholic) and Kyle Albertson (Taylorville/H.S.) joining the quarterback corps.

"We have a lot of depth at quarterback this season," said Journell. "We feel that our younger quarterbacks could challenge for playing time right away."

With Kudyba returning at quarterback, Ryan Freund (Johnsburg/H.S.) is expected to move back to the starting tight end position. Freund split time between tight end and quarterback last season after Kudyba was injured. Sophomore Lex Cisler (Grand Rapids/East Grand Rapids) is also expected to see time in two tight end sets.

"With Ryan and Lex, we have two solid tight ends," said Journell. "Ryan has a lot of talent, and I believe he has the ability to become the best tight end in the league."

The Bluejays will have plenty of targets for Kudyba to throw to. Blake Veldhuis (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./H.S.) caught 36 passes in 2006, including four touchdowns. Mitch Holmer (Champaign/Champaign Central) and Matt D'Angelo (McHenry/McHenry East) are also expected to see plenty of action with the loss of three seniors from the 2006 season.

Returners Dan Bak (Lemont/H.S.), Matt Long (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./H.S.), Graeme Jarrell (East Grand Rapids, Mich./H.S.) and Matt Wenzel (Elk Grove Village/Elk Grove) along with newcomers Ryan Gierkie (Elburn/Kaneland) and Jordan Kurth (Rockford/Guilford) provide the Bluejays with depth at receiver and could also see playing time.

"We have a lot of depth at receiver," said Journell. "We have guys who are capable of becoming big-time playmakers."

After struggling with their running game in 2006, Journell believes the Bluejays will be more effective with the ground game this season.

"We ran the ball as well as we've ever run it this past spring," he said. "David Wilharm (Elgin/Larkin) and Ryan Sonntag (Green Lake, Wis./H.S.) give us a very good one-two punch and we're very excited to see what freshman Mark Gones (St. Joseph/St. Joseph-Ogden) is capable of."

Elmhurst's biggest loss on offense comes in the trenches, as the Bluejays graduated three starters from the offensive line.

"We lost three starters from last year, but we're returning a lot of experience in our offensive line," said Journell. "All five guys that we're looking at to start for us this season have had playing time in the past."

Dan Kindle (Des Plaines/Maine West) will move from center to right tackle while Tony Hale (Crete/Crete-Monee) returns to his starting role at left tackle. Kyle Smith (Wheaton/Glenbard South) and Bob Mattingly (Carol Stream/Glenbard North) are expected to fill the starting guard positions while Sami Berkhia (Chicago/Amundsen) will transition from tight end to take over at center.

Returners Tor Evans (Bartlett/Glenbard North), Kyle Foster (Maple Park/Kaneland), Matt Wood (Downers Grove/North) could also contribute on the Bluejays’ offensive line.

The Bluejay defense lost four starters from the 2006 season, including three starters up front.

"We lost some starters from our defensive line," said Journell. "But we are returning several players up front who have been big contributors for us in the past."

Matt Kelly (Bourbonnais/Bradley-Bourbonnais), Jake Mobley (Hoffman Estates/Schaumburg) and Jordan Victor (Wheeling/West Dundee) are the three most experienced members up front. Kelly started at defensive end and totaled 40 tackles while Mobley ranked fourth in tackles for loss (six) and second in quarterback sacks (2.5).

Returners Demetrios Vrettos (Cicero/Morton East), Ryan Nugent (Manhattan/Peotone), Chris DiBartolo (Geneva/H.S.), Matt Robbins (Peotone/H.S.), and Ryan Wasilewski (Springfield/Lanphier) along with recruits Kurt Nitschke (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./H.S.), and Chike Osude (Crystal Lake/Prairie Ridge) give Journell's team plenty of options and depth up front.

"The players on our defensive line are talented and more than capable of getting the job done," said Journell. "We'll just need them to mature very quickly."

Despite losing big-play linebacker Ward Brady, the Bluejays feel confident at linebacker with all-conference pick John Scardullo (Monee/Peotone) leading the charge. Scardullo led the Bluejays and the CCIW in tackles last season. Danny Dichiara (Ormond Beach, Fla./Father Lopez) who started at linebacker as a freshman, returns to his natural position after playing tight end last season. Eric Puzon (Wheaton/Wheaton Warrenville South) is a returning junior who could also step into the starting role.

Journell is also thrilled with his recruiting class at linebacker.

"We have two recruits who are as good as it gets," he said. "Mark Blumstein (Homewood/Homewood-Flossmoor), and Dan Hetzner (Des Plaines/Maine West) both have potential to become standout defensive players."

The Bluejays' secondary is anticipated to be one of the team's strengths in 2007 after not losing any starters from last season’s squad.

Pat Ambriz (Wausau, Wis./Wausau East), Jake Brashares (Peotone/H.S.) and Kyle Maple (Kaneville/Kaneland) all return to their starting spots. Ambriz finished third on the team in tackles and led the squad in sacks while Maple earned first-team all-conference honors after totaling 57 tackles in 2006.

Returning players Jordan Edwards (Sterling/Newman Central Catholic), Justin Gerkin (Geneva/H.S.), Alex Morton (Gurnee/Warren), and Dale Staton (West Chicago/H.S.) along with newcomers Corey O'Neal (Stevensville/Lakeshore) and Joe Anfuso (Medinah/Lake Park) give Journell’s squad depth and will also compete for playing times.

Ryan Keeton (Oswego/H.S.) and Dan Sabock (Sycamore/H.S.) give the Bluejays a pair of speedsters at cornerback. Osita Anichebe (Chicago/Gordon Tech.) and Joseph Behar (Miami, Fla/Dr. Krop) along with newcomers Richard Dastice (Berwyn/Morton West), Kyle DeMus (Durand/H.S.) and Dane Paul (Tolono/Unity) give the Bluejays plenty of depth at cornerback.

"I think the strength of our defense is definitely in the back with our linebackers and secondary," said Journell. "If our front line can play well, we should have a very good defense."

The Bluejays return all of their special teams standouts from 2006. Tyler Lomnicki (Elmhurst/York) converted 7-of-11 field goal attempts and scored 40 total points. Geoff Steele (Downers Grove/Downers Grove North) handled the punting duties last season, averaging 33.7 yards per punt.

Elmhurst's return game looks solid with Keeton, Sabock, and Holmer all capable of generating big plays in the return game.

Overall, Journell feels that the Bluejay team is more than capable of progressing to the next step.

"We expect to win every game we play," he said. "We need to continue to put ourselves in a position to win games, but this time we need to finish teams off when we get the opportunity. Our job this year and every year is going to be to contend for a CCIW title and a trip to the NCAA playoffs."