By Bobby Narang
Downers Grove North High School is slated to start a new era this season.
The last three seasons, all with quarterback Owen Lansu, included double-digit winning seasons highlighted by a second-place finish in 2023 in Class 7A.
With Lansu at Minnesota, the Trojans are entering a new era filled with question marks.
“We’re going to look a lot different losing players like Lansu and Will Vala, a lot of guys who played a lot of snaps and several three-year starters,” DGN coach Joe Horeni said. “I feel good about our offense.
Besides Lansu, the Trojans lost several talented players. Lansu missed several games last season with an injury, allowing senior Kevin Jay to earn valuable snaps under center. Vala, a freshman at Illinois, caught 20 passes for 450 yards and was a terror on defense with four sacks and was named West Suburban Silver Offensive Player of the Year. Aiden Solecki, a freshman at Purdue, played limited action due to an injury but racked up six sacks and was named West Suburban Silver Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Jay steps into the spotlight this season, slated to lead the offense with his passing and running. His ability to stretch the defense with his arm and legs helps absorb the loss of numerous next-level players on offense. He finished with 1,029 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns last season.
“When Owen got hurt, Kevin was playing running back and he started playing quarterback for us and he did a nice job with leadership and has the ability to play multiple positions, which not every kid in high school has the skill set to do that,” Horeni said. “He can. He had a really good offseason.”
Jay said he’s ready for the challenge to be QB1 for Downers Grove North.
“I worked on getting stronger, faster and more elusive,” Jay said. “Mainly, I worked on my leadership to become a better leader, not only to lead the offense but the team. I’m super excited to show what I can do and how versatile I am. After learning the playbook, I’m excited for this season to be stepping up for a bigger role on the offense.”
Senior tight end/defensive Jacob Vroman, who also plays basketball, is an elite player who will garner plenty of attention from colleges in the upcoming months. At 6-foot-4 and 227 pounds, Vroman said he gained 20 pounds in the last year. He has offers from Eastern Illinois, Central Michigan, Minnesota Duluth. and Western Illinois.
“Jacob is a very good athlete,” Horeni said. “We had Will at tight end, so not every team has the ability to get the ball to two different tight ends. Jacob will play more defense this year, and people will see what type of athlete he is. He has a couple of Mid-American Conference offers in football and I wouldn’t be surprised if other schools jump in when his senior tape comes out.”
Vroman said he learned a lot from last season’s leader, pointing out he is aiming to make a big impact on offense and defense.
“In the offseason, I worked on getting stronger and faster, so I can block and run routes at a high level to help my team succeed,” Vroman said. “I’m excited to have a bigger role and be a leader on the offense. Being with Will last year helped me a lot and shaped me into the player I am.”