By Bobby Narang
The 2022 high school football season is shaping up to be memorable and the season hasn’t started.
The second full season since the coronavirus pandemic upended the 2020 Fall season will features many storylines to watch. Two of them involves a pair of a traditional powerhouses, Wheaton North and Nazareth Academy.
• Wheaton North is coming off one of the best seasons in program history by winning the Class 7A State championship with a memorable one-loss season. The Falcons won the program’s fourth overall State championship, and first since 1985.
With the loss of several key players, including quarterback Mark Forcucci, the Falcons enter the season with a number of question marks. Junior Max Howser and senior Tyler O’Connor are vying for starting quarterback, with O’Connor a multi-dimensional player and a completely different skill set than Howser.
“Max Howser is doing fine,” Wheaton North head coach Joe Wardynski said. “He loves the game, working hard at it. He gives us a chance to be successful, got a good arm, working on pre-snap stuff and making good decisions. We compare him to Forcucci when he was a 10th grader, a year behind but he shows some of same skills set, just not as dynamic of a runner. He’s good enough to extend plays. He’s a lacrosse player, moves his feet well, got some of the intangibles, but a work in progress.”
Regarding O’Connor, a standout in all three phases of the game, Wardynski said:
“Tyler started on defense for us, but can do other things offensively, from carrying the ball, playing in slot. We’re trying to weigh whether we put him under center, and be an athlete for us, or we can play Howser and use Tyler in other ways offensively. Tyler does not quite have as good an arm, but when a play breaks down, he can make things happen.”
• Meanwhile, Nazareth head coach Tim Racki is set at quarterback, but the program has a sharp decrease in numbers, which will lead to several two-way players.
“Our depth is thin, and on paper we look young, but we had a lot of freshmen play last year, and now they’re sophomores who have played a varsity schedule last season,” Racki said. “This team has a lot of grit. Overall, we’ve had, on paper, more talented Nazareth squads, but this team has a lot grit and toughness. I really like this group. They work hard, and they’ve responded well. We have an early tough schedule, so I’ve been anything but light on them to prepare them for the season.”
Senior Justin Taylor, a University of Wisconsin recruit, is the headline player. Taylor is a standout wide receiver and free safety.
“I know I’m not the face of the team, but and someone well known and a leader on the team,” Taylor said. “There’s no more pressure, though. There’s nothing more extra added to it. I know there’s a bullseye on not only my back, but the team because everyone wants to beat Nazareth Academy. We’ve had a lot of great athletes and players that have come through the program. “I’ve been coming to games since eighth grade. I’ve seen the guys lead and talk and how they hold everyone to a high standard. It was a great example for me.”