My boss needs glasses — the Redhawks are good 

MEMO: To Naperville Central's Football Team ê You're very good. No matter what my boss said in Wednesday's paper, his views don't reflect those of this reporter or the rest of our staff.


September 15, 2000

I remember a day not long ago in the dorms when I'd park myself in front of the Super Nintendo and play "NHL '94" for hours. I had it down to a science. I knew every secret, every move. I could beat the defending Stanley Cup champions 12-0 with one pinky while eating, talking on the phone and
checking my e-mail. It was that easy. Sometimes boring even.

That's what this season had become for Naperville Central. The Redhawks enter tonight's matchup with Wheaton Warrenville South undefeated. They've scored 125 points and allowed none. They've rested their starters in all three of their way-too-easy wins.

Tonight, that trend should continue. Once-feared Wheaton Warrenville South will come into Memorial Stadium and get battered. Central will treat the Tigers to a Jackie Chan-style whooping and win by at least two touchdowns. That's the same WW South team that won four state championships in the '90s. The same WW South team that was the defending state champion and ranked No. 1 in the state at this time last year. And the Tigers don't stand a chance.

Central could play the first quarter with Owen Daniels' little brothers at quarterback and still win handily. This team is that good.

Sure, Central hasn't really been tested this year. And with the exception of last year's regular-season meeting with WW South, they haven't been tested in nearly two years. But does that make them overrated?

Absolutely not. OK, the Redhawks haven't displayed their "A" game for all 48 minutes of a game yet. Players have taken downs off. There have been moments during which the huddle has collectively yawned.

And still, Central has beaten Lockport, Stevenson and West Chicago each by at least 40 points. What's overrated about that?

If the Redhawks needed a challenge, they certainly got a big one. On Wednesday, the team learned that Daniels tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season.

Now Central faces the rest of the year without its two-year starter, a quarterback considered to be among the top 20 in the country.

So the pressure's on. On a defense that must continue to flex with its trademarked glare of invincibility. On a receiving corps that must adapt to a new leader. On a backfield that must pick up the yardage slack. On junior Phil Horvath, who inherits the spotlight despite having just two varsity passing attempts to his name.

Until now, the biggest threat to Central's championship hopes was its own dominance. If the Redhawks had continued to bodyslam opponents by more than 40 points throughout the regular season — and it was a distinct possibility — what would have happened when they faced a quality opponent in the playoffs? Might someone have snuck up and bit them? Maybe.

But don't think for a minute that the Redhawks were getting lazy, already resting on their ranking and their incredibly efficient numbers.

On Monday, before the severity of Daniels' injury was known, coach Joe Bunge ran practice until 6:50 p.m. A couple of receivers ran the wrong routes. A running back forgot a play. Bunge moaned out loud, bellowed a few disgusted reprimands. Not the voice of a coach who is 17-0 with an average margin of victory of 30 points over the past two seasons. It was the voice of a coach who knows the tendencies of high school kids. The voice of a coach who knows he can get even more from his already explosive squad.

So Central wasn't jump-through-the-sky adrenalized about playing West Chicago. So occasionally being too good caused the Redhawks to be lackadaisical.

Big freakin' deal.

With Daniels, Central was favored to win state. Without him, little changes. There are 57 other players on the Redhawks roster, none of whom have lost since their freshman years.

Without Daniels, the Redhawks will have to work harder to win the DVC and defend their state crown.

But Daniels' misfortune might become the catalyst of such a run, the frigid water to the face to snap the team out of its weekly sleepwalking butt kickings.

The Redhawks will no longer play for the rankings, respect or praise of outsiders.

Now they're playing for Owen.