Injury KOs No. 1 team's star 


By Bob Sakamoto 
Tribune Staff Writer 

September 14, 2000 

The moment quarterback Owen Daniels walked into the 
coaches' office Wednesday morning, Naperville Central coach 
Joe Bunge knew it was bad news. 

With tears in his eyes, Daniels told Bunge his football 
season and high school career were over. An MRI exam 
disclosed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left 
knee sustained during the first offensive play of last 
Friday's 43-0 victory over West Chicago. 

"I couldn't believe the diagnosis," said Daniels, who went 
back into that game and completed 11-of-13 passes for 185 
yards and one touchdown. "I thought it was just a little 
twisted knee. I was pretty much stunned. My doctor said he 
could fit me with a knee brace and I could try playing, but 
I would be risking making the injury worse. 

"My coach and I agree that it's best that I don't play 
anymore this season. Coach Bunge knows I have a future and 
he doesn't want to risk it." 

The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound Daniels, who made an oral 
commitment to Wisconsin on Sunday, was considered among the 
leading quarterbacks in the Midwest. He completed 31-of-36 
passes for 566 yards and seven touchdowns, and ran for two 
more TDs in three games. 

"We originally thought it was just a sprained knee," Bunge 
said. "We were all optimistic because he was at practice 
[Tuesday] and wasn't in much pain. It's really a shame this 
had to happen." 

No. 1-ranked Naperville Central has outscored its 
opposition 125-0 and forced the use of a running clock in 
the second half of all three games. 

"It's a hard thing to accept," Bunge said. "It's a part of 
the game none of us like. I know it happened over at 
Wheaton Warrenville South (All-Stater running back Brett 
Bell's season-ending torn ACL). It's a shame when anyone 
gets hurt in football, regardless if the player is a star 
or not. We've just got to move on." 

Phil Horvath, a 6-2, 180-pound junior, will start in 
Daniels' place Friday night against Wheaton South. Last 
year, Horvath led the sophomore team to a 9-0 record. 

"Phil is a good athlete and a good leader," Bunge said. "I 
think he'll respond real well. He's not going to try and do 
the things that Owen did, and I don't want him to be 
compared to Owen. 

"We've felt all along that the strength of our team was 
going to be the defense. Now, we can't expect to be scoring 
as many points, so there will be a little more pressure on 
the defense." 

Copyright 2000 The Chicago Tribune