September 22, 2000
BY TAYLOR BELL STAFF REPORTER
Coach Joe Bunge of top-ranked Naperville Central says there are four things you should know about his defense.
It is much too early to suggest the Redhawks could become the first team since Pittsfield in 1970 to negotiate a regular season without yielding a point.
The second-string defense has played the entire second half of one game, 1 1/2 quarters of two games and a quarter of another game.
The first-string defense is the best Bunge has seen since 1972.
If there is one statistic--besides zero points--that demonstrates how effective the defense is, it is that opponents have averaged only 2.3 yards on first down.
John Urban, Bunge's defensive coordinator who has been on the staff the last 12 years, offers other insights into the unit's success.
Urban says 6-3, 240-pound tackle Joe Alvarez deserves all-state recognition, Ryan Amberson is the smartest linebacker he has coached in 23 years and Amberson, Luke Summers, Pat Spaeth and Drew Kocsis form the best linebacking corps in the state.
The former coach at Gordon Tech, St. Patrick and College of DuPage also says the defense is the most intelligent group he has coached. It includes four members of the National Honor Society. Other standouts are nose guard Ken Kottke and safeties Eric Uhlir and Mitch Nowicki.
"Experience, talent, determination and a lot of togetherness--that explains why we have been successful," Urban said. "Some team will score on us. But I don't want a letdown when they do. We don't want to be unrealistic in our goals."