Rick Armstrong’s top 10 football teams and 25 players to watch in Aurora-Elgin for the 2024 season

St. Charles North enters season as cream of the crop, although Batavia, Geneva and Oswego will be right on the North Stars’ heels.

Top 10 Team

1. St. Charles North (6-4): Six starters led by four-year quarterback Ethan Plumb return on offense and five on defense led by his younger brother Matthew, a junior middle linebacker. It has the North Stars tabbed by many as one of the top contenders for the DuKane Conference title.

2. Batavia (11-2): Quarterback Ryan Boe (Northwestern), a three-year starter, is among 11 graduates from last season currently in college football camps. Junior Bodi Anderson, Boe’s successor, has options with many talented skill players at his disposal. Senior safety Chase Osborne, a tackling machine, returns with senior nose guard Malachi Smith to lead defense.

3. Geneva (9-3): Senior wide receiver Talyn Taylor (Georgia) is a top 100 prospect in the nation who will be must-see attraction at Vikings’ resurfaced Burgess Field. Marmion transfer Gavin Burt joins returnee Sean Lane to anchor defense at inside linebacker spots for team looking to challenge in powerful DuKane Conference.

4. Oswego (6-4): Linebacker trio of Carson Cooney (Iowa), Mikey Claycombe and Easton Riley lead what should be strong defense for Panthers. Senior wide receiver Jeremiah Cain will be a big option for senior quarterback Brett Connolly. Schedule gets tougher with addition of Joliet Catholic and Bolingbrook.

5. South Elgin (9-2): Former coach Pat Pistorio, who led Storm from 2013 through 2017, returns following Dragan Teonic’s move to Cary-Grove. Combination of senior quarterback Jack Ginnan and senior wide receiver Ishmael George should provide plenty of highlights for spread offense that replaces triple-option for one of Upstate Eight favorites.

6. West Aurora (5-5): Junior quarterback Mason Atkins can target high-flyers Terrence Smith, who has 16 scholarship offers, and Kewon Marshall, the state champion in the high jump, as well as sure-handed Reece Powers. Atkins also can hand it off to Michael Williams or Azuriah Sylvester in Blackhawks’ return to the Upstate Eight Conference.

7. Yorkville (6-4): Senior defensive end Bryce Griffin (Kent State) and senior wide receiver Dyllan Malone (Northern Illinois) figure to be headliners as Foxes try to repeat as conference champs in Southwest Prairie after winning first title since 1989 last season. Enters season with streak of six straight playoff appearances.

8. Jacobs (6-4): Look for senior PJ Barnes, who is 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, to have a big impact on both sides of the ball at tight end and defensive end as Eagles take aim at fourth straight playoff berth. Senior outside linebacker Luke Gormsen calls shots on defense, while junior quarterback Connor Goehring does same on offense.

9. Oswego East (3-6): Junior quarterback Niko Villacci, with a year of starting experience under his belt, looks to open up the passing game and lead Wolves back to playoffs after streak of seven straight appearances ended last season.

10. Sandwich (8-4): Junior quarterback Brady Behringer and senior running back/defensive back Simeion Harris headline group of eight players on offense and 11 on defense who started or played regular minutes during run to quarterfinals of Class 4A playoffs.

The 25 Players to Watch

• Isaiah Brown, Batavia, senior, wide receiver.
• Jake Buckley, Kaneland, junior, offensive lineman.
• Jeremiah Cain, Oswego, senior, wide receiver.
• Mikey Claycombe, Oswego, senior, linebacker.
• Carson Cooney, Oswego, senior, linebacker.
• Ishmael George, South Elgin, senior, wide receiver.
• Sheka Gjokaj, St. Charles East, junior, wide receiver.
• Bryce Griffin, Yorkville, senior, defensive end.
• Donald Hubbard, Bartlett, senior, defensive end.
• Zach Hultgren, Burlington Central, junior, offensive lineman.
• Sean Lane, Geneva, senior, linebacker.
• Dyllan Malone, Yorkville, senior, wide receiver.
• Zach Morrisroe, Oswego East, senior, defensive lineman.
• Chase Osborne, Batavia, senior, safety.
• Joe Pettit, Geneva, senior, offensive lineman.
• Ethan Plumb, St. Charles North, senior, quarterback.
• Matthew Plumb, St. Charles North, junior, linebacker.
• Andy Pohlman, Oswego East, senior, defensive back.
• Dominic Recchia, Yorkville, senior, kicker/punter/defensive back.
• Declan Smith, St. Charles North, junior, defensive end.
• Malachi Smith, Batavia, senior, nose guard.
• Terrence Smith, West Aurora, senior, wide receiver.
• Azuriah Sylvester, West Aurora, senior, defensive back/running back.
• Talyn Taylor, Geneva, senior, wide receiver.
• Luke Zook, Yorkville, senior, defensive back.