PENN STATE RECRUIT EFFNER A BUILDING BLOCK FOR METEA VALLEY'S OFFENSE

Bryce Effner believes his shoulders are big enough to carry the load. And for one more year, Metea Valley gets to rely on the 6-foot-5, 285-pound Effner, a Penn State recruit entering his third season as a varsity starter at left tackle. "I think the key to our offense this year is going to have to be the O-line," Effner said. "We have a junior running back. We have a senior QB who has had little-to-no varsity experience. "For them to be efficient and feel comfortable, the O-line has got to be a rock." Running back Nolan Falk and quarterback Garrett Despot fill in after the graduation of Alonzo Taylor-Jones and Payton Thorne's transfer, respectively. With the offensive line leading the way, the Mustangs averaged 170.9 yards rushing last year as Taylor-Jones ran for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns. Senior offensive lineman Tim Paulson is anxious to see how Falk does. "Nolan is a north-to-south kind of guy," Paulson said of Falk. "He really does well at hitting people hard and hitting the hole hard, which is something our offense needs." One of Effner's teammates on the offensive line, Robert Finch, loves playing alongside a future Big Ten lineman. He said that Effner sets the tone. "I think the strongest characteristic anyone can have in football is going to the echo of the whistle," Finch said. "Our coach always preaches that. Bryce, we'll never see him take a play off. And I think I do the same. "Just play until your man's in the ground and then find a new man and just keep working up and up." Despot spent his junior year at wide receiver and Ryan Kriceri and Thorne split time at quarterback before Thorne took over permanently in Week 3. Thorne's decision to transfer to Naperville Central has Despot front and center for coach Ben Kleinhans. Adam Nicodemus, Mason Bronson and Michael Brown will get the bulk of time as wide receivers. The decision of Western Michigan-bound Jayden Reed to join Thorne as a transfer at Naperville Central offers similar motivation for Kleinhans to adapt to personnel. "I think our offense has always been pretty successful at Metea," Kleinhans said. "We've always had good quarterback play and we had different types of quarterbacks run our offense. "We've had more of pocket kids, some athletic kids who can run and some kids who can do both. So I think we just adapt our offense." Kleinhans said Effner, Paulson and Finch are all prepared to play on both lines. To that end, Nicodemus will be ready to see ample time both at wide receiver and safety. Linebacker Ryan Malone and Nicodemus will headline defensive coordinator Matt Fehrmann's unit, one that needs to replace its top 13 tacklers from last year. Malone's 15 tackles represent the team high for those returning on defense. Juniors Julian Wlodarczyk and Amarian Wilborn and senior TJ Lones will help Nicodemus in the secondary. "I think we're going to surprise some teams," Nicodemus said. "We're going to be very physical. We're just going to be fast and physical — that's our goals as an offense and as a defense. Rally to the ball. It's really just going to be a team effort." Blake Baumgartner is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun. Mike Clark's Chicago-area preseason top 20 With last season's final record in parentheses 1. Glenbard West (10-3): WR Alec Pierce, RBs Ryan Diver and Dre Thomas lead potent attack. 2. Maine South (11-3): NIU recruit Fotis Kokosioulis is one of state's most exciting players. 3. Waubonsie Valley (6-5): QB Tanner Westwood, TE Charles Robinson a great pass-catch duo. 4. Lincoln-Way East (9-3): DE Devin O'Rourke (Northwestern), great team speed are two pluses. 5. Prairie Ridge (14-0): Veteran QB Samson Evans (Iowa) makes defending Class 6A champs go. 6. Loyola (13-1): Ramblers must weather injuries, tough early schedule (Phillips, Bishop Amat, Mount Carmel) 7. Lyons (8-3): Ben Bryant (Cincinnati), one of state's top QBs, makes Lions a force in West Suburban Silver. 8. Homewood-Flossmoor (10-1): RB/DB Justin Hall (NIU), DE Jeffrey Griffin (NIU), LB Mario Wright (Western Kentucky) lead way 9. Naperville Central (4-5): Transfers QB Peyton Thorne, WR Jayden Reed (Western Michigan) provide big boost. 10. Lake Zurich (8-3): LB Jack Sanborn (Wisconsin) leads veteran group of 12 returning starters. 11. Palatine (12-1): QB DJ Angelaccio has playoff experience, plus plenty of capable targets. 12. Marist (8-2): West Virginia-bound TJ Ivy is latest talented TE for RedHawks. 13. Mount Carmel (8-5): QB Alek Thomas, Caravan look to rebound after rare nonplayoff season. 14. Phillips (11-2): QB J'Bore Gibbs, RB/LB Craig Elmore lead Public League's best. 15. Brother Rice (9-3): Big OL means Crusaders' offensive focus shifts to power running game. 16. New Trier (8-3): Northwestern-bound WR Brian Kaiser (6-7, 210) a tough matchup. 17. St. Rita (5-6): Mustangs are more experienced than last season, especially on offense. 18. Hinsdale Central (9-1): RB Luke Skokna, WR Garrett Oakey, TE Matt Bjorson (Indiana) offer options. 19. Cary-Grove (10-2): Offensive backfield is new, but big, experienced offensive line will ease transition. 20. Montini (7-4): New coach Mike Bukovsky has plenty of veterans back on offense.

PENN STATE RECRUIT EFFNER A BUILDING BLOCK FOR METEA VALLEY'S OFFENSE

Photo Credit: Kellee Malone

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