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I've been going out to Maine West for quite a few years now and this event has really grown over the past few seasons in particular. This used to be known as the CSL vs MSL 7on7 but it just seemed like more and more teams in both conferences would either stay away or do something else so Maine West opened it up to teams outside of those two conferences to great success.
This yearly 7on7 is still very heavily CSL and MSL schools yet the 24 team field is about a 50/50 mix of CSL/MSL and others.
Also remember a few things here....,first off they only play 4 games and all games are generally 40 minutes each spread out all over the fields at Maine West so getting to get an in depth look at everyone is hard to pull off. Also once again...this is summer team 7on7...meaning that several kids will be missing for various reasons and these 7on7's always are only a part of the entire picture for teams this fall. I like to see the overall personnel including if a team can actually throw the ball effectively, team numbers speed and can each team matchup on defense in the passing game. These are also a great chance to get caught up with several HC's in the area. These area coaches have been nothing but great to me over the years and I always enjoy getting caught up with several old friends.
So who stood out?
Deerfield- not sure about linemen for the Warriors on either side of the football but I do know that the Warriors rotated two solid QB's here. threw the ball well and had a good stable of receivers. WR Charlie Jones is a player for the Warriors and standout DE Josh Maize is also a big time threat in the passing game as a TE type. Deerfield will score points in 2016 no question.
Maine West- the host school has struggled over the years yet a few things that caught my eye here was that West had a ton of kids and number and also really competed. Maine West was also pretty vocal and pumped up here and that alone was a big time improvement from some West teams in the past.
Vernon Hills- the Cougars have some receivers with size and I also liked what I saw from the overall QB play here. Not sure about linemen or defensively but the offense showed some positives.
Highland Park- the Giants also had a good day here. Really like senior RB/LB DJ Penick who just made plays all over the field and is a kid who could be a bit under the radar (I see a potential FCS level kid here). Just seemed that HP was able to throw the football with a ton of consistency. This was easily one of the better summer passing attacks from HP than I can remember in years.
Glenbrook North- The Spartans have some experience back for this season and that showed here. Very competent passing offense and GBN has some good kids on both sides of the football this summer. Will again be one of the teams to beat in the CSL North in 2016.
New Trier- didn't get too challenged here so the Trevs had a ton of kids and especially backups get a lot of work here. I've seen NT a few times this summer and they no question keep getting better. Are they good enough to beat You Know Who? That remains to be seen but the 7on7 portion is solid.
Evanston- always has talent and the 2016 version is also a bit younger than last season. Overall still a work in progress yet the overall numbers and talent level should be capable of getting the Kits involved in the state playoffs.
Glenbrook South- it's a new era at Glenbrook South with new head coach David Schoenwetter taking over for retired HC Mike Noll. This will be a young and somewhat inexperienced team yet I saw some nice players and an offense that seemed to be a bit more pass friendly than under Mike Noll. Regardless they still have some players over at GBS.
Maine South- I posted on twitter that Maine South is Maine South..meaning? Meaning that the Hawks have a ton of skill kids, can throw the football at a high level with more than one QB and this just remains a pass happy/7on7 friendly offense that South does very well. Defense? Struggled at times but it was nothing to be too concerned about in mid July. I would have easily given the best offense nod here to the Hawks...then again this is Maine South...and that's what Maine South does so...
Warren Township- the Blue Devils will have some big time targets on offense including all everything junior WR Micah Jones and the offense has more than just Jones as a weapon. I liked the QB play here with senior Luke Schmitt and the Blue Devils always have speed and skills led by junior WR Micah Jones and this group also didn't include senior WR Jaylin Tolbert who was in street clothes. Defense? Not a huge group physically but this is a back seven with some speed and athletes and I was impressed with the corners here.
Rolling Meadows- Meadows is never a big time flashy offense and you know that they will no question run the football a ton, yet I liked how this group competed and was able to throw the ball with success. Meadows had some decent numbers and just have to be considered a fav again in the Mid Sub East in 2016.
Fremd- the Vikings didn't have starting QB Tom Jostens here so the offense/passing game for me is still a bit incomplete. Yet Fremd always has a strong running game/line play and I expect that to continue again this fall. Liked what I saw from 2018 WR Ben Konopka another big kid with good ball skills.
DePaul Prep- hadn't seen Bill Jeske in years so that alone was fun for me. I've been and remain a big fan for senior QB Jonathon Gladstone, yet another 2017 QB way, way under the radar in my opinion. DePaul Prep will be able to move the football on offense and Gladstone looks primed for a big senior season. Not sure about the defense just yet but overall showed decent numbers here.
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I've been going out to Maine West for quite a few years now and this event has really grown over the past few seasons in particular. This used to be known as the CSL vs MSL 7on7 but it just seemed like more and more teams in both conferences would either stay away or do something else so Maine West opened it up to teams outside of those two conferences to great success.
This yearly 7on7 is still very heavily CSL and MSL schools yet the 24 team field is about a 50/50 mix of CSL/MSL and others.
Also remember a few things here....,first off they only play 4 games and all games are generally 40 minutes each spread out all over the fields at Maine West so getting to get an in depth look at everyone is hard to pull off. Also once again...this is summer team 7on7...meaning that several kids will be missing for various reasons and these 7on7's always are only a part of the entire picture for teams this fall. I like to see the overall personnel including if a team can actually throw the ball effectively, team numbers speed and can each team matchup on defense in the passing game. These are also a great chance to get caught up with several HC's in the area. These area coaches have been nothing but great to me over the years and I always enjoy getting caught up with several old friends.
So who stood out?
Deerfield- not sure about linemen for the Warriors on either side of the football but I do know that the Warriors rotated two solid QB's here. threw the ball well and had a good stable of receivers. WR Charlie Jones is a player for the Warriors and standout DE Josh Maize is also a big time threat in the passing game as a TE type. Deerfield will score points in 2016 no question.
Maine West- the host school has struggled over the years yet a few things that caught my eye here was that West had a ton of kids and number and also really competed. Maine West was also pretty vocal and pumped up here and that alone was a big time improvement from some West teams in the past.
Vernon Hills- the Cougars have some receivers with size and I also liked what I saw from the overall QB play here. Not sure about linemen or defensively but the offense showed some positives.
Highland Park- the Giants also had a good day here. Really like senior RB/LB DJ Penick who just made plays all over the field and is a kid who could be a bit under the radar (I see a potential FCS level kid here). Just seemed that HP was able to throw the football with a ton of consistency. This was easily one of the better summer passing attacks from HP than I can remember in years.
Glenbrook North- The Spartans have some experience back for this season and that showed here. Very competent passing offense and GBN has some good kids on both sides of the football this summer. Will again be one of the teams to beat in the CSL North in 2016.
New Trier- didn't get too challenged here so the Trevs had a ton of kids and especially backups get a lot of work here. I've seen NT a few times this summer and they no question keep getting better. Are they good enough to beat You Know Who? That remains to be seen but the 7on7 portion is solid.
Evanston- always has talent and the 2016 version is also a bit younger than last season. Overall still a work in progress yet the overall numbers and talent level should be capable of getting the Kits involved in the state playoffs.
Glenbrook South- it's a new era at Glenbrook South with new head coach David Schoenwetter taking over for retired HC Mike Noll. This will be a young and somewhat inexperienced team yet I saw some nice players and an offense that seemed to be a bit more pass friendly than under Mike Noll. Regardless they still have some players over at GBS.
Maine South- I posted on twitter that Maine South is Maine South..meaning? Meaning that the Hawks have a ton of skill kids, can throw the football at a high level with more than one QB and this just remains a pass happy/7on7 friendly offense that South does very well. Defense? Struggled at times but it was nothing to be too concerned about in mid July. I would have easily given the best offense nod here to the Hawks...then again this is Maine South...and that's what Maine South does so...
Warren Township- the Blue Devils will have some big time targets on offense including all everything junior WR Micah Jones and the offense has more than just Jones as a weapon. I liked the QB play here with senior Luke Schmitt and the Blue Devils always have speed and skills led by junior WR Micah Jones and this group also didn't include senior WR Jaylin Tolbert who was in street clothes. Defense? Not a huge group physically but this is a back seven with some speed and athletes and I was impressed with the corners here.
Rolling Meadows- Meadows is never a big time flashy offense and you know that they will no question run the football a ton, yet I liked how this group competed and was able to throw the ball with success. Meadows had some decent numbers and just have to be considered a fav again in the Mid Sub East in 2016.
Fremd- the Vikings didn't have starting QB Tom Jostens here so the offense/passing game for me is still a bit incomplete. Yet Fremd always has a strong running game/line play and I expect that to continue again this fall. Liked what I saw from 2018 WR Ben Konopka another big kid with good ball skills.
DePaul Prep- hadn't seen Bill Jeske in years so that alone was fun for me. I've been and remain a big fan for senior QB Jonathon Gladstone, yet another 2017 QB way, way under the radar in my opinion. DePaul Prep will be able to move the football on offense and Gladstone looks primed for a big senior season. Not sure about the defense just yet but overall showed decent numbers here.
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