Zimmer sparks Sandburg
Junior QB completes 14 of 22 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns as Eagles roll past rival Stagg
Sandburg’s Kevin Zimmer already has Division I wrestling coaches drooling, including interest from Northwestern.
The junior quarterback wouldn’t mind doing the same in football.
“My junior film is the most important one,” said Zimmer, who’s already hearing from Mid-American Conference schools. “I’m going to need that.”
His film from Friday night’s 41-6 victory over District 230 rival Stagg in Orland Park will show him completing short passes, long passes, passes while he was almost getting sacked, and even a completion after the ball bounced to him on an errant snap.
Zimmer completed 14 of 22 passes for 198 yards with two touchdowns. He also added a rushing TD. Two apparent TD passes were called back because of penalties.
That performance helped the Eagles win the season opener and score more than 40 points for the first time since a 44-29 victory over Thornton on Sept. 9, 2016 — a span of 33 games.
Zimmer didn’t get the chance to show much of his running ability, however. He had only three carries for 12 yards.
“We didn’t have to run him but that’s definitely a part of the package as well,” Sandburg coach Scott Peters said of Zimmer. “He’s the real deal.”
Like most players in the state, Zimmer was glad to be back on the field after the Illinois High School Association postponed the fall season, leading to a six-week spring session with limited fans.
“I wasn’t even expecting to be back this year,” Zimmer said. “I was happy we’re all able to come together and play in front of the few fans that we got. It was awesome.”
Zimmer hit John-Michael Scumaci and Dylan Sigel with TD passes in the first half to help Sandburg grab a 35-0 lead. Danny Witkowski contributed a 5-yard TD run in the second quarter and a 54-yard TD in the fourth.
The defense also chipped in for the Eagles as Alex Szczesniak forced a fumble on a sack and Luke DeVito recovered in the end zone for the TD.
“That was my first game on varsity, and it was a great way to start,” DeVito said. “I got in there quick and was actually worried the ball was going to go out of the end zone, but I kept my eye on it. It was really exciting, man.”
Thanks to the fall shutdown, the Eagles have an impressive volunteer assistant coach on the sidelines.
Michael Schofield, a Sandburg and Michigan graduate who won a Super Bowl ring with the Denver Broncos in 2016, is helping with the offensive linemen. Schofield, who now plays for the Carolina Panthers, was available this spring.
The loss spoiled the debut of Stagg coach Colt Nero.
Nero is hoping to turn around a program that has not enjoyed a winning season since 2005. He previously coached at McHenry. He played for Crystal Lake South in 2010 and 2011 on teams that finished 21-3 in two seasons.
A defensive lineman, Nero went to NCAA Division II Minnesota State and helped that team to the national championship game.
The Chargers, however, produced just 113 yards on offense, with 64 coming on a pass from Daniel Fitzpatrick to Timothy Griffin Jr. in the fourth quarter. Freddy Walker scored a 3-yard run on the next play.
“We’re playing a ton of sophomores and a ton of juniors,” Nero said. “We are working on getting experience for these guys. There are little steps and big steps. At the end of the day, the second half was 6-6, and we’ll take that.”