Downers North’s Grant Georgas, son of a QB and coach, emerging as star RB: Suburban Life football notebook

Grant Georgas grew up well-versed in the bright lights of Downers Grove North’s Carstens Field.

His dad, Lee, was an assistant under former Trojans’ football coach John Wander. Before that Lee, a 1996 Downers Grove North graduate, was a quarterback who ran Pete Ventrelli’s wing-T.

His name is on a plaque in the Downers Grove North locker room as a recipient of the “Silver Bucket” award previously given to outstanding football players.

“My dad would always bring me to the games growing up. Throughout my childhood I got to experience the atmosphere playing under the lights,” Grant Georgas said. “It’s a program that has a long history and a good history. Happy that I’m able to contribute.”

It’s indeed the younger Georgas’ turn to shine.

Georgas, a junior in his first full varsity season, had the game of his young life last Friday. He rushed for 250 yards on 15 carries with touchdowns of 11, 46 and 64 yards as Downers Grove North ran its unbeaten record to 6-0 with a 41-0 win over Oak Park-River Forest.

“When he got to the second level, he was making people miss and making tremendous cuts,” Downers Grove North coach Joe Horeni said. “It seemed like the game was coming to him. Excited about his future.”

Georgas made his varsity debut last year as a sophomore at Glenbard West’s Duchon Field. He was called up to play running back with Kevin Jay moved to quarterback when Owen Lansu missed four games with a broken arm.

“I remember, it wasn’t your ordinary Friday night game, Saturday morning, a different atmosphere, maybe not as much adrenaline,” Georgas said. “It was a tough game, we ended up losing. It was a good learning experience to see what varsity football was like.”

After cutting his teeth last season, Georgas worked to better prepare himself for the varsity rigors. He worked on his footwork and speed, and also added 25 pounds, up to 190.

“He has good speed, good balance, he’s done a good job of staying patient and letting the hole develop,” Horeni said. “He has done a good job of understanding the run scheme and where he is supposed to fit.”

Downers Grove North’s offense has a different look to it this year. With Lansu graduated and now at Minnesota, it leans more toward the run. Jay, who shares time at quarterback with junior Joey Goodwin, is a physical runner who complements Georgas well behind a line anchored by third-year starter Tyler Engstler.

“Both Joey and KJ run the ball really well, they both keep the defenses on their toes,” Georgas said. “Defenses have to be ready carrying the ball two different ways in a play.”

Georgas seems to be picking up steam as Downers Grove North’s main threat out of the backfield as the season progresses.

With Jay’s rushes limited due to an ankle injury against Glenbard West, Georgas rushed for 159 yards and two TDs. He scored three TDs against Hinsdale Central and is up to 732 yards on the season.

Georgas prides himself on his speed, vision and footwork, reading the holes and finishing downhill with good lean.

“I think I’ve been able to settle in a little bit the last few weeks, spending time with coaches, helping us prepare for games, going over film,” Georgas said. “I’ve been cleaning up stuff I need to get better on.”

Downers Grove North has reached at least the quarterfinals in each of the last three seasons, reaching the Class 7A semifinals last year.

Despite graduating three seniors now on Big Ten rosters, the Trojans have not missed a beat, and could be the No. 1 seed in Class 7A when the playoffs start in three weeks.

“The standard never really changed from last year,” Georgas said. “We lost a couple guys, but we knew we had a talented group that could come together and play well. That is what we are doing. We don’t believe we are playing to our full potential yet.”

Wheaton Academy’s unbeaten start has first-year head coach Justin Swider digging deep into the program record books.

The Warriors are 6-0 for the first time since the 1957 team finished the season 7-0. Wheaton Academy started 5-0 in 2022.

“There is one gentleman that lives nearby that was on that 1957 team,” Swider said. “I need to get in touch with him.”

It’s been quite a turnaround at Wheaton Academy following last year’s 4-5 finish. Swider said having senior leadership and experience back from a young team helps. So does resilience.

Wheaton Academy pulled away to beat East Moline United 28-14 in Week 1. The defense forced a fumble on third and goal late to turn away La Salle-Peru the next week, a 19-16 game and the Warriors had a big second-half turnaround at Hope Academy.

“There is this attitude that we’re never out of a ballgame,” Swider said.

Western Illinois commit Logan Oros is the team’s star who plays middle linebacker and H-back. Swider said quarterback Colton Miller is under the radar but week by week is coming into his own managing the offense.

Kaden Larsen and Hudsen Hall, the latter out for football for the first time, were both members of the school’s state championship lacrosse team.

“I preach playing multiple sports,” said Swider, also the head baseball coach. “[Hall] is big, physical and can run.”

The Chicagoland Christian Conference title will be decided the next two weeks. Wheaton Academy is at Bishop McNamara on Friday, then hosts Aurora Christian, both 5-1 teams.

Wheaton Warrenville South’s Blake Ittersagen (13) celebrates his first touchdown with teammate Steven Harvey (15) to the delight of South fans during a game against Wheaton North on September 25, 2026 at Wheaton North High School in Wheaton. (Jon Cunningham for Shaw Local Ne)

Mason Bachara has played multiple positions at receiver this season for Wheaton Warrenville South, from inside to on the slot.

“Be ready to go whenever they need me, ready to go out there and make a play,” said Bachara, a senior.

Last Friday, that meant doing things Bachara has done very little of in high school. He played one or two games as freshman “B” team quarterback, but hasn’t done much throwing since then.

Bachara in a JV game on Monday prior to Friday’s crosstown game with Wheaton North threw a wide receiver pass to Andrew Herrera for a 40-yard gain.

“My JV OC, he is the sophomore OC, and he told the coaches I threw him a good ball,” Bachara said. “We said our deceptive play this week was a bubble pass, then try to throw. It worked all week in practice, they were comfortable enough to give it a shot on Friday.”

Bachara didn’t think the Tigers would run it, but the play was dialed up after Clark Jensen’s blocked punt late in the second quarter. AJ Rogers threw a screen to Bachara, who found Blake Ittersagen wide-open for a 28-yard touchdown in WW South’s eventual 21-16 win.

“I saw the corner crash down and my eyes just lit up like ‘Oh my god it’s going to work, can’t mess it up now,’” Bachara said. “It’s funny, I practiced with no gloves. It was different throwing the ball with gloves, harder to throw, almost messed up the throw but I can’t complain.”

Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time situations.

For Hinsdale Central, that’s James Skokna.

The senior wide receiver capped off a 12-catch night last Friday with a 17-yard touchdown reception from Beau Gatewood with 35 seconds left as the Red Devils won a 24-21 thriller at York.

Skokna had the 12 catches for 193 yards and two TDs. Despite missing one game and parts of a second with an injury, he’s up to 34 catches for 478 yards and four TDs.

“Back to making plays; his touchdown catch was phenomenal. Boxed him out, caught the ball, ran a good route, had a good throw and he had to make a play,” Hinsdale Central coach Brian Griffin said.

“He ran a flag route, he got in position and, almost like a basketball player kept his position until the ball came.”

Gatewood, 24-for-45 passing for 299 yards and three touchdowns, led a 16-play game-winning drive after York had gone ahead on Colton Heilig’s 43-yard TD catch from Zack Assaad.

“Tale of two halves,” Griffin said. “Started out good, a little stagnant in the middle but on that last drive executed at a high level to finish out the game.”