Junior QB Riley Contreras, in third varsity season, eager to lead Hinsdale Central back to winning ways

Riley Contreras has accumulated varsity football experience that few players his age have.

Now Hinsdale Central’s junior quarterback just wants to win.

Contreras, the youngest of three brothers to play at Hinsdale Central, started three games at quarterback as a freshman. He took the reins full-time last year.

Now a third-year starter, he’s the leader of a Red Devils offense with eight or nine starters back. He’s hoping to lead the program back to its winning ways after back-to-back losing seasons.

“I’ve played with all different levels of players that play for colleges now. They definitely helped me along the way,” Contreras said. “The experience is there. Just go out and win games.”

Hinsdale Central coach Brian Griffin noted that last summer his team was very young, breaking in several new starters. The Red Devils went on to post a 3-6 record. This summer, Griffin’s group is ahead of that curve.

“It was a learning summer and a learning year. I feel like we are a lot further ahead than we were last year both offensively and defensively,” Griffin said. “It’s a great group of kids working their butt off. We are ahead, which is a nice spot to be in.”

Contreras epitomizes that growth year over year.

“Last year, first time starting on varsity for a full season, it was a big learning curve,” Griffin said. “He comes back with exposure and leadership to not just do his job, but bring a lot of kids with him. He has matured a ton. He is in a place where he knows the offense, knows where people need to be, moves through things a lot quicker.”

Contreras, sitting in the middle of a circle of Hinsdale Central players at a 7-on-7 at Naperville North, said the key to the team’s growth is they have to start trusting one another, come together as a group and stay together as one.

He for one is blocking out any outside noise.

“I really had to prepare mentally for all the haters and all the people in my ear,” Contreras said. “Just cancel everything out and stick with my team, stick with my players, stick with my boys, go out on Friday nights and win games.”

It helps having an offensive line in front of him that Contreras touts as one of the “best in the state.” Anchoring that group is 6-foot-4, 275-pound junior Gene Riordan, who holds 10 scholarship offers including Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Ryan McGarry, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound senior, holds offers from Army, Navy and Columbia.

With that protection in front of him, Contreras plans to adjust his mindset as a quarterback.

“Last year, I was out of the pocket a lot,” he said. “This year, with my line, I just have to trust them, trust my receivers, stay in the pocket and make some good passes.”

Griffin said his young quarterback has dual skills as a thrower and runner.

“Just his overall athleticism,” Griffin said. “A lot of times you have guys that can run but can’t make the throw or a kid that can throw all over the place but is limited in their mobility. Riley’s arm is incredibly strong. He can make the throws you want him to make down the sidelines, but he is also a good athlete and a good runner. He is still growing into his body.”

Contreras also brings the component of leadership and personality to the position.

Griffin isn’t sure where it comes from, although Contreras being the youngest of three football playing siblings could be a contributor.

“I wish I knew where he got it, wish I could replicate it,” Griffin said. “I’ve been coaching now for 16 or 17 years. I feel like some kids just have that extra moxie.”

Contreras said he’s been to about five recruiting showcases over the summer and a couple of mega-camps. He still is trying to prove himself to coaches, which he plans to do this fall.

“Really, I’m just worried about winning football games and the recruiting will come,” Contreras said. “That’s all I’m focused on is winning.”

It won’t come easy playing a schedule with five playoff teams from last year. Hinsdale Central opens its season at Naperville Central on Aug. 30 and then hosts Bolingbrook, another traditionally strong program coming off a 3-6 season.

A fast start to the season – and games – will be key.

“The margins are so small in our league with our schedule,” Griffin said. “You look at the last two years, we are a couple plays away from making the playoffs or not making the playoffs. One of the things for us last year is we were just slow to start games. In a league and a schedule where every game is tough and almost every team is playoff caliber, you have to start every game how you want to finish, something we have not been great at.

“For this group, it’s about starting games how we want to finish them.”