Kendall County notes: Sandwich’s Diego Gomez bulks up, becomes central piece of offense at fullback

Diego Gomez was well-prepared for a busy night last Friday at Plano.

Sandwich’s senior fullback got the advance notice from the coaching staff that they’d be feeding him early and often.

“Coach told me I better be ready, because we are going to our fullback,” Gomez said. “Establish our fullback and get yards. Our fullback is what we use to set up the other running backs.”

Indeed, Sandwich’s first drive Friday featured a steady diet of Gomez. He had carries on six of the Indians’ 12 plays in the opening possession, including a 2-yard touchdown run.

Simeion Harris and Nick Michalek both went over 100 yards for the game, a 41-16 win, but it was Gomez who had the most carries, 19 for 73 yards. Sandwich rushed for 408 yards as a team.

“That is the way our offense runs best is when we establish the fullback,” Sandwich coach Kris Cassie said. “We think Diego is a special player. He just runs so hard. He is one of our captains. He brings that intensity. You have to have a certain mentality to play that position.”

Indeed, Gomez is taking hits on every play, whether he is getting the carry or drawing the attention of defenders while Harris or Michalek get the ball.

“When you’re not getting the ball you have to carry out fakes and he does that incredibly well,” Cassie said. “If we establish the fullback it helps get our two and four backs going. It creates a mindset of tough, hard-nosed football. We are going to run up the middle, see if you can stop it.”

Gomez this year is much more equipped to handle the physical pounding that comes with the position.

He played at around 155 pounds as a junior. A little bit of day-after Ibuprofen helped him weather the effects of all the hits, but it wasn’t sustainable.

During the offseason, though, Gomez committed to reshaping his body. Every day he’d go to the gym, then head to Chipotle for two bowls. Then he’d come home and eat more – chicken was a favorite meal – then get some rest. And then do it all again the next day.

Now he’s weighing in at 185 pounds.

“I knew the size I was at last year wasn’t going to work,” Gomez said. “I feel so much better than I did last year. I’m bursting through the line with the speed and power.”

In a deep, talented Sandwich backfield that includes two 1,000-yard rushers from last year and Kai Pon, a transfer from Manteno, Gomez is the heart and soul.

“Tough, gritty running – that is Diego – but he also has the speed to go with that running style,” Cassie said. “He has the tools to be a very good fullback. He spent the entire spring in the weight room, bulked up, put on pounds of muscle through hard and work and dedication. He wanted to have another successful season. It wasn’t about personal stats or records. He wanted to do everything he possibly could to prepare himself.”

Yorkville’s special teams come through

Yorkville coach Dan McGuire didn’t shy away from the obvious – it’s been a struggle for his offense to score points.

Thankfully, special teams came to the rescue last Friday.

Joe Freeman’s blocked punt midway through the second quarter was returned by Luke Zook for a touchdown for the game’s first score. It proved the springboard to Yorkville’s 31-8 win over Joliet West, the Foxes’ first win.

“We had scored eight points in two games. It’s kind of the elephant in the room that we need to play better offensively,” McGuire said. “Getting some points on special teams took some of the pressure off the kids. They played a little freer once that happened.”

Zook has seemed to have a nose for blocked punt returns since he joined the varsity two years ago as a sophomore. McGuire said that Freeman, a senior linebacker, has a similar intangible.

“Joe Freeman is the one that blocked the punt. He has a knack for doing that,” McGuire said. “It’s not something easy to do is block the punt. He is doing whatever he needs to do to win. Joe is a senior, a good football player, he waited and got better and better. He is a kid we’re counting on to be a good leader.”

Yorkville’s offense eventually got on track. Junior quarterback Jack Beetham threw for 208 yards and two TDs, both to NIU recruit Dyllan Malone. Malone had five catches for 114 yards with the two scores, one from 55 yards.

“Dyllan is a kid that we hope can continue to make plays. His confidence has grown and grown,” McGuire said. “Last year, for whatever reason, we didn’t have the connection on deep passes. For whatever reason we couldn’t connect on explosive plays. It was nice to see us get a couple. We know what Dyllan is capable of.”

Oswego East offense gets on track

It took three weeks, but Oswego East’s offense held up its end of the bargain.

The Wolves had all phases clicking last Thursday in a 42-0 win over Plainfield East, Oswego East’s first of the season. Oswego East had scored a total of nine points over the season’s first two weeks.

“I thought offensively we started to get things clicking, especially in the passing game. We have been balanced running the ball with 3-4 guys getting touches which is good,” Oswego East coach Tyson LeBlanc said. “Defensively being able to pitch a shutout was big. Still some things to clean up, still some things to get better at but a step in the right direction.”

Junior quarterback Niko Villacci threw for 195 yards and a touchdown to Lincoln Ijams, and Villacci also ran for a TD.

“Niko is starting to settle down a little bit, getting more comfortable throwing in the pocket, making cleaner reads, getting the ball out of his hands a little bit earlier,” LeBlanc said. “He’s a kid that has gotten by being that athlete that plays quarterback. He has a strong arm, but he has gotten by being athletic and running around a little bit. The higher up you go in football, the harder it is.”

Villacci is one of six juniors currently starting on offense for Oswego East, along with three seniors and two sophomores in a very young unit.

Sophomore Joshua Wesby is starting at left guard and sophomore Ty’Rel Thomas is splitting time at running back with junior Zamarion Taylor. Starting running back Jasiah Watson, a junior, has been sidelined since Week 1 with mono. Watson is practicing this week, but not with pads and likely will miss another week.

“Ty’Rel is a guy we think has a super bright future,” LeBlanc said. “He runs the ball hard, is a smooth-type running back. You can’t tell how fast he’s going until you’re running next to him. Zamarion is undersized, 5-foot-8, 140, but he also runs really hard.”