VIDEO: Niles North Evaluates Passing Attack

After losing a plethora of big contributors from last year’s Niles North High School football team, last week’s 7-on-7 drills gave coach Scott Smith the first true chance to see how some of his new players stacked up.

“We just started last week with camp so we’re still working off sheets of paper and learning where we need to get our routes to and how to read defenses,” said Smith, who took over the program in 2005.

“Defensively, we have a lot of young guys that we’re trying to get coached up on the fly,” he added.

Niles North, which is just getting into the swing of things on the football field, got its first opportunity to compare itself against other teams at the annual Central Suburban League–Mid-Suburban League 7-on-7 Camp held in Des Plaines on July 12. Playing without pads and linemen, the camp focused on helping to improve the passing attacks of 24 participating Chicagoland schools.

It was especially helpful for junior Billy Voitik, who will be the Vikings’ new varsity quarterback come August when the season kicks off. Voitik replaces last year’s starter, Bo Bradarich, who led the Vikings to a 3-6 record.

Although Voitik threw a handful of interceptions during the scrimmage, Smith said his quarterback would develop into a solid starter over time.

“Billy steps up sometimes and forces it a bit,” Smith said of Voitik, who was the starting QB for the sophomore team last season. “It’s growing pains, but he’s going to do a great job for us. He’s a tough--mentally tough--kid. He’ll be a good leader for us behind the center.”                                

With a new quarterback, Niles North will rely more on its running backs in the Wing-T offense. Oshayne Brown returns after a strong second half during last season and could fill in for Sam Sharples, who graduated with the Class of 2010.

Smith is expecting big things from Mychael Henley, who is devoting his time to football this summer after a solid 2010 basketball season with the Vikings team that won the sectional championship.

Niles North has never had trouble finding skilled playmakers and big-time athletes, but numbers will again be an issue for the Vikings as some players will have to play both sides of the ball. Smith expects things to come together this season to improve on last year’s mark in the Central Suburban League Conference.

“We’ve just got to continue to put things together and find the right mixes and matches and that’s what the summer is for,” Smith said.

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