NBCSportsChicago.com preps reporter "Edgy" Tim O’Halloran spotlights 100 high school football teams in 100 days. The first 75 team profiles will focus on teams making strides across Chicagoland and elsewhere in the state. Starting July 30, we’ll unveil the @NBCSPrepsTop 25 Power Rankings, leading up to kickoff on Friday, Aug. 24.
School: Wheaton North
Head coach: Joe Wardynski
Assistant coaches: Travis Cherry, Jeff Butikofer, Mike Oleszek, Paul Connor, Jack Schomig and Nick Reicher
How they fared in 2017: 7-3 (6-2 DuPage Valley Conference). Wheaton North made the Class 7A IHSA state playoff field and defeated Fenwick in the opening round. They lost to Batavia in second round action.
2018 Regular Season Schedule:
Aug. 25 @ Evanston
Aug. 31 @ Lake Forest
Sept 8 @ St. Charles North
Sept. 14 @ Lake Park
Sept. 21 vs. Glenbard North
Sept. 28 vs. Wheaton South
Oct. 5 @ Geneva
Oct. 12 vs. St Charles East
Oct. 19 vs. Batavia
Biggest storyline: The new conference. Can the Falcons soar in their first season in the DuKane Conference?
Names to watch this season: TE Jake Johnson, LB Xander Mueller and DE Jacob Secrest
Biggest holes to fill: The Falcons will need to replace nine graduated starters on offense this fall.
EDGY's Early Take: Wheaton North joins the new DuKane Conference this fall along with former DuPage Valley rivals Wheaton South, Glenbard North and Lake Park. They’ll merge with Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles North and St. Charles East. Will the new conference be a plus or a negative for the reloading Falcons? Wheaton North always seems to find a way. They will look to their underclassmen to step up and replace several graduated starters this fall.