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Coach of the Year
Coach of the Week - Boys Tackle
Week 1: Head Coach Darren Sunkett
Darren Sunkett led his team, the East St. Louis Flyers, to a decisive 34-7 victory in their home season opener, defeating the two-time defending 8A state champion Loyola Academy Ramblers from Wilmette.
Week 2: Head Coach Chuck Spagnoli
Head Coach Chuck Spagnoli led the Lake Forest Scouts to a 24-14 upset win in a home non-conference game against the Carmel Corsairs from Mundelein.
Coach of the Week - Girls Flag
Week 1: Head Coach Week Rachel Karos
Head Coach Rachel Karos hosted one of the largest girls' flag football tournaments in Illinois, the Warrior Flag Fest, featuring 12 top local high school teams. She led her Willowbrook Warriors team to the finals, where they defeated Berwyn/Cicero Morton High School (48-0), Freeport High School (45-0), Mother McAuley (40-0) and Lindblom High School (58-0), before narrowly falling to Lane Tech High School in a hard-fought 0-6 defensive battle. Despite the loss, Rachel is being recognized for her outstanding leadership and significant contributions to the growth of girls' flag football.
Week 2: Head Coach Sarah Gutierreaz
Week 2 GF Coach of the Week ( Sarah Gutierreaz) - Head Coach Sarah Gutierrez led the Stevenson Patriots to a doubleheader victory against Lyons High School (14-12) from La Grange and Dundee-Crown High School (8-6) from Carpentersville. Her defensive play philosophy played a key role in motivating her team to limit both opponents to under two touchdowns, keeping the score low. Since establishing the girls' flag football program at Stevenson in 2023, Gutierrez has been instrumental in its growth and success.
High School All-Stars - Boys Tackle
Week 1: Aaron Stewart
Junior running back Aaron Stewart led the Warren Township Blue Devils to a hard-fought 55-26 non-conference victory over the Hersey Huskies from Arlington Heights. Stewart rushed for 361 yards on 30 carries and scored five touchdowns, including an 83-yard touchdown run.
Week 2: Aidan McClure
Junior free safety and tight end Aidan McClure played a key role in leading the St. Charles North Stars to an impressive 50-26 non-conference victory over the Crete-Monee Warriors from Crete. McClure had an exceptional defensive performance, returning an interception for a 45-yard touchdown, recovering two fumbles and blocking a punt. In addition to his individual stats, he contributed to a team defensive effort that forced six turnovers and limited the Warriors to just 116 yards of total offense and eight first downs.
Player of the Week - Girls Flag
Week 1: Oqiria Butler
Senior quarterback Oqiria Butler led the Solorio Sun Warriors to a strong start of their season with two victories. They first defeated Hillcrest High School from Country Club Hills 34-14, with Butler rushing for 150 yards, scoring three rushing touchdowns and adding a passing touchdown. In their second game, a 48-20 win over Mansueto High School from Chicago, Butler threw for 203 yards and four passing touchdowns. In total, she combined for five passing and three rushing touchdowns, making her a dynamic dual-threat quarterback.
Week 2: Lily Sarli
Junior running back Lily Sarli led the Taft Lady War Eagles to a perfect five-win streak, maintaining their undefeated season. Over the first week of IHSA competition, Sarli totaled 647 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns. She now leads the state in rushing yards, total points and touchdowns, and is the national leader with 749 rushing yards through six games.