New coach, new core, same standards: Sacred Heart-Griffin football shifts to new era

The Sacred Heart-Griffin football team graduated all but three starters from last year’s Class 4A state championship roster.

Ken Leonard, the IHSA’s all-time winning coach, no longer presides either after 39 seasons. Those keys now belong to John Allison, formerly the offensive coordinator.

What better way to segue into a new era than with somebody as well-versed in the program as senior quarterback Levi Hanauer.

He became intimately linked with the gold helmets before high school through his dad, Ralph, and brother, Robby.

Ralph, who is currently a city alderman, pitched in as an athletic trainer and equipment manager for 30 years while Robby helped the Cyclones win a state title in 2013 as a receiver and cornerback.

“It means a lot,” Hanauer said. “Ever since freshman year coming out here meant a lot to me just seeing these coaches. I haven't really taken that for granted. It's pretty much a dream ever since I was little, I wanted to play football for SHG, so it's great.”

Student of the game

Hanauer assumes center stage after lingering in the shadows of that prodigious Class of 2023, not unlike the rest of the team.

That included the likes of Illinois High School Football Coaches Association all-state QB Ty Lott, among a litany of others.

“Ty did a really good job with me and the younger quarterbacks, just like teaching us and helping us out and even just like being our friend talking to us,” Hanauer said. “The leadership was definitely there.”

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Hanauer ultimately completed 14 of 19 passing attempts for 120 yards and one touchdown in a limited backup role. It perhaps belies his dual-threat ability and athleticism.

“I think you can really tell that he's a student of it,” Allison said. “He works hard at trying to learn things, and he's got some pretty good speed and a pretty good arm, so I think he's going to be a good one for us.”

Not looking backward

Hanauer said he trusts any of his teammates to make a play.

SHG indeed won the IHSFCA 7-on-7 Class 5A state tournament at Chatham Glenwood this past summer. It just may be a testament to their connection on the field.

Otherwise, these Cyclones aren’t going to bank too much on that or any of their past success.

“I loved that state team, but it's a new year,” said senior linebacker/tight end Jake Kepler. “To stay focused I can't linger on the past. I've got to keep moving ahead and keep that motivation going.”

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Kepler chalked up 76 tackles and team-best eight sacks last season. Only Kepler and fellow senior offensive linemen Burke Wilkin and Jacob Carstens return as starters.

It’s their turn to help carry the team now.

“It's all about leadership and taking accountability,” said senior running back/linebacker Ethan Hagele. “We can't wait for anybody else to do it. We've all got to step in, we've got to have the same mindsets and we've all got to take accountability. If we all do our jobs, that's how we're going to win games.”

Going both ways

Allison said he will discover much about his young team in a Week 1 nonconference matchup on August 25 at Normal Community, which has made 26 straight playoff appearances since 1996.

“When you get tested early like that, we see what we're good at, what we're not good at and what we need to change right away,” Allison said. “It's good to kind of find that out before we get into conference, so yeah, we're going to find out a lot Week 1.”

Not that everything is different.

Allison is generally keeping the same system and staff but plans to use a number of players both ways.

That includes Carstens. It will be his first year on the defensive line.

“I'm going to have to be really well-conditioned,” Carstens said. “I'm going to get very little breaks, so I've got to be ready for that and little subs too. We're not as deep as we were last year with our depth.”

Carstens, not unlike Hanauer, gleaned plenty of lessons from last season. He trained against the formidable 6-foot-4, 400-pound defensive lineman PJ Smysor last fall.

Carstens now leads the way in the trenches alongside Wilkin.

“It taught me how to use my hands and the technique,” Carstens said of going up against Smysor. “I had to get good or else I was just going to get thrown. It was either I get good technique or else I just get killed.”

Contact Bill Welt: 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Sacred Heart-Griffin football: QB Levi Hanauer helps lead new era