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Humble, respectful, well-liked — all admirable attributes that anyone would like in a teammate.
But those traits become even more significant when, more than once, they are given to a two-time all-stater who ran for 4,600 yards the last two seasons and carried his team to its first state-finals appearance in more than 30 years.
Such is the case with Geneva senior Michael Ratay, who repeats as the Republican Football Player of the Year.
“Michael always deflects credit yet accepts responsibility,” said Geneva athletic director Jim Kafer, who has Ratay working in his office the last period of the school day. “He is a true teammate in the truest sense of the word.”
Ratay enjoys teammates camaraderie so much that after not playing basketball last year, he returns to the hardcourt for his final prep season. “After getting hurt, I just felt I needed to focus on football,” Ratay said. “Plus, I get to go out and play with friends like Jeremy D’Amico and Mike (Santacaterina).”
The injury was a broken leg in a summer camp right before his sophomore season, which would’ve been his first year as a varsity starter.
But he made up for lost time, amassing 4,600 yards the last two seasons alone. He also tied the IHSA’s single-season record with 45 rushing touchdowns this fall.
While the 5-foot-10, 200-pound Ratay had the speed to break off long runs, it was his first step and growing ability to shed would-be tacklers like dead skin that impressed fans, foes and teammates alike.
“I was impressed with him as a freshman on the basketball court,” said Batavia head coach Mike Gaspari. “He never takes a play off, is always relentless.”
“There was one play where he ran away from me to the right side and into a wall of people,” said left tackle John McNeil. “He then gets out of the middle of that pile, comes running all the way back around me, to the other sideline and into the end zone. Blocking for him was fun this year, no doubt about it."
And though Ratay had a lot of fun at opponents’ expense the last two seasons, he has a simple explanation for his low-key attitude.
“You’ve just got to look at the big picture and not focus so much on yourself,” said Ratay, who rewarded his offensive linemen with weekly steak dinners.
Humble, respectful, well-liked — all admirable attributes that anyone would like in a teammate.
But those traits become even more significant when, more than once, they are given to a two-time all-stater who ran for 4,600 yards the last two seasons and carried his team to its first state-finals appearance in more than 30 years.
Such is the case with Geneva senior Michael Ratay, who repeats as the Republican Football Player of the Year.
“Michael always deflects credit yet accepts responsibility,” said Geneva athletic director Jim Kafer, who has Ratay working in his office the last period of the school day. “He is a true teammate in the truest sense of the word.”
Ratay enjoys teammates camaraderie so much that after not playing basketball last year, he returns to the hardcourt for his final prep season. “After getting hurt, I just felt I needed to focus on football,” Ratay said. “Plus, I get to go out and play with friends like Jeremy D’Amico and Mike (Santacaterina).”
The injury was a broken leg in a summer camp right before his sophomore season, which would’ve been his first year as a varsity starter.
But he made up for lost time, amassing 4,600 yards the last two seasons alone. He also tied the IHSA’s single-season record with 45 rushing touchdowns this fall.
While the 5-foot-10, 200-pound Ratay had the speed to break off long runs, it was his first step and growing ability to shed would-be tacklers like dead skin that impressed fans, foes and teammates alike.
“I was impressed with him as a freshman on the basketball court,” said Batavia head coach Mike Gaspari. “He never takes a play off, is always relentless.”
“There was one play where he ran away from me to the right side and into a wall of people,” said left tackle John McNeil. “He then gets out of the middle of that pile, comes running all the way back around me, to the other sideline and into the end zone. Blocking for him was fun this year, no doubt about it."
And though Ratay had a lot of fun at opponents’ expense the last two seasons, he has a simple explanation for his low-key attitude.
“You’ve just got to look at the big picture and not focus so much on yourself,” said Ratay, who rewarded his offensive linemen with weekly steak dinners.
Ratay and his teammates went further than any other squad in school history, save for the 1975 team. The Vikings made the Class 7A championship game late last month, falling to the same East St. Louis squad that ousted them in last year’s quarterfinals.
“It was a real special season, especially for the senior class because it was our last time to play football together,” Ratay said.
Perhaps amazingly, the next step for Ratay, at least beyond basketball, is uncertain.
“He may be overlooked by colleges because you could put a stopwatch to him on a track and not be overly impressed,” Gaspari said. “But he has great football speed and any college who passes on him is missing out on a special talent.”
Meet the rest of the 2008 all-area football team:
Wes Allen
Senior
St. Charles East
POSITION Running back
STATS 1,976 rushing yards, 6.3 yards per carry, 29 TDs
ACHIEVEMENTS The Saints won 23 games during Allen’s three years a varsity starter. A two-time, first-team all-Upstate Eight Conference selection, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Allen also was named the UEC’s Offensive MVP this year, as well as being named to the IHSFCA’s Class 7A all-state team. And he was one of the best anywhere at blending speed with the power. “Next to (Michael) Ratay he was as good a back as we saw all year,” said Batavia head coach Mike Gaspari.
Bryce Biel
Senior
Geneva
POSITION Offensive lineman
ACHIEVEMENTS He may have been the ‘smallest’ member of the Vikings’ offensive line, but the 6-foot-1, 240-pound Biel was one of the biggest reasons why they averaged 33.4 points and 376 yards of total offense per game. An all-Western Sun Conference selection, Biel — who began his prep career at quarterback — was so valuable to Geneva’s success that he played the entire postseason, despite tearing elbow ligaments in the Class 7A quarterfinals against Carmel.
Frank Boenzi
Junior
Geneva
POSITION Defensive tackle
STATS 61 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries
ACHIEVEMENTS This all-Western Sun Conference pick was a 6-foot-3, 290-pound force who missed the Vikings’ first three playoff games with illness, yet made people remember why he’s getting so much Division I interest. Also a state-caliber wrestler and state qualifier in the shot put, Boenzi’s consistent presence helped linemates get to the quarterback with ease and always came up big in big games.
Andrew Clausen
Senior
Geneva
POSITION Defensive lineman
STATS 97 tackles, two sacks
ACHIEVEMENTS Second on Geneva in tackles, the 6-foot-5, 270-pound Clausen expertly filled the role of a block-eating defensive tackle. The all-Western Sun Conference selection got both of his sacks in the playoff opener against Rolling Meadows and posted a team-high 12 tackles in the Vikings’ second-round playoff win over Rockton Hononegah.
Jordan Coffey
Senior
Batavia
POSITION Quarterback/punter
STATS 165-of-281 passing, 2460 yards, 23 TDs
ACHIEVEMENTS A three-sport athlete whose football career took off in the 2006 Class 6A final, Coffey ended as an all-Western Sun Conference pick and part of the Class 6A all-state team, as voted on by Illinois prep coaches. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Coffey leaves with five school records (pass attempts, completions, passing yards for season; pass attempts, completions for a game). “For him to be completing nearly 60 percent (58.7) of his passes is a tribute to him,” said coach Mike Gaspari.
Trevor Dunne
Senior
St. Charles North
POSITION Defensive line
STATS 31 tackles, 6 tackels for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
ACHIEVEMENTS Last year, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Dunne was a late-season replacement starter because of injury and did his job well. This year, the honor roll student was named an all-Upstate Eight Conference selection. He wreaked havoc on opposing offenses, like the sack for a 10-yard loss he laid on Larkin in a Week 7 41-0 North Stars romp. And it was his forced fumble early in the fourth quarter that keyed the comeback in the previous week’s win over South Elgin.
Pat Friel
Senior
St. Charles East
POSITION Linebacker
STATS 97 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 tackels for loss, 6 pass break-ups
ACHIEVEMENTS Coaches knew last year that Friel was a special talent. And the two-time all-Upstate Eight Conference and all-area selection didn’t disappoint. A 6-foot-3, 215-pounder with an amazing first step, Friel led his team in tackles by more than a 2-to-1 margin and had perhaps his finest performance in his final game. He had a whopping 21 tackles and added two fumble recoveries in the playoff loss to Cary-Grove.
Sean Grady
Senior
Geneva
POSITION Defensive back/kicker
STATS 95 tackles, 3 interceptions, 61 PATs
ACHIEVEMENTS A tireless worker who would’ve welded together the bleachers if asked, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Grady did a little bit of everything for Geneva. Perhaps the best example of the all-Western Sun Conference selection’s talent came in the Class 7A state semifinals against Crystal Lake South, when he racked up a team-high 14 tackles, an interception, fumble recovery, caught a conversion pass and kicked a 36-yard field goal. He returned two picks for long touchdowns in an earlier win.
Blake Griffiths
Senior
St. Charles East
POSITION Offensive line
ACHIEVEMENTS Griffiths sported impressive strength and footwork from being a solid wrestler (Class AA South Elgin Regional runner-up at 285 last year). A two-year varsity starter at left tackle, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound Griffiths earned first-team all-Upstate Eight Conference honors and was a big reason why the Saints averaged 363 yards of total offense per game.
Cory Hofstetter
Senior
Geneva
POSITION Defensive end
STATS 77 tackles, seven sacks, two fumble recoveries
ACHIEVEMENTS After being an honorable mention all-area selection last fall, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Hofstetter is now an all-area pick in two sports (hit .404 with 12 home runs as the Vikings’ first baseman). On the gridiron, Hofstetter was named the Western Sun Conference’s defensive MVP and made the Class 7A all-state team. Six of his sacks came in the postseason.
