Sophomores May Be a Big Part of H-F Vikings Upcoming Varsity Football Season

The Homewood-Flossmoor varsity football squad could feature as many as a dozen sophomores on its roster this fall, but a local prep sports reporter predicts the Vikings still will make the state playoffs.

"This sophomore class is special. Real special," writes Pat Disabato on Season Pass, a Chicago Sun-Times sports website.

Disabato cites the strength of the freshmen on the junior varsity squad last year.

"As freshmen in 2012, not only did the Vikings register an undefeated season, they led each opponent, on average, 49-0. At the half. That’s right. A running clock to begin the second half of each game."

Sophomores to watch include: Devonte Harley-Hampton, Deonte Harley-Hampton, and Desmond Bland — who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 255 pounds.

Third-year coach Craig Buzea downplayed last year's JV success a bit, however.

“I don’t put too much stock in that,” Buzea said of his the freshman Vikings’ dominant season. “But the way they beat teams was pretty awe-inspiring. We have some really talented sophomores. They’re still young and inexperienced. This (varsity) is a whole other level. I don’t know how successful you can be when you have 12 sophomores on the field.”

More on Season Pass: Disabato: Homewood-Flossmoor Will be Young But Dangerous on Football Field