Six More Lemont Football Players Decide on College Plans

Six Lemont High School football players have made commitments to play college football beginning in Fall 2015. They include quarterback Ryan Dawson (University of Wisconsin-Platteville), wide receiver Jimmy Kepouros (Western Michigan University), defensive lineman Jason Koepke (Wisconsin Lutheran College), linebacker Frank Pignone (North Central College), and offensive linemen Mike Kardas (Millikin University) and Nathan Palermo (North Central College).

These six join wide receiver Flynn Nagel (Northwestern University) and linebacker Hunter LaDuke (North Central) as members of the school’s Class of 2015 who will play college football.

All six played significant roles in one of the most successful seasons in Lemont football history in 2014. Head coach Bret Kooi’s first campaign was one for the record books, and culminated with the program’s third IHSA Class 6A State Runner-Up finish in the last eight years. The Indians finished with a 13-1 record and captured their seventh South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title.

Lemont - which posted the fourth undefeated regular season in school history - became just the second team since 1985 to win 13 games in a season after winning three or fewer games the previous year. It also is one of just seven teams since the IHSA went to an eight-class system to post a record below .500 one season and win at least 13 games the next year.

Lemont matched or broke many program records in 2014. Its 13 wins tied the 2008 squad for the most wins in school history, and the team’s 13-game win streak also matched the 2008 team’s record for consecutive victories.

Dawson (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) began the season splitting time at quarterback but ended it as a Chicago Tribune special mention all- state pick. He not only put together the most prolific passing season in school history, but his 2014 season also ranks
as one of the state’s all-time bests. He completed 182 of 283 passes for 2,478 yards and 46 touchdowns, and added 142 yards rushing with five scores. His 46 touchdown passes ranks among the top ten on the IHSA’s single-season list, and his seven touchdown passes against Tinley Park also ranks among the state’s single-game bests.

Kepouros (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) teamed with Nagel to form a dominant wide receiver corps. He ranked second on the squad with 59 catches, 744 yards receiving and 14 touchdown catches, which included a career-best 98-yard score against Hillcrest. He also averaged 40.0 yards on four kickoff returns, which included a 74-yard return for a score against T.F. North. Over two varsity seasons, Kepouros totaled 103 catches for 1,368 yards and 18 touchdown receptions.

Pignone (5-foot-10, 190 pounds) was a three-year varsity starter at linebacker. As a senior, he led the team with 109 tackles (72 solo), which included 14 tackles-for-loss. He also racked up a career-best four sacks and notched an interception. Pignone had 44 tackles (27 solo) as a junior in 2013, and totaled 61 stops (35 solo), one sack and a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown as a sophomore in 2012 when the Indians went 11-2 and were an IHSA Class 6A Semifinalist. Over three seasons, Pignone was in on 214 tackles (134 solo) and had five sacks and two interceptions.

Koepke (5-foot-9, 185 pounds) enjoyed a disruptive season from the defensive line as a senior, helping Lemont limit opponents to just 10.2 points per game. He collected 37 tackles (12 solo), one sack and one fumble recovery, and led the team with five forced fumbles. Over his two varsity seasons, Koepke totaled 73 tackles (38 solo), two sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

Lemont’s offense was dynamic in 2014, and Kardas (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) and Palermo (6-foot-2, 280 pounds) helped lay the foundation for that success on the offensive line. The Indians totaled 4.540 yards - an average of 324.3 yards per game. That included an average of 137.5 yards rushing and 186.8 yards passing per contest. The Indians eclipsed the 30-point mark in 10 of 14 games, and scored at least 40 points in half of their contests. Palermo was a three-year letterman who started 36 consecutive games over his final three seasons. He earned special mention Southtown Star all-area accolades in 2014, and will play in the Illinois High School Shrine Game in June 2015.

An honor roll student, Kepouros will play for head coach P.J. Fleck at Western Michigan, an NCAA Division I institution located in Kalamazoo, Mich., and a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Fleck was named the MAC Coach of the Year in 2014 after guiding the Broncos to an 8-5 record and a berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Pignone and Palermo will team up with LaDuke as freshmen for head coach Jeff Thorne at North Central, an NCAA Division III institution located in Naperville, Ill., and a member of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW). Thorne recently was named North Central’s head coach, but has served as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator since 2002, and as its assistant head coach since 2010. During his tenure, North Central has posted a 118-30 record, and it won eight straight CCIW titles from 2006-13. The Cardinals won 13 games and were an NCAA Division III National Semifinalist in 2013. North Central went 8-2 last fall and was second in the CCIW standings. Pignone is a high honor roll student, while Palermo is an honor roll performer who also is expected to participate in track and field at North Central.

Dawson will play for head coach Mike Emendorfer at UW-Platteville, an NCAA Division III institution located in Platteville, Wis., and a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Emendorfer recently finished his 16th season as head coach; the Pioneers went 7-3 in 2014, including a 5-2 record in the WIAC.

Kardas will play for head coach Patrick Etherton at Millikin, an NCAA Division III institution located in Decatur, Ill., and a member of the CCIW. Etherton is 14-26 in four seasons at Millikin; the Big Blue went 3-7 in 2014.

Koepke will play for head coach Dr. Dennis Miller at Wisconsin Lutheran, an NCAA Division III institution located in Milwaukee, Wis., and a member of the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC). Miller is in his second stint leading the Warriors; Wisconsin Lutheran went 7-3 in 2014, which included a 5-1 league record.