Recruiting Notebook: Glenbrook South defensive lineman has eyes on Michigan

Glenbrook South's Sean Progar doesn't pull any punches, on or off the football field. The 6-3, 252-pound defensive lineman said he wants to attend Michigan, where former Glenbrook South star Kurt Anderson is a graduate assistant. But coach Lloyd Carr still needs to be convinced.

''We've sent film of our first two games to Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Northern Illinois," Titans coach Mike Noll said. ''He wants to go to Michigan, and he has taken an unofficial visit there. They just want to see more of his senior film before making a decision."

How good is Progar, who was the defensive MVP in the Central Suburban South last year?

''When he gets one-on-one, he is as good a pass rusher as I have coached in 20 years,'' said Noll, who produced several good teams at McHenry before moving to the Glenview school.

''The college coaches said he has to play hard every down. He took some plays off last year. But he's our only two-way player [he also plays tight end]. He is playing harder this year. He is more active all the time.''

Noll has another big-time prospect in junior Trent Monckton, a 6-3, 175-pound wide receiver whose older brother Danny was a football-basketball standout. In three games, Trent has caught 20 passes and scored four touchdowns.

''Trent will be a special football player,'' Noll said. ''He is our big-play guy on offense. He is deceptively fast, as good a receiver as I have had.''

CLEARY UPDATE: Emmett Cleary, St. Viator's 6-7, 260-pound offensive lineman, is one of the best uncommitted prospects in the area. He has eight scholarship offers, including Northwestern, Northern Illinois, Rice, Boston College and Air Force.

''He is the best lineman I've coached in 12 years,'' St. Viator coach Chris Kirkpatrick said.

The Lions are off to a 3-0 start for the third year in a row.

Kirkpatrick credits the play of Cleary, who scored a 32 on his ACT exam, tackle Matt O'Malley (6-3, 240), quarterback Eric Huber and tailback Mike Landuit.

Huber, a 6-3, 190-pounder with 4.5 speed, and Landuit, a former fullback, have averaged 300 yards rushing and passing in each game.

''It's the Basanez offense with a lot more running,'' said Kirkpatrick, referring to former St. Viator and Northwestern star Brett Basanez.

TAKEN FOR GRANTED: Grant in Fox Lake is 3-0 and off to its best start since 2001. Second-year coach Kurt Rous is excited about the play of fullback Israel Rodriguez, 6-3, 205-pound quarterback Pavel Zurkowski, wide receiver Tom Bychowski and defensive back Bobby Madlener.

Rous believes Zurkowski, who rushed 20 times for 177 yards last week, and Madlener, who has six sacks in three games even though he stands only 6-feet and weighs 185 pounds, are Division I prospects. Bychowski has caught 26 passes in three games and returned kickoffs of 91 and 83 yards for touchdowns.

SOPHS TO WATCH: Lane Tech will carry a 3-0 record into today's game against Mather at old Winnemac Stadium, now renamed for former Public League supervisor Lou Jorndt. With seven sophomores and nine juniors in the starting lineup, it is the youngest and least experienced squad of coach Rich Rio's 10-year career.

But Rio is getting splendid performances from linebacker Casey O'Brien, receiver-free safety James Glaesser and 6-2, 210-pound sophomore defensive end Louis Trinca-Pasat. Colleges will be monitoring the progress of two 6-5, 270-pound offensive tackles, junior Anthony Jantke and sophomore Laken Tomlinson. Quarterback Frank Bougher and running back Chris Blackmon trigger the offense.

ARGO'S SUMMIT: Argo started 4-0 in 2004 but finished 4-5. So coach Jim Innis is looking to complete the 2007 season (3-0 so far) on a more pleasant note.

Despite a roster of only 27 players, Innis thinks there are few holes and plenty of talent with three-year, two-way starters Danny Leon and Alex Yerkes, 235-pound guard Brandon Kane, 265-pound tackles Dakota Smith and John Grubisch and leading rusher Bobby Pettis.