Hinsdale South's bid to snap a season-opening losing streak fell short Friday, Aug. 21, as the Hornets lost 32-21 at Wauconda.
The streak is now four.
Wauconda has beaten Hinsdale South in four consecutive season openers, including a 44-26 win in Darien last year. The Bulldogs, defending Northern Lake County Conference champions who went 9-1 in 2025, entered the game with nine returning starters and five straight playoff appearances.
The Hornets came in with reasons for optimism. Eight juniors who logged significant varsity time as sophomores in 2025 returned this fall, including two-way starter Nathan Navarro. Senior quarterback Ben Miller is back behind an offensive line that returns four of five starters, missing only graduated West Suburban Conference lineman of the year Luke Brossard. Freshman Colin Barry, son of former Hinsdale South head coach Mike Barry, was also expected to contribute on the varsity level.
The Hornets fell by 11 points to a Wauconda squad loaded with talent. Senior receiver Luke Sickmeir, an honorable-mention all-state pick last year with 33 catches for 782 yards and nine touchdowns according to the Chicago Tribune's Lake County preview, gives the Bulldogs a weapon few non-conference opponents can match. Senior linebacker Brody Rudolph led the team with 73 tackles in 2025, and first-year starting quarterback Cooper Karaszewski has all-state wrestler Finn Loomis anchoring both lines in front of him.
Head coach Jarrod Amolsch's squad finished 2-7 last season and hasn't reached the playoffs since 2018. But preseason projections from the Shaw Local's West Suburban Gold preview had the Hornets as a potential playoff qualifier under the expanded IHSA format, with conference play not beginning until Week 3.
The non-conference schedule gives Hinsdale South time to regroup. The Hornets host Riverside-Brookfield on Friday, Aug. 28, before opening West Suburban Gold play at home against Proviso East on Friday, Sept. 4.
