Conference: SouthWest Suburban
Head coach: Sheamus Murphy
2025 record: 7-3 (Lost 21-14 to Lockport in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs)
2026 outlook:
Last year, the Eagles won their first conference title since 1995, sharing the Southwest Valley Blue championship with Lincoln-Way East, Lockport and Naperville North.
Sandburg is back to a more familiar league structure with its old SouthWest Suburban rivals after the end of a two-year merger with the DuPage Valley. Another conference title is a goal, as is the program’s first playoff win since 2010.
Two Power Four recruits graduated in Vincent Smith (West Virginia) and Jaden Weaver (Iowa State).
But there’s still Division I talent on hand with senior tight end/receiver Lucas Matykiewicz (6-5, 220), senior running back/receiver Quinn Durkin (5-11, 195) and senior offensive lineman Cade Koehler (6-4, 305). Matykiewicz is committed to Northern Illinois, Durkin to Army and Koehler to Lindenwood.
Other returning starters include senior offensive lineman Malachi Brown (6-1, 250), junior offensive lineman Stephen Caxton-Idowu (6-5, 305), senior receiver Kendall McDowell (6-3, 190) and senior quarterback Sean Ruisz (6-1, 195).
Also back are senior linebackers Todd Shelton (5-11, 210) and Zaid Macri (5-11, 215), junior defensive back Vinny Annel (6-1, 195) and senior defensive back Jake Drew (6-0, 190).
A pair of transfers — receiver Aiden Evans from Mount Carmel and defensive lineman Keegan Kirk from Brother Rice — show promise, as do quarterback Max Fahey, defensive back/receiver Logan Kondziolka and tight end Will Beeler.
Schedule
Aug. 21 at Riverside-Brookfield, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 Montini, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 Thornwood, 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 at Homewood-Flossmoor, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 Lincoln-Way East, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 25 Lincoln-Way Central, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 at Lincoln-Way West, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 9 Stagg, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 16 at Bradley-Bourbonnais, 7:30 p.m.