Senior defensive end Chris Kasky of Brookfield added to Nazareth Academy football history last season when he switched varsity uniform numbers from 88 to 5. The Roadrunners’ previous No. 5 was 2025 graduate Gabe Kaminski, the all-state linebacker from Riverside now playing for Stanford.
“As an eighth grader and freshman, I saw the things that he did on (our home) field and broke records. And now I get to do it,” Kasky said. “Comparisons? It’s just an honor. There’s a lot of people that have worn this number that are special and the fans let me know during the games so I’m carrying on a long legacy.”
Kasky will make more program history after first trying to help the Roadrunners this season as a third-year starter and one of four senior co-captains. Both he and senior offensive lineman Luke Injaychock have made verbal commitments to play Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) at the University of Missouri (Columbia). Kasky and Injaychock have been football teammates since sixth grade. For Nazareth coach Tim Racki, it’s the first time he’s had two players headed to the same major program at the same time.
“We always talked about it, wanting to go to the same school together, but we were not going to force it,” Kasky said. “(We agreed) only if it feels right and that’s just the way it ended up. We both felt really loved by the program so that’s the route we took.”
The Roadrunners feel they can contend for another state title coming off last year’s painful 28-27 overtime loss at home to eventual state champion Fenwick in the Class 6A semifinals. This season’s opener is Aug. 21 at IC Catholic.
Nazareth (11-2 in 2025) has eight returning starters and four returning 2025 All-East Suburban Catholic Conference/Chicago Catholic League selections – Kasky and seniors Christian Malachuk, Will McGarry and Dylan Wellner. Malachuk, a two-way lineman, also received honorable mention 6A all-state from the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association.
Seven players already are verbally committed to play college football. The others for Division I FBS programs are defensive backs Cash Coleman (Northern Illinois) and Henry Sakalas (Michigan State), for Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) programs running back Charles Calhoun (North Dakota) and for Division II programs linebacker Wellner (Central Missouri State) and tight end/wide receiver Hank Sakalas (Southwest Minnesota State).
Last season, Kasky was among the Roadrunners’ defensive leaders with 68 tackle and team highs of 12 sacks and 23 tackles for loss.
“I felt like I was really wanted (at Missouri). The facilities are amazing but it’s really about the people for me,” said Kasky, who praised Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz and pass rush/edges assistant coach Brian Early. “The coaching staff is amazing. Who can I trust? What can we do together?”
Injaychock already had announced his decision May 1. He didn’t find out he’d be together with Kasky at Missouri basically until everybody else in early June.
“He kept it a secret until the day he committed really,” Injaychock said. “The people and culture at Missouri are really good. The coaches seem to be really caring for who you are as a person on and off the field. Also the way the team interacts with each other. I feel it’s very similar to how we do at Naz. And they run a really fast-paced offense, which is very similar to what we run at Naz.”
A third-year varsity regular, Injaychock has moved from right guard in 2024 to right tackle last season to left tackle this year. Malachuk moves from left tackle to center. The line allowed only one true sack last season. This year’s starting quarterback is JJ Chapman, a junior transfer from Oak Creek, Wis.
Calhoun rushed for a team-best 949 yards with 12 touchdowns. The Sakalas twins are returning receivers. Henry Sakalas caught 12 passes for 184 yards. Calhoun, who also hopes to help at cornerback, was among six players who verbally committed to North Dakota on their official visits while at the home of second-year head coach Eric Schmidt.
“Basically the program. It just feels like home. I’ve had the best relationship with the coaches,” Calhoun said. “They made an effort to meet my family. They wished my sister happy birthday. They knew stuff that only someone who cared would.”
Recruited as a safety, Henry Sakalas is a third-year starter who had 35 tackles and three interceptions in 2025. More returning defensive starters are McGarry and juniors John Bukovac and Rocco Lopez as linemen/linebackers, linebackers Wellner and senior Emmett Hartnett and Coleman also in the defensive secondary. Also back is junior kicker Billy Harding and senior reserve wide receiver Nathan Hill from Riverside.
Michigan State’s new head coach is Pat Fitzgerald, formerly head coach at Northwestern until 2023.
“He’s just a really good dude, going to play for him, a Chicago guy and somebody who preaches discipline and the same morals as we do at Nazareth Academy,” Henry Sakalas said. “(Michigan State) just felt right. The people there, the commitment and plan they had for me just felt good so I was super excited.”
Wellner had a team-high 69 tackles (10 for loss) with two sacks and two interceptions and rushed for 271 yards with five TDs. Coleman (40 tackles, 2 interceptions) also played cornerback last season after being injured most of 2024. He committed to NIU in June while there attending a camp. Nazareth receivers coach Mike Love played for the Huskies.
“That place is amazing to me. I’ve been there like five times and it just feels like home,” Coleman said. “I really love the team, especially (head coach Rob Harley). I tried not to fall in love with the coaches but the school. The players, it was a great brotherhood. They took me under their wing as their brother.”
Last season’s graduating seniors selected Kasky, Coleman, Henry Sakalas and Wellner as the 2026 team captains.
“It’s an honor. Seeing those guys thinking of me as a captain, it’s awesome,” Kasky said. “It really means something, especially more than if just the coach chose it.”