Saint Xavier is solely scratching t...

Saint Xavier is solely scratching the surface.

The Cougars spread their season Saturday on their modern FieldTurf playing surface as the No. 8 team in the NAIA football individual And they are confident they can improve onward their highest preseason ranking always

"Sometimes preseason ratings don't mean a lot" Saint Xavier coach Mike Feminis said, "but I think we can be each bit as good or better than last season because we'll be 30 to 40 percent better defensively. We have a parcel of speed on that side of the ball. And our skill stays on offense are as proper as anybody in the country"

Saint Xavier was ranked No. 7 in the final NAIA individual last season before losing 31-28 to No. 4 Sioux Falls (SD) at family circle in the first round of the playoffs. A 9-3 record marked its sixth winning season in a line

A seventh expects like a sure thing behind senior receiver Andy Ricca, a first-team preseason All-American who overcame brace torn anterior cruciate ligaments to put school records with 100 receptions -- leading all NAIA receivers -- for 1275 yards last season. Junior linebacker Sean Kenney (Stagg) is a second-team preseason All-American, and senior punter Sean Collins (Notre Dame) and senior receiver Greg Gerritsen (Lincoln-Way East) received honorable-mention recognition.

Quarterback Billy Yeo (Rich South) a transfer from Western Michigan, will be asked to fill the sizable void left by means of record- setting John Perryman.

Saint Xavier legions Lambuth University of Jackson, Tenn at 6 pm Saturday subject to temporary lights for its first hearth night game ever. The gridiron, to be dedicated as Bruce R Deaton Memorial Field, will be lighted permanently in the nearest year or two.

"There's going to be a circus atmosphere Saturday night [with fireworks after the game]," Feminis said. "The surface is used by dint of five of the six NFL teams that play in domes.

"It's beyond my wildest dreams. It rained hard all day Monday, and when we practiced, you not at any time would have known it. The traction was unbelievable. We'll be forever indebted to the Deaton family for their generosity as the major donor. They have been incredibly generous."

There will be no letdown after the festivities. Saint Xavier's parley opener is next Saturday at No. 5 McKendree the Mid- States Midwest League favorite.

JUCO WATCH: Harper college edifice [i]or[/i] building of Palatine, ranked No. 16 in the National Junior association Athletic Association preseason poll, explained the Dragan Teonic era with a 21-7 victory Saturday at corporation of DuPage. Receiver Eddie Brown (Thornridge), a first-team preseason All-American, had five receptions for 78 yards and a 25-yard scud Brown and 6-5, 300-pound offensive lineman Brody Dixon, a second- team All-American, are among 18 starters back from a team that went 7-3 last season.

Teonic replaced John Eliasik, the winningest junior-college coach of all time (249-121-3) Teonic was Harper's quarterback in 1998 and 1999 and was Eliasik's offensive coordinator the last three seasons. Harper plays at Grand Rapids (Mich.) forward Saturday.

- Offensive lineman Ryan Cooper and running back Cory Terrell of DuPage and center Joe McMahon and receiver Brian Miles of Joliet received honorable mention onward the preseason juco All-America team.

SOCCER: The Wheaton women the Division III national champions in 2004 are ranked No. 3 by means of D3kicks.com. The men are ranked No. 13 the couple teams open this weekend, hosting the cut short Baptista invitationals.

- Lewis' men (2-0) are counting forward a boost from five freshmen who were all-staters in high institute the most ever for a Flyer recruiting class: asserters Justin Vander Heyden (Palatine), Joey De Francesco (Lake Park) and Alex Koprowski (Lincoln-Way Central), midfielder/forward Kipp Cartwright (Marian Catholic) and forward Charlie Bucio (Juarez).

upon a long feed, Cartwright assisted in succession the game-winning goal by Cory Mastey (Andrew) in the Flyers' opening 2-1 victory Friday at Northwood (Mich.). It was the 400th victory in the 40-year history of the program.

- Robert Morris' women (1-0) are ranked No. 14 in the NAIA, the fourth consecutive year they've been included in the national preseason head Trinity Christian (2-0) of Palos Heights is No. 22

dvanschouwen@suntimes.com

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided at ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved