This season couldn’t have come soon enough for Antioch’s Owen Shea.

So much so that instead of focusing on the Sequoits’ opener against Schaumburg, the senior defensive end circled a preseason scrimmage with perennial Class 8A contender Warren.

“I really love playing against good competition and really like to challenge myself,” he said. “That’s why I was so excited to scrimmage them. Before the scrimmage, I had a boost of confidence and couldn’t wait to get after it.”

One of the reasons for Shea’s excitement was the presence of Warren’s all-state running back, Illinois recruit Aaron Stewart . Unlikely to see a player like Stewart during the regular season, Shea viewed the scrimmage as a barometer of his progress.

“I remember a bunch of plays from that day, especially the first big h

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