ROCHELLE — Brendon Danekas was one of three new starters in the defensive backfield for the Hubs varsity football team this season. But after gaining some experience at cornerback last year, the Rochelle Township High School senior returned to the secondary, and he was a key contributor for the Hubs this fall.

Danekas totaled 32 tackles including two tackles-for-loss at cornerback this season while adding three pass breakups and two interceptions. The senior often lined up against top wide receivers from other teams, and his coverage skills brought him First-Team All-Conference recognition by the Northern Illinois Big 12 West for the first time in his high school career.

“It felt good to be recognized for all of my hard work,” Danekas said. “I’ve been playing with my teammates since fifth grade and we knew how to work together. I worked hard on my coverage skills in the offseason and I improved every week.”

Rochelle began the 2017 season with three spots to fill in the secondary after seniors Kaywan Palmer, Steven Eychaner and Chris Clark graduated from the 2016 roster. Danekas stepped in for an injured Palmer when Rochelle faced Yorkville in 2016, and he made a game-saving interception in the end zone to help the Hubs defeat the Foxes 18-14.

Along with senior Ehren Metzger and senior Sam Johnson, who was an All-Conference Honorable Mention at cornerback this fall, Danekas was tasked with anchoring the back of the Hub defense this fall, and the boys helped Rochelle limit opponents to 16.4 points per game.

“Playing with my brothers, we all have such a great bond and we wish we could play together one more time,” Danekas said. “My advice for the younger players would be to have a great offseason and practice every day like it’s your last.”