North Central College’s football team didn’t make it to the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2009 but the Cardinals were still impressive.

They finished 8-2 and tied with Illinois Wesleyan for first place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, but didn’t advance to the playoffs because of a 28-22 double-overtime loss to Wesleyan in head-to-head play.

The Cardinals averaged 49 points per game including an 83-point effort against North Park, 69 against Michigan’s Olivet College and 63 against Carthage.

The Cardinals were ranked 14th in the nation in the first NCAA Division III poll from D3Football.com. They are in the top 16 in three other polls.

Three-time CCIW Offensive Most Valuable Player Aaron Fanthorpe is gone at quarterback, but there will still be a lot of experience returning.

“We have six terrific captains, nine returners on defense, seven returners on offense and over 80 percent of our special teams players,” NCC coach John Thorne said. “We have a smaller class of 45 incoming players, but the talent level is very high.”

Local representation on the team is off-the-charts with 64 area players on the squad including senior wide receiver Steve Hlavac (Naperville North), who led the team with 47 catches for 619 yards. Sophomore quarterback Spencer Stanek (Lincoln-Way East) will get the first shot at taking Fanthorpe’s spot.

Fans will have to wait to see the first home game. After two games on the road, the Cardinals host Wisconsin-Eau Claire at 1 p.m. Sept. 25.

A look at the other local athletes on the roster:

Naperville/Aurora area

Sophomore quarterback Jordan Tassio (Naperville North), junior wide receiver Manny Juarez (Marmion Academy), junior wide receiver Joe Antonacci (Neuqua Valley), freshman defensive back Dave Hess (Naperville North), sophomore running back Nick Kukuc (Naperville Central), sophomore defensive back Jack Klein (an Aurora resident who attended Oswego East), junior linebacker Sean Brutto (Naperville North), junior offensive lineman Nick Capristo (Waubonsie Valley) and junior offensive lineman Kyle Phelps (West Aurora).

West suburbs

Senior defensive end Valente Garza (Wheaton North), freshman wide receiver Nick Slezak (Glenbard South), junior defensive back Josh McLeod (Lisle), junior linebacker Scott Skuteris (York), sophomore defensive back Alex Pirela (West Chicago), freshman defensive back Shane Dierking (Wheaton Warrenville South), freshman linebacker Jonathan Adkins (Glenbard West), junior offensive lineman Michael Stella (Nazareth Academy), junior offensive lineman Nick Iossi (Glenbard North), junior offensive lineman Justin Bjornson (West Chicago), senior offensive lineman Kyle Antos (Wheaton Warrenville South), sophomore offensive lineman Antonio Miranda (Nazareth) and junior defensive lineman James Robinson (Wheaton Warrenville South).

Kane County

Freshman quarterback Nolan Possley (St. Charles East), junior defensive back Stewart Charles (Batavia), freshman linebacker Tharryn Wright (Batavia), junior offensive lineman Will Thrun (Batavia) and freshman offensive lineman Andrew Bradburn (St. Charles East).

Will County

Sophomore receiver Andy Stuursma (a Frankfort native from Chicago Christian), junior tight end Alex Haan (a Homer Glen native from Chicago Christian), senior defensive back Scott Hogan (Plainfield Central), sophomore linebacker Joey Michaels (Providence Catholic), senior offensive lineman Jeremy Schaub (Lockport), junior defensive lineman Mike Mathieu (Andrew), sophomore offensive lineman Mike Ream (Plainfield Central), senior tight end Jeff Grunwald (Lincoln-Way East) and sophomore offensive lineman Joe Guenther (Joliet Township),

South Suburbs

Junior defensive back Andy Trybula (Andrew) sophomore defensive back Ryan Ferry (Lemont), freshman running back Danny Hayes (Lemont), junior linebacker Willie Hayes (Lemont), junior defensive end Jim Clendenning (Sandburg), sophomore offensive lineman Adam Trybula (Andrew), junior wide receiver Jack Schroeder (Sandburg), junior defensive end Chase Pavlic (an Orland Park native who attended Providence Catholic) and junior defensive lineman Josh Sartori (Shepard).

North Suburbs

Freshman defensive back Tony Kennedy (Niles North), freshman defensive lineman Nick Smith (Glenbrook South), freshmen defensive linemen Alex and Peter Mann (Glenbrook South), junior offensive lineman Conor Oenning (Maine South), freshman tight end Shane Walsh (Stevenson) and junior defensive lineman Peter Bulandr (Stevenson).

Northwest suburbs

Freshman wide receiver Adam Szudarski (Marian Central Catholic), freshman kicker Kevin Looff (a Barrington native who attended Lake Zurich), freshman defensive end John Focosi (Barrington), sophomore linebacker Kevin Savage (Grant), junior linebacker Greg Dickson (an Elgin native who attended Burlington Central), freshman offensive lineman Josh Fick (Crystal Lake Central), sophomore defensive end Chris Staton (Grant) and freshman defensive end Greg Whalen (an Algonquin native who attended Marian Central Catholic).

jvorva@tribune.com