From November 4, 2009 Chicago Tribune Article by Mike Helfgot

Preview: Naperville Central at Marist

As far as Mike Perish is concerned, the threat wasn't too serious.

Nick Valla, Perish's close friend and trusty receiver, was talking about giving up football to focus on basketball last fall. Perish says he knew Valla wouldn't quit, that Valla is "too much of a competitor" to walk away."A lot of kids called me, and these kids were my best friends," Valla said. "Mike was a really big part of it. He is my best friend. We do almost everything together. I knew I could help the team by going out there."

Going on 23 games later, Valla can't believe what he almost missed. Behind Perish, Valla and receiver/defensive back Dan Piko, Marist advanced to the state quarterfinals last fall for the first time since 1993, and the RedHawks are a victory away from consecutive quarterfinal appearances for the first time in school history.

Marist hosts Naperville Central in an 8A second-round game at 7 p.m. Saturday.

"It took a little bit of work, but I think everybody knew he was going to end up playing," Perish said. "He didn't want to be sitting around playing open gym basketball and watching his friends play football from the stands."

Perish, Valla and Piko have helped put Marist on the verge of reaching unprecedented heights.

After throwing for 2,024 yards last fall, all the 6-foot-3 Perish has done for an encore is hit on 68 percent of his passes (160 of 236) for 2,431 yards and 29 touchdowns. Perish's pair of 6-foot-2 receivers have taken turns as leading receivers.

Valla led the way with 50 catches for 768 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, and has 38 for 681 and six scores in '09.Piko has been a terror on both sides of the ball, catching 60 passes for 1,008 and 13 touchdowns, and recording 46 tackles and four interceptions.

Perish will play for Western Michigan. Marist coach Pat Dunne believes Piko is also a Division I player. And Valla, close to giving up the sport not long ago, is unsure whether he should pursue basketball or football on the next level.

"These experiences we've been through as a team, not even the just the games, I think about it a lot -- what I would have missed," Valla said. "All the offseason work we've done together outside of Marist, all these experiences with all my best friends. It has been amazing."