Here is the 1996 Chicago Sun-Times All Area football team.

Special thanks to Sun-Times prep editor Steve Tucker and everyone at the Chicago Sun-Times for producing and allowing us permission to publish this team.

OL Luke Butkus/Bloom 6-foot-4, 260 pounds senior: Committed to Illinois. Nephew of former Illini great and NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. Despite playing on an 0-9 team, he stood out in one of the state's most competitive conferences, the SICA Blue. Rated as the leading center prospect in the Midwest.

OL Rich Chorak/Chicago Mount Carmel 6-foot-3, 255 pounds senior: Rated as the No. 1 lineman in the Catholic Metro Blue. Leader of an offensive line that has been instrumental in amassing 446 yards per game, 8.4 yards per play. Allowed two sacks. "One of the best offensive tackles I've coached in 13 years," Frank Lenti said.

QB Tyler Evans/St. Charles 6-foot-3, 190 pounds senior: He has thrown for 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns completing 110 of 147 attempts (74.8 percent) for the Upstate 8 champions and ran for 11 TD's. A two time all-conference and three time all academic selection. Also a two-year varsity performer in basketball and track.

DB Mark Floersch/New Trier 6-foot-4, 185 pounds senior: As a first year quarterback, he has passed for more than 1,200 yards and 16 TD's for a 10-0 conference champ. Has thrown just 2 interceptions. Averages 43.5 yards per punt. As a junior, he made 10 interceptions as a defensive back.

LB Bob Fraumann/Deerfield 6-foot-3, 210 pounds senior: No. 1 player in the Central Suburban North. Playing for a 3-6 team, he caught 24 passes for 419 yards and two touchdowns. He made 120 tackles, including 67 solo. "Best player I've had in 17 years," coach Jamie Harrington said. Scored 31 on his ACT.

RB Antoineo Harris/Bolingbrook 6-foot-1, 191 pounds junior: "Best player I've coached in 19 years," said Phil Acton, who has sent 6 running backs to the Division 1 level. In nine games, Harris rushed 234 times for 2,074 yards (8.8 yards per carry) and scored 32 TD's. Very durable, he ran 41 times in one game.

DL Napoleon Harris/Thornton Township 6-foot-5, 215 pounds senior: One of the state's leading athletes. Plays tight end and defensive end in football. Also a starter on the basketball team that finished second in Class AA last season. Has been credited with 20 sacks for a 9-1 team. Outstanding blocker. Also has speed to go deep.

OL Anthony Herron/Bolingbrook 6-foot-5, 255 pounds senior: Most dominating offensive and defensive linemen in the SICA Gray. Three sport athlete. Anchor of a defense that shut out it's last four opponents and allowed only 62 points in a 10-0 season. Also key blocker in offense that has averaged 42.5 points per game.

OL Jason Koszyk/Hinsdale South 6-foot-5, 245 pounds senior: No. 1 player in the West Suburban Gold. Committed to Northwestern. Two-way standout on a 4-5 team. Primary blocker for Lavar Ammons, who rushed for 1,116 yards. Excellent long snapper. Scored 30 on his ACT and 1,310 on his SAT.

TE R.J. Luke/Waubonsie Valley 6-foot-3, 220 yards junior: Caught 60 passes for 965 yards and eight TD's, giving him 152 career catches for 2,413 yards and 19 TD's with one year left to play. The Upstate 8 defensive player of the year with 47 solo tackles, 24 assist, 10 sacks and 8 tackles for loss.

DB Bubba Martini/Palatine 5-foot-10, 185 pounds senior: No. 1 player in the Mid-Suburban North. Leader of a 10-0 conference champion. Has rushed for 1,584 yards and 19 touchdowns. Also an outstanding defensive back (five interceptions) and kick returner. "Best player we've ever had," coach Joe Petricca said.

RB Louis Medina/Providence Catholic 5-foot-11, 178 pounds senior: As a junior, he rushed for 2,200 yards and 30 touchdowns for a 14-0 state champion. As a senior, he has rushed for 1,950 yards and 25 touchdowns for a 10-0 team that is favored to repeat in Class 4A. "He makes our whole offense click," coach Matt Senffner said.

DB Terrance Moore/Wheaton South 6-foot-3, 182 pounds senior: Had 44 tackles, 22 assists and four sacks. Coach John Thorne calls him, "Our best college prospect." Has the size and range to cover receivers and is effective inside as evidenced by his 13 tackles and one sack in the playoff opener.

LB Jason Nolda/Naperville Central 6-foot-2, 195 pounds senior: Mr. Do-It-All for the DuPage Valley champions. Had 41 solos, 56 assists, 4 sacks, four fumble recoveries, two blocked kicks and two interceptions. Kicked seven field goals and 27 of 28 extra points. Also played tight end and caught three TD passes.

Split End Eric Parker/Joliet Township 6-foot-0, 165 pounds senior: Leading receiver in the area. Playing for a 2-7 team, he caught 49 passes for 882 yards and 10 TDs. Also an outstanding defensive back, he had 10 interceptions. Committed to Tennessee. In two years, he caught 76 passes for 1,639 yards and 18 TD's. Has 4.5 speed.

Flanker Nick Piazza/Lincoln-Way 6-foot-1, 185 pounds senior: Committed to Illinois. Triple threat (receiving, running, kick returning) for a 10-0 conference champion. Has caught 56 passes for 830 yards and 8 TDs. Game breaker for offense averaging 36.6 points. MVP at Illinois camp. Son of former Bloom coach John Piazza.

DL Lanell Rice/Evanston 5-foot-10, 240 pounds senior: Central Suburban South defensive player of the year with 58 solo tackles and 22 assists. Also had seven sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception. Set a 20 year bench press record at Conant (420 pounds) and a conference mark of 430 pounds.

DL Lamain Rucker/Chicago Collins 6-foot-4, 270 pounds senior: Rated as the No. 1 college prospect from the Chicago Public League. Led his team to a 7-3 record and a berth in the Class 4A state playoffs. As a junior, had 17 sacks. As a senior, he averaged 10 tackles per game even though opponents ran away from him.

OL Sean Rufolo/Lincoln-Way 6-foot-4, 260 pounds senior: No. 1 linemen in the SICA Blue. Two-way standout. Anchors defense that has shut out ot's last two opponents, aloowed only three TDs in it's last five games and only 70 points in a 10-0 season. Acknowledged as the most valuable linemen at the Illinois camp.

LB Jeff Skibitsky/Stevenson 6-foot-1, 205 pounds senior: A repeat selection from the unbeaten North Suburban champions. Despite missing a game, has 92 solo tackles and 57 assists after recovering from an injury suffered in last year's playoffs. A standout catcher in baseball and figures to be drafted in June.

K JJ Standring/Chicago St. Rita 6-foot-2, 180 pounds senior: He has converted 46-of-49 extra points, averaged 39 yards per punt and booted seven field goals, including a 40 yarder. Most impressive, 50 of 56 kickoffs sailed into the end zone and were not returnable. As a TE, caught 20 passes for 357 yards and seven TD's.

P Tim Straton/York 6-foot-4, 215 pounds senior: No. 1 player in the West Suburban Silver for the second year in a row. Averaged 41 yards on 39 punts. As a receiver, he caught 57 passes for 878 yards and six touchdowns for an 8-2 conference champion. Also played defensive end, free safety and kicked off.

DB Kevin Taylor/Glenbrook South 5-foot-10, 185 pounds senior: A tremendous two-way impact player. Shared Central Suburban South offensive MVP honors with New Trier's Floersch. Had two interceptions against Evanston. Ran for 1,463 yards with 22 touchdowns and 4,858 yards in his career with 59 TD's.

DL Herbert "Boo-Boo" Thompson/Proviso West 6-foot-6, 260 pounds senior: No. 1 defensive player in the West Suburban Silver. Ranked as a Top 10 prospect in the nation. As a TE caught 11 passes for 207 yards. Had 66 solo tackles, 42 assists. State heavyweight wrestling champion.

KR Vince Weber/Elgin Larkin 5-foot-10, 185 pounds senior: In 1995, he was the Upstate 8's top offensive player. As a junior, he rushed for 2,000 yards and 32 TDs for a 7-3 team that lost to St. Charles and Evanston by three. Some opponents refused to kick to him, testimony to his game breaking potential.