I’ve been working on my accuracy and getting the ball where I need to on time and on target.”

Carson Lewis

MAPLE PARK — Senior quarterback Carson Lewis connected on a large number of deep balls down the field on Tuesday evening, when the Rochelle Hub varsity football team took the field at Kaneland High School for a series of 7-on-7 scrimmages against schools from across the area.

Entering his second season as the starting quarterback for the Hubs, Lewis showcased his improved arm strength during Tuesday’s 7-on-7s, which saw Rochelle take on four local schools including Dixon, Yorkville, Woodstock North and Plano. Whether he was rolling out of the pocket or throwing drop-back passes downfield, Lewis hit on several deep passes throughout the evening. Lewis is looking to build on the I-8/KRC All-Conference honors he earned last year.

“I’ve been working on my accuracy and getting the ball where I need to on time and on target,” Lewis said. “We have to be crisp with everything we do on offense… I feel like I’m a better player than I was last year. I’ve put on more weight and I’ve gotten stronger. I also feel like the ball is coming off my hand faster and my receivers have been able to catch the ball easier.”

Lewis is one of multiple seniors returning for the Hubs this coming season. Among those seniors are tailback Grant Gensler and tight end Jack Pavlak as well as wide receivers Jack Tilton and Xavier Villalobos, who all made a host of grabs during Tuesday’s 7-on-7s. Although the Hubs are known for their wing-T rushing attack, the 7-on-7s provided an opportunity for Lewis and his teammates to sharpen their skills and improve their offense in the passing game.

“It feels great to compete against other teams,” Lewis said. “We’ve been competing against each other during practice and it’s been a lot of fun overall because we’re all friends. I think we’re going to be a pretty good team and I think we have a chance to be better than we were last year. Our goals are to win the conference championship and go deep into the playoffs.”

Tuesday marked Rochelle’s second series of 7-on-7 scrimmages this summer. The Hubs were at Sterling High School last week and they will return to Sterling on Thursday for another set of 7-on-7s. Rochelle’s final series of 7-on-7s will be held at Byron High School on Friday, Aug. 2. The Hub offense is looking to improve on a strong 2023 campaign, where Rochelle averaged 31.6 points per game en route to a 7-3 overall record and the I-8/KRC Blue Championship.

“I have great chemistry with everyone on my team,” Lewis said. “I’ve grown up with my receivers and I’ve been throwing them footballs since I was in flag football. We have great chemistry.”