It’s not often that a kid at a local school excels in all three major sports, so imagine how rare that accomplishment is at a school with nearly 3,700 students.

Warren senior Jack Wolf will be the focal point of the Blue Devils athletic team all year long, but football comes first and is the team where he will have the biggest impact. Warren begins the season ranked No. 7 in the preseason Super 25 rankings.

“It’s challenging,” Wolf said. “But I grew up playing three or four sports, so it’s always been normal for me. I love everything that comes with it. I feel like it makes me better at all sports.”

Wolf is the starting quarterback, one of 19 players who started multiple games for Warren coach Bryan McNulty last season. He is also a key member of the basketball and baseball teams.

“We expect (Wolf) to have a really big year,” McNulty said. “He’s the barometer of our offense. How he runs is how we run. Of course we have (running back) Aaron Stewart, but Jack is the centerpiece right now. He can do a little bit of everything. People don’t realize he’s the second fastest guy on the team.”

Wolf was the starter last season, but the Blue Devils’ offense was heavily focused on running.

“The offense has improved a lot overall,” Wolf said. “With our passing and the things we’ve worked on, we’ve reached a new level that I know we can reach.”

Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

Defense has been the backbone of Warren football for years, but when the Blue Devils offense can run and pass, they can challenge the area’s few elite teams.

“Last year we rushed for almost 2,000 yards,” McNulty said. “We have three wide receivers back, three on the offensive line, so we’re pretty well positioned there. So we threw the ball around a lot this summer.”

Stewart ran for 1,683 yards and 19 touchdowns last season, averaging seven yards per run.

“Our passing game has really improved,” Stewart said. “Last year we were very run dominant. We’ve done a great job of improving our game. We’re good at everything now.”

Warren brings back three starters on the offensive line and three wide receivers to support Stewart and Wolf, whose job it is to convert experience into points on game day.

“As a quarterback, you’re thrown into a leadership position,” Wolf said. “But I think that’s something I’m naturally gifted at. I can help guys get going when they’re down. I can keep guys on their toes. Bringing energy is the most important thing. That’s how I try to lead.”

Junior defensive backs Chris McBride and X’Zavion Montgomery lead the defense with senior linebacker Jayden Johnson.

“We can all play,” Montgomery said. “Being part of this defense is a blessing. We’re ready to go out there and show everyone what we can do.”

The Blue Devils had a 9-3 record last season and lost 24-0 to Lincoln-Way East in the state championship quarterfinals. The Griffins have knocked Warren out of the playoffs the last two seasons.

“We have a lot of respect for Lincoln-Way East,” McNulty said. “It’s always a physical game. But we have to step up and evolve. We have to deal with the big guys. Lincoln-Way East and Loyola are really, really good teams. That’s what our guys have had in mind all season.”