By now, you’ve probably realized that quarterback Dan Persa and wide receiver Jeremy Ebert have a connection. The juniors just click in the offense, never more obvious than when Ebert corralling Persa’s desperation toss into the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Minnesota game.
This is only Persa’s first year starting. Imagine if these guys had played together consistently since their freshman year. Imagine if they had played together in high school. Their connection would be unbelievable, right?
There are players on the football team who did play together in high school. And from what they say, opposing teams should be thankful that Persa and Ebert were over 400 miles apart in high school.
Freshman quarterback Trevor Siemian and freshman wide receiver Rashad Lawrence both went to Olympia High School in Florida. “When you throw with somebody for 5, 6 years,” said Siemian, “you know what he does.” Siemian knows Lawrence’s tendencies and where he likes to catch the ball. “It’s a cool experience,” Siemian said of playing with his former high school teammate.
Lawrence agreed, saying he knows where Siemian’s throws will be. “We’re always at it,” he said, adding that at times the two will stay after practice and work, as they had done in high school.
After playing together for so many years, teammates can feel like family.
And sometimes, they’re actually related.
Aaron and Brett Nagel are both superbacks for the Wildcats. They played on the same Pop Warner and high school teams, play the same position, and are now roommates. “We don’t really compete,” said Brett. Instead, they help each other out. “Being brothers, we definitely have more of a bond,” Brett said, but he added “everybody’s close out here.”
The Mocchi sisters echoed that sentiment. Allison and Maggie Mocchi are both junior guards for the women’s basketball team. Their connection is a “step above,” said Allison, but both sisters agreed that their relationship never conflicts with the team as a whole.
Having played together for their entire lives, Allison and Maggie know each other’s tendencies and style of play. “Knowing how consistent she can be gives me a level of comfort,” Allison said, “I trust her.” The sisters do push each other in practice, and they know what to expect from each other. In fact, because they know each other’s tendencies so well, the coaches like to split them up. In coming to Northwestern, however, the sisters were “a package deal,” said Allison, “we weren’t going to separate.”
Lucky for Northwestern’s opponents, not all Wildcats played together in high school (or since high chairs). That type of relationship is transcendent of typical team bonds, and it shows — on the field or on the court.