Positions mean little for River Forest’s Jeremiah Stansil, who has few limits. ‘I feel like I’m unstoppable.’

There’s not much on a football field that River Forest’s Jeremiah Stansil can’t do.

Competing in wrestling for the first time last winter only augmented the 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior’s skills.

“That helped a lot with tackling,” Stansil said. “It’s really not being scared. Before wrestling, if someone big was coming, I would be like, ‘Let me try to make sure I tackle right.’ But ever since wrestling, I feel like a dawg. I feel like I’m unstoppable.”

Ingots coach Mark Hidalgo, who also leads the wrestling team, might’ve encouraged Stansil, who had played basketball in the past.

“I told him wrestling would help him in football, tackling, in anything,” Hidalgo said. “You’ll be in shape. Your conditioning, you’ll never be tired.”

Stansil wound up adding to his accomplishments to boot. He finished second in the Greater South Shore Conference at 157 pounds as River Forest won its fifth straight team title.

In the Ingots’ season-opening 35-0 win against East Chicago Central on Friday, Stansil had three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown, four carries for 30 yards and a TD, and two tackles.

“From a football standpoint, he can do anything,” Hidalgo said. “He has to learn the most positions of anyone on the team. He was an outside linebacker and safety last year, but he’s back at corner this year.

“Offensively, he’ll be everywhere. Last game, he played running back — he’s probably a running back. But when you put him in the slot, you can move him and give him jets. When they see him coming, they have to key on him because he’s pretty good. He can catch the ball out of the backfield. He can catch the ball as a wide receiver. He’s really talented and really athletic.”

Last season, Stansil made 19 catches for 309 yards and three TDs and rushed for 183 yards and two TDs on 20 carries. A defensive starter since his freshman year, he also had 57 tackles.

In the spring, he won the conference title in the 100 meters and finished second in the 200.

Stansil is holding himself to an even higher standard this season.

“Freshman year, I was just like a little kid,” he said. “I was just learning new things. Every year, you have to step up. This year, I have to be a big part. I have to be there for kids. If they’re down, I have to make sure I pick us all back up.”

River Forest senior linebacker/fullback Aureliano Arana highlighted Stansil’s all-around ability.

“He brings a lot of energy to the team,” Arana said. “The first play of the game Friday, he drilled somebody. That really just set the tone for the game. He sets the tone.

“He’s one of our fastest players. He plays the slot. You can motion him. He’s a running back too. He can play anywhere. You just want the ball in his hands. He brings a lot to the team.”

Stansil’s contributions extend beyond the field, according to Hidalgo.

“He’s one of the greatest kids I’ve ever met,” Hidalgo said. “He’s just a down-to-earth kid. He smiles every day. I could be in a bad mood, and he always walks by and says, ‘Hello. How you doing, coach?’

“He’s a hard worker. I wish I had a million of him because he’s that good of a kid. He doesn’t get mad. He doesn’t pout about getting the ball. He’s not selfish. He’s just a genuine kid. He’s just one of those kids who makes you laugh. He’s one of the good ones.”

Hidalgo said Stansil has the ability to play in college. But Stansil intends to pursue a career as an electrician.

Hidalgo said he won’t hesitate to reach out to his contacts in the field.

“I’m going to help him out,” Hidalgo said. “My job is to help kids do what they want to do.”

This season, Stansil wants the Ingots to continue to build. They went 6-4 in Hidalgo’s first season.

“It felt good to get a win to start the season, but we can’t get too hype about it,” Stansil said. “We’re looking to destroy every team we play. The plan is to go 9-0, but we can’t get too big-headed.

“Everybody wants to get better. Everybody wants to improve. We have a great coaching staff. No one takes a day off, takes a rep off at practice, and that’s what we have to keep doing.”