DHS Inducts 6 Into Football Hall of Fame

Five former Deerfield High School football players and a retired equipment manager were inducted into the Football Hall of Fame Friday at Adams Field during halftime of the Warriors 43-0 victory over Maine East.

All five of the players earned either all area or all state honors, four played college football and all have attained success after completing their education.

Tony Benassi, who graduated in 1977, has not gone far from Deerfield after playing college football for St. Josephs. He currently lives in the Village and his four children were Warriors as well. He was a defensive tackle.

David Esp earned all state honors while at Deerfield before graduating in 1981. After playing college football at Memphis State University, he returned to the Chicago area and has owned ESPCO, a construction company, for the last 25 years. He was a defensive end.

Bill Crawford was a halfback who graduated in 1984. He too did not go far. He lives in Highwood and works for Township High School District 113.

Alex Adams was a defensive end who graduated in 1986, played college football at DePauw University and currently teaches at Libertyville High School. He has coached football as well.

Bob Dziedziech was a lineman who graduated in 1984, played college football at the University of Pennsylvania and earned a degree from the Wharton School of Business. He currently lives in London and runs a New York based hedge fund.

Bill Nardini is the most recent Warrior to reach the Hall of Fame as a 2002 graduate. He was not only the captain of his Deerfield team but had the same role at Butler University. He currently works for NCSA Athletic Recruiting.

In addition to the five players, Ernie Rabattini, who was the Warriors’ equipment manager from 1973 to 1994, was indcuted. The Highwood native and Lake Bluff resident graduated from Highland Park High School in 1951, nine years before Deerfield opened its doors.

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