08/29/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - It was a memorable season for a couple of Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division squads.

Roxana won the championship with Breese Central finishing second.

Both were playoff bound teams and the Shells reached their first semifinal game in 36-seasons under Coach Wade DeVries.

Central and head coach Brian Short ran into old nemesis Rochester in the quarterfinals which ended the Cougars campaign.

Freeburg was the other playoff qualifier from the league as they lost a tough decision at Charleston in the 4A first round.

Columbia felt some growing pains last fall as the failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 school year.

Knowing Coach Scott Horner, the Eagles should spring back into contention in 2024-25.

Salem also fell short of the postseason as the Wildcats dropped their final two contests to fall to 4-5 on the season for Coach Kevin Greene.

After reaching the playoffs in 2022, the East Alton-Wood River Oilers fell to 0-9 last fall, due mostly to an inexperienced group of kids for Coach Gary Herron.

As for this season Breese Central and Roxana return key elements to the table for another potential playoff run for each program.

The Columbia program should bounce back and Freeburg should be in the playoff picture.

Salem lost a good group of seniors and will have to have kids step forward this fall and EA-WR will have kids back who were part of the learning experience in 2023.

In his seventeen seasons as the head coach at Breese Central, Brian Short has 11-playoff appearances and the Cougars have a 6-11 playoff mark in that time.

However when you look at the programs that BC has run into, it goes to show how tough the path to the state finals is.

In that group of losses are Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (93-37), Rochester (64-13) and Mt. Carmel (65-40).

The Cougars dropped a 49-13 decision to Rochester last fall as the Rockets went on to win the 4A state title.

It was the third time they lost to the central Illinois powerhouse in the playoffs.

Breese Central finished 9-3 last season, second in the Cahokia Mississippi Division behind Roxana.

Six of the seniors last season for the Cougars have moved on to the next level.

Tight end/defensive end Andrew Jansen (Rose-Hulman), running back/defensive end Logan McDonald (Aurora College), lineman Dylan Johnson (McKendree University), running back/linebacker Anthony Attaway (McKendree University), lineman Cole Kapp (Illinois College) and Maximus Rogers (Quincy University) left a void.

Despite graduation losses (12-total players) Coach Short has a team that again has a playoff look to them and are one of the favorites to regain the conference championship.

Returning signal caller, 6-foot, 155 senior quarterback Preston Baker garnered many awards last season, including all-conference and all-state selections.

Baker tossed 26-touchdowns as a junior and completed 121-of-231 for 2,034-yards.

He also added 365-yards on the ground (7.2 average per carry) and a pair of TD's.

All-conference running back Kaiden Rakers, a 5-10, 155 senior, also had a prosperous junior season.

Rakers led BC in rushing yards (904) and attempts (167) and scored 12 touchdowns on the ground.

He also grabbed nine of the Baker throws for another 113-yards and a TD.

Another senior standout is Griffen Becker, a 6-2, 145 wide receiver/defensive back who also made the all-state list and was all-league on both offense and defense.

“Preston Baker, Griffen Becker, and Kaden Rakers could all finish very high in all-time records and single season records if they can match their performances for last year. All three are all-state caliber players,” said Coach Short.

Five-nine, 170 junior running back Cole Davis was second on the squad on the ground, gobbling up 519-yards on 68-carries and added six of the Cougars' touchdowns.

Coach Short will also have the services of 5-8, 135 senior defensive back/wide out Carter Deien.

Deien caught 25-passes for 356-yards and four TD's.

Benny Lehman is a 5-9, 150 senior wide receiver who played football for the first time as a junior and produced 182-yards and three touchdowns on nine-receptions.

Another of the all-Cahokia Conference players returning is 5-8, 135 senior defensive back Kyle MacDonald, who led the club with four interceptions.

Defensively the Cougars return some talented players.

All-Cahokia selection Owen Schomaker was second on the team with 82 tackles, with 19 of them tackles for loss.

The leader in tackles also returns; 6-1, 210 junior linebacker Jackson Kampwerth (103-tackles)

Senior Dugan Schweikert (5-10, 185 lineman) also returns as was all-conference on the offensive line.

There were highlights from last season, including winning the annual Milk Bowl Game against in town rival Mater Dei and they also won two playoff games to reach the quarterfinals.

Coach Shorts hopes this success continues.

“We are very excited about this season due to all of the returning players we have back from last year. The last four years have been very special for our football family. We are in a great spot to continue building the legacy and culture of Central Football,” said Coach Short. “The leadership from this senior class is going to be a massive asset. Their overall ability to elevate and include their teammates will really tell the story for our season. The stronger the relationships they can build with their teammates will determine the success we have.”

Last season's playoff run for the Roxana Shells was a special moment for the school.

It was the longest postseason journey for the program since the 1987 Shells made it to the 4A state championship game.

Coach Wade DeVries' club rolled to 12-straight victories last fall, setting scoring records for most points (618) and average per game (47.5) in a season for the program.

The only flaw in the plan came in the playoff loss as they ran into to Mt. Carmel and ASV 3A “POY” Blaine Sission.

Sisson and Company outscored Roxana 63-48 in the semifinals, which ended the Shells' run at 12-1.

Unfortunately for Coach DeVries graduation took its toll.

Sixteen total seniors from the 2023-24 roster will be missing when the 2024-25 campaign begins.

Most notable are quarterback Chris Walleck, running back Evan Wells, who is playing at Missouri S&T, running back Terrel Graves and lineman Nick Newton.

Both are playing at Greenville University this fall.

Wells was a workhorse in a genuine sense, rushing 195-times for 1,713-yards and an eye-popping 29 touchdowns.

Graves gave the Shells a second powerful weapon in the backfield, pounding out 1,021-yards on 112-attempts with 14 TD's.

Walleck rushed for four touchdowns and threw for 16 on 48-of-77 passing.

The top receiver is also missing from last season as senior Aiden Briggs has left after catching 20-passes for 472-yards and seven touchdowns last fall.

That is a bunch of stats that are missing as Roxana begins the season with 4A Jerseyville on the road in Week 1.

The top returning player and the main focus for the Shells' offense will be running back Andruw Ellis.

The 6-2, 185 senior has had quite a career so far in his two previous seasons.

Ellis was the third of the Roxana back who went over the 1K mark in rushing yards last season.

He carried the ball 82-times for 1,143-yards and 17 TD's, part of a club that scored 66 touchdowns on the ground in 2023.

Ellis also caught 10-passes for 260-yards and another four scores and this will be his fourth year starting as a running back and defensive back.

College interest has been pouring in for Ellis from some top notch programs (SEMO, ISU, SIUC, Army and Air Force).

Sean Mayberry, a 6-2, 190 junior, inherits the quarterback position after a sophomore year where he was primarily a linebacker on defense.

Coach DeVries also has some weapons with returning running back Luke Hartman, a 5-10, 150 junior.

Hartman plays in both backfields (offense/defense) as does 5-10, 160 senior Zeb Katzmarek, who has made the most of his reps in the backfield in the past two seasons.

As a sophomore two seasons ago, he scored on a long game-winning touchdown run in a 13-7 playoff win over Hillsboro. (SEE PHOTO)

Kael Hester, a 6-2, 200 tight end/wide receiver also is back for Roxana.

Hester was second to Briggs in receiving last fall with 11-receptions for 199-yards and five TD's.

Up front three starters from a season ago return.

Six-foot, 178 senior Caiden Davis, 6-1, 190 senior Cooper Harris and 6-2, 185 junior Logan Prater will try to continue to create the space for Ellis and Company.

Maybe the best news of all is that the Shells will have back their entire defensive line back from a year ago.

Five-eleven, 290 senior Mason Forsythe (53-tackles), 6-4, 190 senior Jake Newton (81-tackles), 5-10, 180 senior Kegan Bailey (19-tackles) and 6-2, 230 senior Jayden Hooper (31-tackles) return.

Others that are on the radar include Jordan Carter, 5-11, 165 senior defensive back along with 5-10, 190 junior linebacker Mason Crump and 5-10, 140 junior defensive back/wide receiver Dalton Carriker should be in line for some additional time this fall as will 5-9, 185 junior Max Autery.

“We have an opportunity to turn this from a good turnaround (2-7 to 7-4 to 12-1) to a program that can compete and be hard to beat every year,” said Coach DeVries. “Roxana last went 9-0 in 2003 and followed that up with 0-9 in 2004. We have to continue to get better each day.”

It wasn't a good season for the Columbia Eagles in 2023-24.

Head coach Scott Horner had only suffered through three sub .500 seasons in his 23-years as head coach at the school but one of them was last fall.

Columbia fell to just 2-7 and fifth place in the Cahokia Mississippi Division.

They did lose a couple of close games, a 22-14 defeat at 2A playoff qualifier Breese Mater Dei in the first game of the season and a 27-26 loss to Salem on the road in Week 7.

The two victories came against winless East Alton-Wood River (42-0) and a season-ending 19-8 victory at 4A Jerseyville.

A total of 12-seniors are missing from last fall.

Senior wide receivers Sam Denny, Dalton Rainwater and Lucas Riebeling are part of the departed crew along with linebacker Brandon Jackson and lineman Joe Kish.

Denny led the Eagles in receiving yards with 253-yards on 20-catches and a TD while Rainwater caught eight-passes for 195-yards and three touchdowns.

Riebeling caught 24-passes for 226-yards and three scores.

Senior defensive backs Maddox Stephan and Peyton Andrews are also gone.

Added to the list of missing are lineman Hayden Hrolicka (25-tackles) along with senior defensive backs Riebeling (20-tackles) and Jackson Bueltemann (29-tackles).

Part of the best news around the program is that the top four ground gainers from a season ago return.

Mason Voegele, a 6-foot, 155 senior quarterback/defensive back, has been a part of this varsity since his sophomore season.

He topped the Eagles with 353-yards rushing on 89-attempts along with five TD's.

Voegele added 79-of-145 in the air for an additional 955-yards and 10 touchdowns in the air.

Those are important numbers coming back from one of the team leaders heading into a Week 1 tough contest at Breese Mater Dei.

Running back Logan Hicks, a 5-11, 170 senior, is back after a 41-carry, 188-yard junior season rushing the ball.

Junior Jase Nelson, a 5-10,160 running back was third behind Voegele and Hicks on the ground, rushing for 162-yards on 61-tries.
Five-ten, 180 senior fullback Cam Janik added to the numbers last fall (48-attempts, 106-yards).

Coach Horner also mentioned Hudson Bryant, a 5-9, 155 senior running back, who could play his way into more carries this season.

Keegan Thompson, a 5-9, 175 defensive back will likely move to wide receiver on offense this fall for the Eagles.

The Eagles skill position players look interchangeable, which will give this mentor some options.

Upfront will be important for Columbia to improve on last season.

Six-two, 260 junior lineman Owen Menke plays both sides of the ball as will 5-10, 185 center Broedy Furlow.

Two others upfront; 5-11, 260 junior Lincoln Corbin and 5-10, 185 sophomore Kason Moskop will be part of a line for the Eagles.

“Voegele should have a solid year as our signal caller. He's a great runner and tough kid who will lead our group and is a leader in the secondary on defense. Janik and Bryant are two-year starters and should be our 'go-to' guys when we need tough yards. Our best defensive players as well,” said Coach Horner who enters his 24th season at the helm with an outstanding mark of 159-76. “Nelson returns as our speed back. He looked great in the summer work and will carry the load as well. Menke, Moskop, and Furlow all started last year and will be the backbone for our defensive and offensive lines. Thompson and Hicks are guys whose motor never stop, will be huge parts of our defensive group. Logan is a two-year starter and Keegan started last year as a sophomore.”

You will have to go way back in time to find the last Salem Wildcats' football playoff victory.

How about 1991.

That season Salem, under then head coach Scott Steward, qualified for the 4A playoffs and topped Highland at home, 20-10.

The following game, played in a quagmire at Jerseyville, the Wildcats lost to the Panthers 14-0, ending the season at 9-2.

I know the field was bad because I was there covering the game.

It was also the last time that Salem reached nine-victories in a campaign.

Since that time the Wildcats have lost 12-consecutive playoff contests.

Last fall the 'Cats were on the verge of a playoff berth, sitting at 4-3 with victories over Centralia, Alton Marquette, East Alton-Wood River and Columbia.

Needing one win with two to play, Salem dropped consecutive contest on the road to Freeburg and Charleston to fall to 4-5 and out of postseason contention.

Coach Kevin Greene lost some key players from a season ago as 10-seniors graduated.

Included in the cap and gown parade last spring was senior quarterback Samuel Greene, the coaches' son, who led the Wildcats in passing with 102-of-166 in the air for 1,297-yards and 11 TD's.

Greene was also the top Wildcat on the ground attack with 110-carries producing another 513-yards of offense, which included six rushing touchdowns.

Coach Greene also lost senior lineman Brennan Richardson, senior running back Caleb Smith, senior linebacker/wide receiver Connor Tennyson and senior lineman Chandler Sill.

Tennyson came up with 33-receptions from Greene for 550-yards and five TD's.

So the slots are open for the ones ready to step forward.

Starters that return include second leading rusher from a season ago; 5-9, 165 senior Jeremiah Rinehart.

Rinehart carried the rock 103-times for 522-yards and eight touchdowns last fall.

Wide receiver Miking Ettress, a 5-10, 160 senior, is back for Salem.

As a junior, Ettress caught 30-passes for 420-yards and three touchdowns.

Alex Tate, a 5-7, 220 senior center returns for the Wildcats after starting as a junior

Six-one, 275 junior Briar Hills will help anchor the offensive and defensive lines for Salem.

Another wide out, 5-8, 145 senior Lyric Black is back.

Black snagged 27-passes for 191-yards and a score last fall.

On the defensive side of the ball corner back Cooper Lobek, a 6-0, 160 senior, returns.

Linebacker Kolsyn Quinn, a 5-10, 165 senior, and defensive tackle Frank Podergois, a 6-foot, 300 senior, also returns.

“We experienced a disappointing season last year and lost a great group of seniors. We return a small nucleus of players who contributed last year, and will look to develop some of our younger players to help them contribute,” said Coach Greene, who has 25-years as a head coach at both Salem and Peotone.

08/29/2024
CARBONDALE
BY JACK BULLOCK
While on paper the battle for the Illinois Division of the Cahokia Conference should come down to the matchup between Chester and Red Bud, as it has the past two seasons, there could be some other step up to challenge.

Red Bud and Chester have split the last two division crowns with the Yellow Jackets winning the title in 2022 while the Musketeers took home top honors last fall.

Both teams made the playoffs in each of the seasons and last October 27th the two battled elements and each other in the first round of the 2A playoffs.

A fourth quarter touchdown with a mere :28.7 remaining gave host Red Bud a 7-0 victory.

This season, despite graduation losses that took a lot of talent away from each program, look for both of these teams to head toward their annual showdown with a conference championship hanging in the balance.

Both have returning skill position players returning.

However there will be much to do for both before they hook up at Chester on October 18th.

Carlyle have fell a game short of making the postseason in each of the last two seasons, going 4-5 in each campaign.

The Indians dropped a contest in the final Saturday of the regular season at Red Hill which kept the Tribe out of the playoffs.

Wesclin will enter 2024-25 with new head coach Nick Hollenkamp and some key players missing from a 5-5 playoff team last fall.

Dupo has its three-year starting quarterback returning but many holes to fill for head coach Zach Klaustermeier.

Sparta regroups after a season without varsity football but Coach Kyle Gerlach has some athletes to work with as the numbers are back for the Bulldogs' program.

The Dupo Tigers' program took a severe hit in the spring with the departure of 12-key seniors that represented a majority of the playing minutes and a ton of the total yards for Coach Zachary Klaustermeier.

Notables missing include senior Austin Stein, who led the Tigers in rushing last fall, and seniors Nick Phillips and Conner Ballard who combined for 1,027-yards receiving.

The guy who threw the passes to Ballard and Phillips returns for his junior season.

Six-one, 175 junior quarterback Deegan Prater returns as a three-year starter once the season opens with a home game against St. Louis (MO.) Bayless.

Prater passed for 1,406-yards and 13 touchdowns a season ago and added 309-yards on the ground.

He has accumulated 3,239-yard of total offense in two seasons.

He was one of the top Dupo defenders from the defensive backfield.

Sophomore Brady Portell (5-9, 145) and junior Thinh Staggs (5-9, 155) will also be in skill positions this season at wide receiver and in the defensive backfield.

Coach Klaustermeier also added seniors Kaden Scheppelman and Vance Ray along with sophomore Caden Crowder as potential ball carriers this fall.

Ray played all nine games last season, rushing for 75-yards on just nine tries.

Coach K added two additional names; senior Cole Putnam and sophomore Luke Ellis to the list of potential help on offense as will senior Logan Lambert.

Most of the players on the list, other than Prater, have little varsity experience but have shown promise over the summer and are ready to step forward for Coach Klaustermeier.

The offensive line will be a key with seniors Teegan Hargrove, Gavin Barlow and Carter McMannis returning along with junior Cole Harty, sophomore TJ Baugh and freshman Braxton Barnett.

Sophomores Lukas Click and Jacob Duncan will be part of the mix as well.

“We have put in a lot of hard work this summer. I am very proud of the team and the coaches. I believe that we should have a very competitive squad that will give teams everything they want. Our only goal is to do things with attitude, effort, and preparedness... those are the only things that we can control. Tons of things happen in football games, they are not all positive... the team that usually wins is the team better prepared for adversity,” said Coach Klaustermeier, who enters his third season as head coach.

The Carlyle Indians were two quarters away from a playoff berth last season.

The Tribe held a 16-7 halftime lead at Red Hill on the final day of the regular season in a battle of 4-4 teams each needing a win to qualify.

However Red Hill rallied for a 31-22 win, ending the Indians' season at 4-5.

Coach Nick Wolf enters his third season at Carlyle with three key components missing from last season as seniors running back Dakota Rakers, linebacker Chase Moyer, and lineman Josh Vonder Harr have left the program.

All three were all-conference performers in 2023.

But the kids returning have experience heading into this season.

Five-eleven, 165 senior running back and linebacker Brody Diekemper is a three-year starter for Carlyle and was all-conference a year ago.

Diekemper is over 1,200-yards rushing for his career.

Quarterback 6-5, 170 Hunter Taylor is a two-year starter for Coach Wolf.

Lineman Landon Hitpas, a 5-7, 270 senior, is another who has been around the program (three-year starter) on the offensive and defensive lines.

Another senior lineman, 5-8, 220, Eli Paulsmeyer, has two seasons of starting under his belt.

Carlyle wants to improve on their consecutive 4-5 campaigns after picking up three wins last season over rival Wesclin, Oblong/Palestine/Hutsonville and Dupo and a forfeit from Sparta.

“The off-season for Carlyle football has been extremely productive. The weight room has paid off for this group and this will be the strongest overall team Carlyle has had in a long time. This is going to be an unselfish group who's goal is to win and has set the team goal as breaking through for their first playoff appearance since 2017,” said Coach Wolf.

In his seven seasons as head coach for the Chester Yellow Jackets, not counting the covid19 spring of 2021, his team has made six-consecutive playoff appearances.

This is a sign of a quality small school program.

For last season, the Jackets the road to the playoffs last season was a rough one.

Chester started the campaign 0-3 with defeats to playoff teams DuQuoin, Benton and Freeburg.

But they rattled off four-straight victories and closed the regular season with a non-conference win over Warrensburg-Latham (33-20) to qualify for the playoffs at 5-4.

On a rain soaked night at Red Bud, the Yellow Jackets lost a heartbreaking 7-0 decision to the Musketeers to finish 5-5.

Coach Belton will need to replace eight graduated seniors, all of whom were important to the success of the Chester Yellow Jackets last fall.

Tight end/linebacker Korbin Jany, defensive ends Garret Hopkins and Nate Heuer along with linebackers Trenton Eggemeyer and Gage Hopkins.

Add seniors Aden Runge, Braxton Conder and Gavin Cowan to that list of the uniforms needed filled in 2024.

The good news is that 10 of the starters on both sides of the line, five of which will be three-year starters.

Six-one, 220 senior quarterback Zain Al-Jassim returns to call the signals for Chester.

In his previous two seasons under center, the veteran has under 3,000-yards passing.

Kolton Jany, a 5-11, 180 senior, is a running back/linebacker for Chester

Jany was the top back on the ground last season, amassing 425-yards on 98-attempts.

Al-Jassim has his top target back this fall with 6-2, 200 senior receiver Devante Palacio.

Palacio caught 40-passes for 720-yards and six touchdowns.

Both Al-Jassim and Palacio are nearing program records in passing and receiving.

Anchoring the offensive line are a pair of returning starters; 6-0, 235 senior Alex Williamson and 6-1, 205 senior Nate Maese.

All five were all-conference a year ago.

Another running back who will see PT is 6-1, 190 junior Ethan Colvis and 6-0, 145 junior Tray Peters is a back who can play WR.

Defensively add linebacker 5-9, 160 senior Gene Bicket to the mix with the others mention who play both sides of the line of scrimmage.

“I think our conference schedule will be much tougher this year. Red Bud, Wesclin, Dupo, and Carlyle all have some really good players returning this year,” said Coach Belton. “Our out of conference schedule will be a challenge. We open up at DuQuoin and then we play Pinckneyville, Freeburg and Waterloo. Freeburg is double our size in enrollment. Waterloo has 900 for a enrollment.”

First year head coach Nick Hollenkamp has work to do as the preseason practices begin.

The Wesclin Warriors are missing a bunch of talented seniors from a year ago and lost another key player to transfer from a squad who qualified for the 2A playoffs.

The Warriors beat the teams they needed to beat last season to get into the playoffs.

Wins were against Marshall, St. Louis (MO.) Brentwood, Dupo, Eldorado and Madison.

A 48-0 loss to Shelbyville ended the season in the 2A first round.

Lineman Colby Buckles, Adam Haas, Evan Orr and Connor Doty, corner back Gavin Hollenkamp, center Ayden Kahrhoff, corner back Aiden Norbury, linebackers Marshall Partington, Cole Ritzheimer and Michael Kallvy, wide receivers Karter Sims and Harrison Rakers, and running back Colton Robinson.

Junior quarterback Christian Lopez is now at Paxton-Buckley-Loda.

All will be missed.

However there are returning starters from last fall who were part of the first playoff appearance since 2018.

Three of the starters are on offense with tight end 6-2, 200 senior Carson Richter, 6-1, 220 junior center Nick Hutcheson, and 5-11, 210 senior guard Josh Ware.

Coach Hollenkamp has three others returning who were defensive starters.

Six-two, 200 senior linebacker Lino Garcia is back along with 6-1, 170 junior linebacker Caleb Ferris

Senior Logan Brueggemann, is a 5-11, 160 running back/linebacker.

Zander Kapp, a 6-2, 165 senior, is the place kicker for the Warriors.

The quarterback duties will go to 6-1, 195 junior Cael Madden.

“He (Madden) won the starting position after a strong showing throughout the summer. He has good size and is a strong runner,” said Coach Hollenkamp. “He's working hard to get better at delivering the ball through the air to the athletes on the outside.”

Five-nine, 145 junior running back/linebacker William Waggoner and 6-1, 150 junior Reed Evans is a wide out and defensive back.

Left tackle Colton Earnhart, a 6-0, 185 junior, and 6-0, 240 junior Kayne Reed, are also returning.

Senior lineman Anthony Williams (who missed last season with injuries), junior lineman Marc Olsson, junior defensive back Collin Marsh and senior lineman Owen Josias along with newcomer sophomore linebacker Gauge McDowell and senior Reign Bateman add to the strength of the club.

“We have a promising outlook that hangs its hat on the defensive side of the football,” said Coach Hollenkamp.

Last fall the skies at night were dark on Friday nights when in previous seasons the Sparta Bulldogs would host teams from the Cahokia Conference and, before that, the SIRR.

This program took a one-year hiatus at the varsity level due to a lack of players but the best news is that the program has some kids out ready to take the field in the opening Friday night at home against Madison.

The Bulldogs and head coach Kyle Gerlach have 29 varsity players and only five are seniors, meaning this coach has some kids willing to work for the next few seasons.

This mentor mentioned some key players he will count on for 2024-25.

Five-seven, 165 senior running back Quintin Littlepage is one of the key components.

Senior Tyler Loucks, a 6-1, 165 tight end, 5-8, 144 junior receiver Dequan Woods and 5-7, 160 sophomore quarterback Dariontez Monroe along with 5-8, 185 junior running back Chaze Fajardo are the skill position players for Sparta that have the JV experience from last season.

The Bulldogs top returning linemen are juniors; Josh Ware, Diego Perez and Ethan Ledbetter.

All of those players will also be a part of the Sparta defensive unit along with sophomore linebacker Keyshaun Brimmer and sophomore defensive end Korbin Ping.

“As a team we are looking forward to getting back to varsity football and getting wins at the varsity level,” said Coach Gerlach. “We have had a good summer with good participation. The kids are working hard and we are looking forward to getting back to varsity football.”