08/29/2025
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - For the first time since he took over as head coach, Eric Dickerson well have over 50 kids to work with at Alton Marquette.

The Explorers have just one win (East Alton-Wood River last fall) in its last 36 games.

But with the numbers up, perhaps some good things will happen for his program this season.

Holdover vets include quarterback 5-11 senior Jack Rea.

Michael Beaber, a 6-foot senior lineman, also returns for Coach Erickson.

Senior wide receivers and defensive backs Owen Page and Noah Menke played last season for AM.

Senior linemen Luke Brown and CJ Steib, senior cornerback Keller Jacobs, senior safety Alex Campbell and safety/wide receiver Charles Ahne all have experience.

The Madison Trojans are in a unique situation that makes for scheduling nine football games a difficult endeavor.

Coach Tavares Young runs the football program that is a 1A school that doesn't have a conference affiliation.

This leads to some outlandish road trips and home games against schools that dwarf them in enrollment.

Nevertheless, this coach and program, keep plugging along.

Three seasons ago the Trojans made it into the 1A playoffs, which was followed by a 1-8 campaign in 2023 and last year they finished 2-7.

Coach Young is looking at a team coming in that returns 10 starters, including three-year varsity quarterback Dallas Gardner, a 5-9 senior.

Terion “TJ” Wilbourn, a 5-11 senior, is a wide receiver/safety/kick returner for Madison.

Six-five senior tight end Shane Bennett will be a weapon on offense as is 5-11 senior running back Marquez Smith.

Senior Terry Hinds is another running back mentioned.

Three starters return in the secondary with sophomore Jaiden Williams, along with Wilbourn and Gardner.

Offensive linemen for the Trojans include sophomores 5-11, 285 Jordan Howard, 5-10, 210 Chris Riggins III, 5-11, 245 Maurice Hawkins, and 6-foot, 180 Kayden Lederer.

Seniors Shane Bennett, Kylan James, and junior LaDarius Hamiel will be the nucleus on the defensive Line for Madison.

“We're hoping that his experience will be a factor leading this team,” said Coach Young. “We're excited for the season, looking forward to improving our record from last season.”

Lucas Watkins enters season 11 for the Pirates (67-31) and he has 19 seniors to work with as they're looking for their ninth-consecutive playoff selection.

Cumberland went 8-3 last season with a playoff win before dropping the second round game to eventual final four team Camp Point Central.

Five-ten, 150 senior quarterback Hudson McElravy returns as the starter for the Pirates.

Coach Watkins also has senior running backs Owen McGinnis and Logan Gerhardt returning.

McGinnis is a 5-11, 170 senior while Gerhardt checks in at 5-10, 150.

Wide out Kade McMechan, 5-10, 140 senior, is another vet who has plenty of PT under his belt.

Others on the offense include 6-7, 235 senior tight end Zack Harmon, who will be easy to spot on offense.

Linemen include center 6-1, 185 senior Mitchell Blade, 5-10, 240 junior guard Gavin Keyser and 6-foot, 185 junior tackle Isaac Venatta.

On the other side of the line Coach Watkins has two seniors who are 6-1, 225.

Austin Becker and Reagan Swearingen both return to the line.

Harmon and Venatta both play defense as will McGinnis, Gerhardt and McMechan.

Another linebacker; Waylon Thornton, 6-1,170, will start.

Senior 5-10, 150 running back/linebacker Reid Carlen and 6-2, 195 senior wide receiver/linebacker Kaleb Bierman will also help out.

“We currently have 19 seniors on the roster for this season. To my knowledge, this is the most seniors that we have had in program history,” said Coach Watkins. “We're a senior heavy team and hope to compete for the LPC championship this year. We have many kids that have been starting since they were sophomores and have varsity experience.”