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Libertyville greets challenging season with hard work

The lifting program at Libertyville started in June.

Camps ran in July.

And individual workouts were sprinkled throughout.

Like high school football players everywhere, the Wildcats put in hours and hours of work over the summer.

And yet, nothing could quite prepare them for the first official day of practice, which was Wednesday for all high school teams in Illinois.

“It was tiring. Very tiring,” said Libertyville senior captain Luke Mathewson, a tight end and defensive lineman. “The conditioning was killer today. A lot of hard work.”

Not that the Wildcats are shying away from hard work.

They know it will take plenty of it if they want to reach their top goal for the season, which is making the IHSA state playoffs. Last year, with a 3-6 record, Libertyville missed the playoffs.

It was the third time in the last four years that the Wildcats didn’t qualify, an unusual stretch for a program that made 10-straight playoff appearances from 1997 to 2006 and won a state championship in 2004.

“We’ve got a lot to play for this year, considering how our program has been up and down,” said senior captain Mike Parker, a defensive end. “It’s also the last year for Kuz (head coach Randy Kuceyeski). And with everything that’s happened to him, we’re really motivated to help him go out with a bang.”

Kuceyeski, who is entering his 18th season as the Wildcats’ head coach, announced long ago that the 2011 season would be his last because he will be retiring from teaching at the end of the school year.

But late last spring, he also announced that not only will he be fighting back the tears during his last hurrah, he will also be fighting cancer.

Kuceyeski was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, which involves cancer of the mouth. He has spent the summer undergoing intense treatments, including radiation and chemotherapy.

Amazingly, Kuceyeski has barely missed a beat, attending all but two of his team’s summer workouts. Halfway through his 16-week program, he is hoping he will be able to coach in every game as well.

“I needed to be out here (at practice),” Kuceyeski said. “I wanted to be out here. That’s what I needed to help me through (the treatments).

“But this season isn’t about me, it’s about our players. I’m not asking them to dedicate the season to me or anything. The thing we talk about most is the playoffs. Our goal is to make it back to the playoffs and they’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do to put us in a position to challenge to do that.

“I think we can also legitimately compete for the (North Suburban) conference championship, which we haven’t done in five years. This will be a special season for us.”

  Wide receiver Sam Styler runs with the ball during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Quarterback Jack Deichl pitches the ball during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Jack Deichl leads a group of players as they run wind sprints during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Center Nick Carlino hikes the ball to quarterback Hutch Herchenbach during offensive drills on the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Former Libertyville football standout David Moosman helps coach during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Quarterback Hutch Herchenbach hands off to runing back Brian Swift as the offensive line, Nick Carlino, center, Sean McCracken, and Brandon Stanfel, during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Head coach Randy Kuceyeski, in white, directs a play during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Matt Pierson drinks water after running sprints during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Quarterback Jack Deichl hands off to running back Bradley Rafferty during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Coach Karl Jennrich directs the offensive line Nick Carlino, left, Lucas Weis, and Rob McNulty during the first day of football practice Wednesday at Libertyville High School. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com