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Dundee-Crown expects a better season

Dundee-Crown aims for a better campaign than in 2015, when the Chargers got off to a rough start and were unable to pull out of it.

There were plenty of complications beyond a starting lineup rife with inexperienced juniors.

The coaching staff was still in flux late into training camp and a season-ending injury to quarterback Connor Ryan in Week 4 forced running back Pat Sprouse to switch positions. The Chargers did the best they could, but an unforgiving Fox Valley Conference schedule contributed to a 2-7 finish.

A year later, they still faces challenges, like only 11 juniors on the 38-man roster.

This time around, a D-C squad with 20 returning seniors and a healthy Ryan back at quarterback plans to hit the ground running.

"We had a lot of juniors playing last year that are seniors now and they're doing a pretty good job of leading," D-C coach Mike Steinhaus said. "We don't have a lot of juniors on this team, but the ones the ones staying with us are solid kids and solid football players. We're very excited about this senior group. They've had some success at the lower levels."

D-C's Class of 2017 went 5-4 as freshmen but the group was broken up as sophomores when promising players like guard Oscar Nava and center Gage Efken were elevated to the varsity to plug holes.

Now third-year varsity starters, Nava (5-10, 252) and Efken (6-0, 275) anchor an offensive line that also returns seniors Chase Rapp (6-0, 195) and Chandler Cowan (6-4, 318)

Greg Williams returns at running back. He took over as the featured ball carrier last season when Sprouse switched to quarterback. A 5-foot-6, 155-pound sparkplug nicknamed "Mighty Mouse," Williams rushed for 627 yards and 5 touchdowns in 94 attempts (6.7 avg.).

Another dangerous returning player is wide receiver Sean Jay, a multisport athlete who last season made 12 catches for 104 yards. Watch for coach Mike Steinhaus to find ways to get the ball in Jay's hands.

Defensively, D-C's coach lauded the improvement of senior safety Eddie DeLuga.

"He's worked his butt off in the weight room and I think he's one of the best players in the conference," Steinhaus said. "He's an old-school, bring-your-lunchpail-to-work kind of kid. When he hits somebody, they know it."

DeLuga is joined on defense by some key returnees, including third-year end Tommy Koniewicz, stack linebacker Colter Russell and inside linebacker Michael Grant. Junior tackle Isaiah Ziegler and senior defensive backs Jonathan Mays and Scott Wojcik also saw significant playing time last season.

The Chargers lost all 5 games they played against Fox Valley Conference opponents in 2015. Will more senior leadership translate to a better result?

"We've definitely talked about taking it one game at a time and even one play at a time," Steinhaus said. "We can't get too high or too down on bad plays or good plays, just keep the same level throughout the game. These kids have worked their tails off for me in practice. I'm extremely proud of them."

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