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Scouting Lakes: Eagles are ready to get after it

Sometimes the competitiveness spills onto the court, even for football players.

It happened this month during the Lakes football team's lock-in for sophomores, juniors and seniors. Fortunately, no one got hurt. Guys just got told to take some bench.

"We were playing kickball," senior inside linebacker/running back Dylan DeAngelo said. "We're just screaming at each other - 'No, you're out!' stuff like that."

The boys were up until 2 a.m. playing basketball in the gym.

"We're super competitive," DeAngelo said, "even when we're just goofing around."

Now, however, it's time for the Eagles to take their emotions to the football field. Lakes fields passionate teams every year, and head coach Jordan Eder doesn't expect that to change this season. The Eagles went 9-2 in Eder's first season last year. While they graduated a talented senior class that included six All-Northern Lake County Conference First Team selections - including linebacker Ryan Selig (Western Michigan) and Class 5A all-state running back Ethan Greenfield (North Central College) - a new group is ready to continue the team's tradition of winning.

"I think we're going to be good," Eder said. "I think we're going to be athletic in all spots. We don't have the big, big O-linemen and D-linemen, but we got guys that are athletic and can move. Skill-wise, I think we're going to be really strong on both sides."

Not only is Greenfield now at North Central, so are former Eagles Robert King (linebacker) and Jake Johnson (quarterback). In his first season as a starter last year, Johnson threw for 1,599 yards and 21 touchdowns, while completing 56 percent of his passes. His replacement will be either junior Chris Selig (Ryan's brother) or senior Jeff Nielsen, who missed last season after suffering a labrum tear in his hip during the summer.

Whoever plays quarterback will have a go-to wide receiver in senior D'Lo Hardy (6-1, 195), who flashed big-play ability last year. He averaged 22.5 yards on 26 receptions with 8 touchdowns and also returned a kickoff for a TD. The All-NLCC First Team selection has been receiving interest from Division I schools but does not have a scholarship offer.

"I think he's one of the better athletes in the area," Eder said. "It should be fun watching him this year."

And Hardy is motivated.

"I feel like I'm slept on," Hardy said. "I want to show people that I'm able to play at the Division-I level."

Trying to make up for the backfield production of Greenfield (1,225 rushing yards, 16 TDs) will be senior Cade Ketlinski and DeAngelo (5-9, 190), who was All-NLCC Second Team as a linebacker last year.

"Cade is going to be really good, and DeAngelo runs incredibly hard," Eder said. "They're a good 1-2 punch."

Jack Grupka (6-1, 250) is the only veteran on the offensive line, but the senior tackle isn't worried about the team's lack of experience.

"It's a little bit tough, but it was the same last year," Grupka said. "We just got to mesh a little bit more together. It's coming along.

"We work together as a team," Grupka added. "We got a lot of playmakers, and I feel like our offensive line will be able to get it together. We'll be able to score a lot of points, and our defense will be able to hold the other teams to not a lot."

Cornerback Dylan Keilwitz also earned All-NLCC First Team honors last year and returns for his senior season. Keilwitz also plays wide receiver. The other defensive returnees include Hardy and senior defensive back Cyrus Ritz.

"This year's team and last year's team are two different teams," Hardy said. "Last year we were real physical - ground-and-pound football. This year we have more speed."

The Eagles appear to be simply reloading, as they seek their 11th postseason berth in 14 years as a program.

"We have really good guys that were behind really good guys (on the depth chart) last year," Eder said. "It's not a new crop of guys where we were wondering if we had the talent. We knew it was there."

  WR D'Lo Hardy makes a catch during Lakes High School football practice in Lake Villa. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  OL Jack Grupka, right, blocks during Lakes High School football practice in Lake Villa. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Dylan DeAngelo throws a block during Lakes High School football practice. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  WR D'Lo Hardy runs with the ball during Lakes High School football practice in Lake Villa. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Head football coach Jordan Eder runs practice at Lakes High School. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Offensive Coordinator Ray Gialo call out plays during Lakes High School football practice in Lake Villa. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  CB Dylan Keilwitz, right, defends during Lakes High School football practice in Lake Villa. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Head coach Jordan Eder talks to players during Lakes High School football practice. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
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