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By Phil English Herald sports writer CRYSTAL LAKE - To say Crys­ tal Lake Central coach Bill Mack is encouraged with what he sees in his 1985 pride would be like comparing last year's Tigers with this year's Tigers. Confusing? Not at all. In fact, that statement makes quite a bit of sense. Central may prove to be the same tough team to beat that they were this time last year. And why? Take a look at some of the names on the back of those orange^and hlaelf jerseys. - ^ "We've got more starters return­ ing this year than we've had proba­ bly in the past four or five years," Mack said without any outward dis­ play of surprise. "In the secondary, we've got Aldridge, Friese and Dis- erio, and our outside linebackers. "On offense, there's Dodge, who played the whole second half of the season at fullback, and then there's Podgorski and Friese and...." Okay, okay we get the picture. The Tigers of the Fox Valley Con­ ference have always been the team to beat. In the seven full years of the Fox Valley Conference, Central has never finished below third place. And in those rare cases, it was usually the last game of the season that made that decision. Central has the best overall re­ cord in FVC history and has definit- ley racked up their share of out­ standing statistics. Most notably, last year's defense. In season play, the powerful Tiger defense allowed only 66 points in nine outings. An average of 7.3 points per game. In the FVC, the defense allowed only 6.6 points per game. The only problem for the Tigers that year, and the difference be­ tween first place and their own niche in third, was the big offensive play. Something that has been deep­ ly rooted in Mack's mind for quite some time. "We thought last year that we might have had a solid offense, but we didn't have the speed for a big play and we had no overall passing attack," Mack said. "This year, we have a little more speed." The big question remains. Can all the pieces fall in place this year? Mack insists the offense will take care of itself. But what about the perspective, evenjri a league that defense? will prove to be as cutthroat as the "Our defense will be better this 1985 FVOHe's thankful for what year," he said. "That's not hard to he's got, and he admits, the breaks say, it may be hard to do though,'\X have been kind to him. he laughed. "Our defense is very "Overall, we've got the best re- experienced. I hope to have a very « good defensive team this year^" True, some of the big names, Steve Glanz, Bryan Hansen and Guy Engleman, are gone. Those fill- ing the spaces, however, are al- ' ready familiar names. Jeff Al- dridge, with 20 tackles, seven assists, was fifth best on the 1984 % w W ieam and was chosen the tedWi ' \L rookie of the year last season. Whit ' 1L v Friese, had 26 tackles and eight , %, jjgr assists while Doug Fullick, 16 and SlF „ M 11. Other notables included seniors mm fl Chris Diserio and Tom Dodge. t J " m "We still need to develop our of- 111 " fensive line. Like I said, we're a litle bit faster. Our overall speed is solid, though not spectacular," Mack said. "To be the big play offense we need to be, most of it will have to come from our passing attack." Supplying that passing attack will be split between the dual quarter­ back roles of junior Rob Pros- niewski and senior Scott Norris. The ground attack proves to be equally as deadly. While the team's top three run­ ners from last season will be gone, numbers four, five and seven, Dodge, the fifth leading rusher in the FVC last year, averaging five yards a carry, Friese, 5.2 and Al­ dridge, 2.8, should fill in the leader­ ship roles quite effectively. Central's statistics speak for themselves. As for the rest of the FVC, Mack confirms why he does not seem overanxious to begin the season. "The teams to beat will be Wood­ stock, South and Jacobs," Mack said. "The FVC champion will come out of that group, but that's just smoke right now. One thing I do know is that this year's winner will not be undefeated. "The FVC this year has well bal­ anced, good teams, not just one or two," he added. "D-C or McHenry have the ability to be the dark horse this year, while McHenry has good players, but just not the right kind of depth. They'll beat any team that's not ready for them." But all seriousness aside, Mack lives to keep the game in the right cord in the conference over the last seven years, and most of that comes from a good foundation of kids who love to play hard," he said. "We've had good senior leadership and CENTRAL-Page5 . But I like to keep the game in perspective, it's just a game. You just have to toss the dice and if they come up sevens, great. If you shoot craps, then you've got craps. Bill Mack Crystal Lake Central looks to be a Fox Valley Conference front- runner in 1985 as the Tigers return more lettermen than ever before. Many of those incumbent players return for a defense that led the league in fewest points allowed last year. The Tigers, who have yet to finish below third in FVC look to be one of the teams to beat, they will open the season Aug. 31 at Montini of Lombard. Lack By Phil English Herald sports writer athlete.. He has a great drive to succeed. "I won't put anyone in anybody else's shoes. I don't need to," Hight added in reference to Hellem's for­ mer backfield mate. "Maybe Schultz needs to fill in Vince's shoes." Also top name returning letter- men include Bill Schlies as a run­ ning back and inside linebacker. Schlies also added 25 extra points and a field goal to lead the FVC with 28 points as a kicker. Schipper and King, as recievers SOUTH-Page 5 offense, as compared to a mere 53 for the enemy. "Being able to play a full half year at quarterback is definitely a great advantage," Hight said of his senior play caller. "Kevin plays our option well and certainly a year's experience can only help him." Hellem, the team's top running back, saw a lot of the groundwork for last year's squad, where Schultz saw most of the end zone. He resem- of pressure on them with all their bles a former crosstown rival Jared experience. Sasser in build. But watch the "This year, we have very good comparisons. skills in many positions," he added. "Vince will be a great football "The key will be the offensive line, player," Hight said. "He has good Defensively, we won't be too bad. size and is an exceptionally strong Offensively, we've got a long way to ^ .. go. We're talking a lot of if* -- ^^1 inexperience." As individuals, the returnees have already carved their names in the < FVC, the two most obvious being Beck and Hellem. pPP Beck is probably the most experi- I V A enced quarterback returning to the I W & j conference, with more than a half a I W i year's experience on last year's I i championship team. His passing to- .. tyififiipl tals did not top the FVC heap, but South's offense was mainly that of p W the option. Last year, we had great personnel and some pretty good size too, and now those people are gone. We can't look at ourselves from last year and compare. We just can't get into it. Bob Hight That averages out to an even 30 CRYSTAL LAKE -- Crystal Lake points per game on offense, while South coach Bob Hight is not an allowing little more than a touch- exceptionally outspoken individual. down per contest on defense. And one point he doesn't want to Last year was an overwhelming debate, or even touch with a 10-foot success for the Gators. This year, pole, is a prediction on how his 1984 Hight admits, will be different. How Fox Valley Conference champion- different will be decided sometime shipteam will do one season later. in October. "Last year means nothing," »Gone is one of South's truly great Hight said flatly, thereby spelling running backs in Greg Schultz. The out the groundwork for this year's 1984 season could not go unmen- team. "You have to do it every tioned without his name popping up. year. Just because it happened for He easily outdistanced his nearest us last year doesn't mean it can FVC scoring competitor by 36 happen again, because we have to points, and totally outdistanced the do it all over again. rest of the field in yardage. "Last year, we had great person- But, as Hight insists, the past is nel and some pretty good size too, dead and buried. A good philosophy and now those people are gone," he when trying to build another added. "We can't look at ourselves winner. from last year and compare. We South is in the same boat as every just can't get into it." team in the league as far as num- Last year, as Hight points out bers lost and returning lettermen, with little glamour or fanfare, was Hight says. That makes for an aw- no fluke. The Gators had the best fully good FVC year, and makes it team in the FVC. They went unde- just as hard for the next coach to feated in the conference, 6-0, and pick who will wear this year's racked up a total of 180 points on crown. But then again, Hight wants very little to do with predictions. "There were 25 of them we lost from last year's team, but that was last year," Hight said. "We have a lot of kids with good personality that want to play some football. "We don't have a lot of experi­ ence, and I don't know how long it will take for the people to get it," he added. "We haven't put the pads on against another team, so it's hard to tell." Hight is not the kind of coach to mourn the dead. "We've got five kids back this year that saw a lot of action," he said. "Kevin Beck, Vince Hellem, Bill Schlies, Brad Schipper and Ke­ vin King. I expect good things from them. They will certainly have a lot Page 4 THURSDAY, AUG. 29,1985 GRID SCENE '85 Rock-solid defense may be Tigers' key