Dundee-Crown ‘trying to build on’ 4-win 2018 season

Coach: Mike Steinhaus (sixth season, 11-45)

2018 record: 4-5 overall, 3-5 FVC

Fast fact: The Chargers played in the Fox Valley Conference’s highest-scoring football game ever last season, a 70-55 loss to Prairie Ridge in Week 4.

SCOUTING REPORT

• Dundee-Crown tied for its second-most successful season since 1994 last year and was alive to become playoff-eligible heading into the final game.

• Among the players the Chargers lost to graduation were QB Josh Raby (1,563 passing yard, 15 TDs), RB Ricky Ibarra (746 yards) and WRs Jordan Hairston and Jack Michalski (25 receptions each). That is a lot of offense to replace.

• TE-DE Justin Prusko (6-6, 220) committed to NCAA Division I FCS Southeast Missouri State this summer. Prusko is a tough blocker and should assume more of a role in the passing game this season.

• Senior Evan Echlin and junior Matt Ward were competing in camp for the starting quarterback job. Davontae Harvey, Amairie Jones and LaJuan Gaines were in the mix at the running back positions.

• Some of the other top returning players are OL-LB Tony Fakhoury, OL-LB Garrett Hansen, OL-DL Enoch Brobbey and LB Jhalon Reese, who was D-C’s Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.

• “We’re trying to build on being consistent,” Steinhaus said. “We have some older guys who have done it before. We’re trying to get them consistent and to understand the work and the process it’s going to take to play meaningful football like we did last year.”

MUST-WATCH GAME

If the Chargers can open with a win against smaller Burlington Central, they could move to 2-0 with a Week 2 win at McHenry. That would mark their second consecutive 2-0 start.

SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time

Aug. 30 Burlington Central 7 p.m.

Sept. 6 @McHenry 7 p.m.

Sept. 13 Jacobs 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 @Prairie Ridge 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 Cary-Grove 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 @Crystal Lake South 7 p.m.

Oct. 11 Crystal Lake Central 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 @Hampshire 7 p.m.

Oct. 25 Huntley 7 p.m.

- Joe Stevenson