Plainfield Central looks to keep up momentum after last fall’s stunning turnaround

There were no warning signs that Plainfield Central was on the verge of an eight-win season that also netted the Wildcats a Southwest Prairie East Conference title last year.

The Wildcats entered 2021 with a first-year varsity coach in Robert Keane, who inherited a program that had won just seven games over its previous seven seasons and wasn’t that far removed from a string of four consecutive winless seasons from 2014-17.

But the Wildcats caught an early wave of momentum and it didn’t really stop until they were bumped out of the Class 7A playoffs with a loss to Yorkville.

Now, Keane and the Wildcats are setting out to prove that the breakout is sustainable and something that will allow them to stay out of the lower depths of their league.

On paper, it looks like that might be a difficult task. The core group of the turnaround, including exceptional running back Aaron Larkins, came from last year’s senior class.

And while Keane recognizes that those seniors won’t be easy to replace, he’s also quick to point out that while the program had great senior leadership, the senior class wasn’t exactly huge in numbers either, allowing the Wildcats to use a whole host of then-underclassmen to fill gaps in the lineup. Those players will be expected to keep Plainfield Central on the right track.

“We were blessed with an awesome group of 27 seniors,” Keane said. “That being said, we also had some kids that played young last year, especially on defense, and we have a lot of guys that were probably chomping at the bit and might have gotten opportunities if there was a different guy in front of them.

“We’re really excited about the group that we’re going to have at the varsity level,” Keane said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to come out, start hot and keep things going the best we can.”

In order to do that, Plainfield Central will need players to step into new, increased roles without much time to ease into those new responsibilities. A beefed-up nonconference schedule has the Wildcats kicking off the season against an always strong Lincoln-Way West program in Week 1.

Linebacker Phillip Carlton is a specific player Keane pointed to as an expected anchor for the Wildcats. Carlton was a stat stuffer as a junior and always seemed to find himself in a position to make a play on or for the ball.

“Phillip’s measurables might not be 6-4, 270, but he is just a kid who is going to be all over the field. He’s going to fly to the football,” Keane said. “He’s one of the most cerebral football players that I’ve ever been around and we think he’s going to have a very special season.”

Carlton shouldn’t be alone in being a player the Wildcats can count on. Defensive tackle Daniel Hollis looks to be a key cog, while DJ Pearson is another player who can provide value in a variety of roles.

Chase Vayda will be under center, leading the offense from the quarterback position, and while they may not have the pedigree of Larkins, Keane likes his running back group, as well.

Another name to know will be sophomore Malik Jassim, who could end up contributing early and often on both sides of the ball.

But above all of the personnel things that need to be addressed, last year’s season helped changed the perception of Plainfield Central football in the most important place, the team’s locker room, and that taste of success leaves them wanting more and a road map as to how to possibly get it.

“For a long time here, we were really hungry and we were finally able to taste some of that success, and for us it has been a summer of reminding ourselves that we have to keep that hunger. We have to keep that drive and everything that you did last year needs to be repeated,” Keane said. “The biggest difference for us is that we now know what it is going to take and it makes it easier for us to try to emulate that.”