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Prospect puts focus on preparation

Expect a huge youth movement with Prospect's football program this fall.

The Knights return just three starters on offense and one on defense. Meanwhile, as many as four sophomores could crack the 2017 lineup.

"Right now we are demonstrating that we are a relatively young football team," Prospect coach Mike Sebestyen said. "Our kids are working very hard, but obviously we lost a lot of experience from last year."

Sebestyen, who has 41 players on his team, said that as many as 25-30 could play each week.

"We are replacing a lot of people," Sebestyen. "But we are also very excited. We are playing some seniors who have been here and not started. This is a group of kids who have worked tremendously hard in the off-season and this summer."

A huge bright spot for the Knights will be the return of last season's leading rusher, Michael Shafis. A junior this season, Shafis, who is 6-foot-2, and 176 pounds, figures to get most of the touches on the ground.

"He did a nice job for us last year as a sophomore," Sebestyen said. "He took on a lot last year and did real well. We are hoping that it will continue."

Jimmy Martin, who is a junior, will start at quarterback for the Knights. Martin will be backed up by Zach Zei and Nick Ergastolo.

The offensive line, which was stout last year, has just one returning starter in Brennan Keane (6-0, 178). Figuring to get most of the duty alongside him are Ty Lussow (6-2, 189), Mitch Kamp (6-1, 204), Sebastian Swistak (6-4, 219) and Jack Heiss (6-0, 235). Cade Lussow (6-2, 173) and Zack Zakula (6-5, 189) will also be counted on.

At wide receiver, the Knights have a large group of wide receivers that will work their way in. That group is led by Ergastolo, Connor Heimdal and Jack Kazmer. Matt Neal, Matt Meyer and Ryan Traviola, all sophomores, will be in the mix as well. Unfortunately, Brian Doherty, who is a sophomore and was a bright spot this summer, was lost when he was injured in July.

With just one defensive starter returning, the defense is in a flux.

Ryan Cooch, Dan Larsen, Zakula and Tommy Morton along with transfers Emanuel Lindsey (Oak Park) and Felip Jarosinski (Maine East) will be in the rotation on the defensive line.

Shafis will anchor the linebacking group that includes Michael Cima, Cade Lussow and Adam Mekky.

The defensive backfield could have an eight-man rotation. Ergastolo and Kazmir will start at safety with Nick Mariani and Joe Esczuk providing some depth. Heimdal and Anthony Burkhardt, who was a part-time starter last year, figure to start at corner with Zei and Yash Takkar stepping in at times.

"We have some kids rotating around because we are trying to create some depth," said Sebestyen, who started 22 different players at the start of last year.

"This year we are going to start five or six guys who go both ways. We just have to have kids we can plug in and do the job."

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