Barrington's thrilled about 'new' home

There is always a special feeling to the opening of high school football season.

But the atmosphere should be especially electric Aug. 29 when Barrington hits its brand new stadium against Libertyville.

Barrington coach Joe Sanchez said everything is on schedule to be ready for the opener. The field turf, new stands and press box are in and the track is scheduled to be put in today. The last major piece, the jumbotron scoreboard, is expected to be in next Wednesday.

Sanchez wasn't sure if the Broncos would be able to have their intrasquad game next Friday in the new stadium. He said an option could be having it without spectators.

"As long as game number one is at home, that's most important," Sanchez said. "It's pretty exciting."

Schaumburg and Fremd will also be joining Barrington this season as Mid-Suburban West teams playing on field turf.

Fremd coach Mike Donatucci said the due date for completion is Sept. 15 to there is a chance its Sept. 12 game with Wheeling at home.

That was the only one of the Vikings' first five games scheduled to be at home. They host Conant on Oct. 3.

"It'll get done - I'm not worried about that," Donatucci said. "But I like practicing at night early in the season and we won't be able to do that."

Schaumburg will have to play its first three scheduled home games with Maine South, Wheeling and Prospect at Conant. The first game back at Gary Scholz Stadium is expected to be Sept. 26 against Fremd.

"I keep telling the kids if you want to have more home games then play in November," said Schaumburg coach Mark Stilling.

Familiar faces in new places: Some of the newcomers on Barrington's sideline are hardly new to the coaching ranks.

The biggest addition was Rich Roberts, who retired after 18 years in charge at Buffalo Grove and 20 years as a head coach. Roberts will coach the wide receivers.

"I'm very excited about Richie coming over," Joe Sanchez said. "He's a tremendous asset to the program with all his years of experience, his knowledge of the game and how he is with kids."

Mike Staudt also came over from BG and will coach the linebackers. Former Cary-Grove standout Kevin Kaplan will coach the defensive backs with former Barrington star Kyle Derickson getting hired at Elmhurst College by new head coach and former Wheaton Warrenville South star quarterback Tim Lester.

Kaplan, who played at Illinois Wesleyan, coached at Cary-Grove, Glenbrook South and Marengo.

"Losing somebody like Kyle is huge," Sanchez said. "But somebody like Kevin is a great asset to our program."

Prospect also has a pair of familiar faces from its 2005 Class 7A state champion back to work with the offense in former Elk Grove head coach Bruce Baszali and Steve Polley, who was an assistant at Elk Grove last year. Baszali will commute from Belvidere on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and for games.

"Having Baszali and Polley for me is big," said Prospect coach Brent Pearlman. "(Baszali) has got something about him with his attitude and the kids love him."

Elk Grove coach Tom Whalen was also looking for some offensive help with Polley's departure and coordinator Jim Farrell taking over at BG.

The Grenadiers' new offensive coordinator is Gary Steinbach, who was Cary-Grove's head coach from 1977-82 and led the school to its first two playoff berths. Steinbach also coached at Providence and Prairie Ridge high schools and at Northern Illinois, Illinois Benedictine and Illinois Wesleyan.

Jeff Mazur came over from Hersey to work with the offensive linemen and former Fremd standout wide receiver Brian Bucciarelli came over from Stevenson.

But Whalen still has one coach very familiar to the MSL on his defensive staff.

"He's still here," Whalen laughed about former Hersey head coach Mike Mullaney. "I can't get rid of him."