It's that time of the year

Whistles blew early on the first day of football practice at area high schools Wednesday, a sound that couldn't come soon enough for anxious athletes.

"I couldn't sleep because I was so nervous," Elgin senior two-way lineman Hector Hernandez said during a water break. "The first day is always something special. Even if you've been doing it for a long time, it's always different. This is what I like to do and it's what all these guys like to do. We're here because we like it. And we're here because we want to win."

The push for 6 victories and an automatic playoff berth began in earnest for most schools under sunny skies at 8 a.m. IHSA rules allow for helmets only during the first three days of practice. Teams can begin contact drills in full pads on Saturday, 13 days before the season opener on Friday, Aug. 28.

On the practice gridiron behind Elgin High School's Memorial Field, approximately 40 varsity Maroons took part in conditioning and agility drills under the watchful eyes of second-year coach Dave Bierman and his staff. Last season only 28 varsity players competed on the first day of practice.

"It's a lot better than last year," Bierman said of the improved participation. "It's a good mix of kids as far as juniors and seniors. What one class doesn't have the other does."

Elgin, like many programs, will use two-a-day practices to settle important position battles, including quarterback. With three-year signal caller Tom Roth graduated, the Maroons will turn to either senior Ryan Parks or junior Jake Meyer.

On the practice field at Bartlett High School, a similar competition is under way. The Hawks must replace nine offensive starters, including all-area quarterback Josh Hasenberg (Colgate), a two-year starter who threw for nearly 4,000 career yards and helped lead the Hawks to a 12-1 record and the school's first appearance in the Class 8A state semifinals in 2008.

Hasenberg's replacement will either be sophomore A.J. Bilyeu or junior Joey Scaminaci, Bartlett coach Tom Meaney said. The two returning starters are left guard Brendan Bauers and third-year starting tight end Greg Partyka.

Defensively, the Hawks will go with four linebackers. Third-year safety Mike Banks will move to one outside linebacker spot while third-year starter Jim Crain mans the other. Senior Grant Becker and promising sophomore Mike Partyka will play middle linebacker. Senior tackle Joey Quartullo and senior end Eric Moreno also return, giving Bartlett a stout run defense. Can this group approach the record-setting success of last year's Hawks?

"It is a tough act to follow, so we have to keep working our butts off and get ready for Hoffman Estates (on opening night)," Partyka said. "Then we'll just take it one game at a time and try to get better every day. We have high expectations every year, but now it seems like everyone else is gunning for us. We just have to be ready to take everyone's best shot and come ready to play every game."

Bartlett used 24 of the 25 summer camp practices allowed under IHSA rules.

"We may not be as far along as we were last year, but we have quite a bit in already," said Meaney, who begins his 25th season coaching football in Elgin Area School District U-46 along with offensive coordinator Mark Williams. "We've come a long way in the last six weeks. The kids aren't the biggest or fastest, but they have a lot of heart and work hard. They believe they can do it, and that's really all it takes."

At Dundee-Crown's practice field in Carpentersville, players worked on agility and conditioning under the warm noon sun on the first day of double practices.

"It feels great - just the atmosphere of being out here again and seeing all your teammates playing football," senior fullback/linebacker Mateusz Drozdz said. "It's great. Plus, I think I'm getting a good tan."

The Chargers look to improve the program's chance of reaching the playoffs with a good start. Instead of facing state power Geneva in the season opener, as they had the past two seasons, Dundee-Crown will begin a series against Elgin, a program with a similar winning percentage in recent years. The Chargers and Maroons will square off in the season opener at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 28.

"That's a school we should play," Davis said of Elgin. "When we play schools that are like us it's a competitive game. Is it a great game? Maybe not. But it gives each team a chance instead of them having to line up against Bartlett and us having to line up against Geneva, Crystal Lake South or Cary-Grove."

Added Drozdz: "I feel much better about this first game than I did about playing Geneva. If we can get off on the right foot, the momentum can go on for the entire season."

The Chargers' schedule then includes games against Streamwood, Johnsburg and Grayslake North before Valley Division play in the Fox Valley Conference begins against Crystal Lake South on Sept. 25.

Junior Tanner Kotlan will succeed two-year starting quarterback Logan Kissack (Elmhurst College), Davis said.