A New Season

Joe Moore never saw it coming. And that's what made it so hard to handle for the Hampshire senior fullback/linebacker.

Three weeks into the football season Moore's team had not won a game.

"It was devastating," said Moore, a third-year varsity player. "It was so disappointing, just terrible."

Hampshire broke through last week, downing Byron 20-6 to improve to 1-3 and stop the season-opening slide.

Just think how Hampshire's neighbors at Burlington Central feel sitting at 0-4. Both teams hope to put the first month of the season behind them with the opening of Big Northern Conference play tonight.

After going undefeated as sophomores while Moore was promoted to the varsity, Hampshire's senior class figured on a quick start this season. And you'd think this group of Whip-Purs would have come roaring out of the gate after being left out of the state playoffs with a 5-4 record in 2007.

But that wasn't the case.

"We had a lack of focus and a lack of effort and no one was pumped to play," Moore said. "There was a lot of moaning and groaning."

And that made Monday film sessions something of a wake-up call for Hampshire, which apparently heeded the words of veteran coach Dan Cavanaugh.

"Coach says you practice like you play," Moore said. "And we could see it on film. We were missing tackles and blocks. The coaches told us we better pick it up."

With the BNC schedule beginning, Hampshire's goals of an East Division title and a playoff berth are still within reach.

"That's what we've been telling the kids. The preseason is over now," Cavanaugh said. "We've played some good teams and you have to give them credit.

"But our best practices have been during the last couple weeks and I think the correlation is certainly there."

Central still fighting -- Burlington Central is in worse shape than Hampshire.

The Rockets enter Week 5 without a victory. The schedule hasn't been easy (their opponents have a combined 11-5 record) and neither has the transition of varsity football for several players who are being relied on at key positions.

The Rockets, who have made the playoffs seven of the past eight seasons, are in danger of missing out in 2008.

"Being 0-4 is frustrating, but it's not the end of the world," Central coach Aaron Wichman said. "The first two weeks (losses to Kaneland and Sycamore) we weren't the better team. (In Week 3 against Byron) I'd say that's the only time the coaches and players were disappointed. And last Friday (a 20-7 loss to undefeated Oregon) was our best game of the year."

Central starts five sophomores and injuries have forced Wichman to rotate in even more inexperienced players. The Rockets open BNC East play against visiting North Boone tonight.

Wichman says senior leaders Max Kling, Jeremy Lee and Frank Wleklinski have done a solid job of keeping the team focused.

"The playoffs have started for us this week," said Wleklinski, a middle linebacker. "You don't ever think you're going to start a season 0-4. People are asking us what's wrong in the hallways.

"But we've got our heads up and we're focused. We know what we have to do."

Wichman says the team has finally found its identity and has grown accustomed to the speed of varsity action.

"That's a big part of it," the fifth-year Rockets leader said. "You can't simulate in the summer what it's like to play varsity football and what you're going to see. But I think we're progressing."

The time is now for Central to make it happen. One more loss likely means no postseason.

"Everything's been said that needs to be said," Wleklinski said. "It's on us now."