First-year coach Andriola brings fresh take at Dundee-Crown

Updated: August 22, 2011 9:59PM

There are, as new Dundee-Crown football coach Vito Andriola says, “a million ways to play football.”

The way Andriola wants the Chargers to play is completely different as they attempt to break a 17-game losing streak and rise to the challenge of the powerful Fox Valley Conference Valley Division.

“We’re changing the whole mindset,” Andriola said. “The way we play is the way we always have played in this system, and I think we’re doing it the best way to do it.

“No matter how you play, you better do it hard, physical, and focused, and so far that’s what we’re doing. The coaches are pleased with what they’ve seen so far, but it’s a work in progress.”

Andriola, who came to D-C after being an assistant at Glenbrook South, served as Grayslake head coach from 2001-04. A resident of the Dundee area even before his hiring, Andriola got early training beneath a handful of successful area coaches including Illinois prep hall of famer Bob Bradshaw, former McHenry coach Mike Noll and South Elgin coach Dale Schabert while he was at Larkin.

He long has been known for his intense style and with players being intense, physical and going all out, it helps to be able to play platoon football like the Chargers are able to do. Junior defensive back-receiver Trent Muscat might be the only player going on both sides of the ball.

The center could be focused around senior running back Ardian Asani, a 5-foot-10, 175-pounder with speed and power.

“Ardie, if he keeps working, we feel can be a special back,” said Andriola. “He’s really picked up what we’re doing and we’re excited about him.”

Asani is backed by a group of sophomores that includes T.J. Moss, Cody Lane, and Gabrian Johnson. Andriola said he has no problem counting on sophomores at any position.

“We started nine one time when I was in Grayslake,” he said.

Junior Garrett Ryan will handle quarterback duties.

“He’s a smart kid, a very good leader,” Andriola said. “We’re going to be physical, but we are going to throw the ball, no doubt, just not all over the place.”

Ryan will be throwing to senior Max Schell, or juniors Nick Lodi, and Muscat.

Juniors Ray Griggel and Joe Meixner, and seniors Tyler Schuler, Dimitri Fuentes, and Ryan Hebert comprise the five offensive linemen. Schuler will handle center, and Andriola said it’s possible the others will switch between guard and tackle.

Defensively, the secondary will have to rely on some inexperience with Mike Bartels and Derek Mooney the only seniors. Muscat, Latrell Crenshaw and Ben Sprouse, played for the sophomore team last year, and Fabian Ramirez is a promising sophomore who will contribute.

“Those guys are interchangeable at the positions and have a good grasp of what we’re doing,” Andriola said.

The defensive line has a mix of experience and inexperience with seniors Matt Elliott, Alex Gray, and Jim Kuczynski. Elliott and Gray played linebacker last season. The other linemen are juniors Julian Duarte and Gerald Allen.

The battle for playing time at linebacker has been fierce, with senior Tom McNally trying to maintain his spot while fighting through some nagging injuries and senior Cameron Martin joined by junior Bobby Nelson and sophomore Jordan Linson.

“I’ve always been of the attitude that you can win games in high school with good defense and great special teams,” Andriola said. “That’s what we want. It might be a change for some of the kids, but we’re trying to change a lot of things, including expectations.”

Dundee-Crown Chargers

2010 record: 0-9

Coach: Vito Andriola (First season at D-C)

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