Wood plans to make some changes

When is that first win coming next year? How about against the expansion club Woodstock North, a program fielding its first varsity football team? Or even Woodstock Central. Or maybe even Dixon, who has to trek more than 100 miles to just reach Grayslake.

In the meantime, the winless Knights of Grayslake North High School can work on a few things in the offseason. On Dec. 15, there will be a weightlifting contest (public invited) between North and Central High Schools. Graduated seniors also are invited, and that means Anthony "Beans" Muir will be brought back to help out his Knights.

Also, football coach Steve Wood might throw out the playbook on how to keep everyone happy.

"We have to change some things up," he said. "Next year, we will play the best kids. If it's 16 kids who are the best, those 16 will play. We'll pick up the conditioning. We'll see. Things aren't working right now."

There was one very important part of the football program that went well.

"We had no ineligible players," Wood said. "I'm very proud of that. They are all students first."

Wood made a point to take in a Libertyville football practice this fall. He noticed a difference between those players and his.

"We watched them fly around," he said. "They have that confidence. They have that speed that we can't replicate."

By all accounts, Glenn Mizowek's junior season rushing the ball was a decided success. He had that memorable 95-yard TD run against Central in Week 8, which set a school record. Mizowek paced the Knights in rushing through 8 weeks with 665 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, safety Ross Sauer was the last line of defense. And he did his job, recording 70 tackles.

"The kids were still a ton of fun," Wood said. "We just didn't have a lot of success."

With the expansion of the Fox Valley Conference, Antioch and Lakes will be dropped from next year's schedule. That's because of the 13 teams in the FVC, including the two schools from Woodstock.

Looking for better records down on the lower levels? Wood knows the freshman team is better than its 1-7-1 record would indicate.

"Our freshmen are pretty good," he said. "They had a 15-13 loss to Central (a 7-2 team)."

A number of key freshmen made the jump to the sophomore team. CJ Bailey was a talented running back/linebacker.

"He's pretty good," Wood said. "He's got good size and he's quick. He's living in the weight room."

Wood reports offensive lineman/linebacker Jimmy Prince is growing by leaps and bounds.

"He's put on 3 inches and 25 pounds," Wood said.

That sophomore team didn't win a game but also has some key players like Jake Kaminski, Curtis Boyd, Troy Gwaltney (6-2, 250 pounds), Steve Sass and Michael Bailey.