Hyde Park ready for new foes

Hyde Park

2007 record: 3-6

Returning starters: 7

Players to watch:

RB Patrick English, 5-10 185, Sr.

QB/DB Greg Brown, 6-0, 180, Jr.

FB/TE Martrae Godart, 5-10, 215

TE/LB Kenneth Moore, 6-2, 210, Jr.

WR Alton Doran Harrison, 5-11, 175, Sr.

Outlook: Former Julian star Sean Streeter takes over for Andre Moore as head coach. Having played in the Illini division a year ago, the Thunderbirds are accustomed to playing against strong competition. Streeter said it will probably take some time for his new team to learn his system.

The Thunderbirds are strong at the skill positions, especially the receivers with Harrison, Godart and Moore. English is expected to shoulder the bulk of the carries at running back.

Coach's take: “We have some good talent here. We’ve got good team speed, and I expect us to be strong at the skill positions and hopefully we’ll get some good line play. I hope to be able to move the ball both throwing and running.

"We’re looking to developing a good neighborhood rivalry with Kenwood. They are going to have a very good team, and a lot of the guys on our team went to the same grade school with a lot of their guys.

"This is a new staff, a new philosophy, so even though people think we might win the section because we came down from the Illini is probably not that realistic. I’d say at this point Bogan is the definite front-runner.” -- Sean Streeter

Patrick Z. McGavin