Lake Station: Carrying the load

Updated: August 18, 2011 3:50PM

Hasonie Walters knows how opponents looked at Lake Station in the past and he wants to make sure they never do that again.

The Eagles senior notices his teammates warming to second-year coach Mike Hepp’s disciplined approach to the game and appreciates the change in mindset.

“These guys are definitely accepting it and they’re stepping up a lot more than they were,” said Walters, who transferred to Lake Station from River Forest last year. “We’re fighting to the end, just to get the victory. … We’re not just going to lay around this year. This is not the same team we were a couple years ago.

“I don’t want (opponents) to think we’re just some team, ‘Oh, it’s just going to be another game, be an easy victory for us.’”

The improved attitude is all well and good, but it wouldn’t be worth as much if the Eagles couldn’t back it up on Friday night. They struggled to be competitive last fall in Hepp’s first year back as head coach after a 10-year hiatus, finishing 1-9.

But there’s a sense of optimism around the program, a feeling that better days are coming.

Much of the hope rests on the sturdy shoulders of Walters, who’ll be a mainstay on both sides of the ball again.

“We’re going to go as far as he can take us,” Hepp said. “He’s a lot stronger than he was. He’s taken over as a team leader and he’s comfortable with it.”

When it comes to talking about Walters’ role on offense, Hepp won’t attempt any misdirection plays.

Will the senior get 25, 30 carries a game?

“I was thinking, ‘Could I say something (ambiguous) and not say that?’” Hepp said with a smile. “Of course, he is. He is going to be our workhorse.”

It helps that Walters won’t need a lot of help from a developing offensive line.

“He’s not going to need a lot to break loose,” Hepp said. “He’s got good speed, his lower body’s very, very strong. It won’t take a whole bunch for him to break tackles.”

Walters doesn’t shy from his featured role in the offense.

“I like having the ball,” he said. “Having control of where the ball’s going and making it a touchdown. Getting that first hit ... you make contact because (you’ve) already (got) your momentum, it’s a great feeling.”

What would be equally satisfying for Walters is being able to play football after high school. He’s had contact with Eastern Michigan.

“They’ve been watching me because I did (well) last year,” he said. “But they want to see what I can do this year.”

So do Hepp and Lake Station’s fans, who are looking for the Eagles to be a player again on the local football scene after so many down seasons. No. Name Ht.

Coach

Mike Hepp

Record

At school: 26-46 (eighth year)

Overall: 26-46 (eighth year)

Last season

Lost 49-7 to Culver in sectional opener

Key returnees

RB/LB Hasonie Walters

RB Chris Szostek

WR Taylor Sykes

CB Ryan Clark

Key losses

RB/LB Jerry Castellanos

LB Julian Ruiz

College prospects

RB/LB Hasonie Walters

Season outlook

The Eagles took some steps back toward respectability last fall in coach Mike Hepp’s return to the sidelines, ending a 15-game losing streak with a homecoming win over Calumet in Week 5 en route to a 1-9 finish. But there’s still plenty of work to do for a team whose last winning season came in 1998. “The key for us is defense,” said Hepp, whose team allowed 43 points a game in 2010. “We couldn’t stop anybody last year.” Expect improvement on that side of the ball, with contributions from the likes of senior limebacker Hasonie Walters, senior cornerback Ryan Clark and sophomore outside linebackers Robert Fazekas and Keith Durbin. Walters also will lead a young offense that will have at least a couple of freshman starters in quarterback Cody Lemley and back Kyle Gooch. The Eagles should be better, but how that will translate into wins and losses remains to be seen. “I will guarantee one thing,” Hepp said. “We will be more competitive. Teams won’t be able to do what they did to us last year.”

Postseason

Class 2A Sectional 25 (Andrean, Boone Grove, Bowman Academy, Lake Station, North Newton, Rensselaer, River Forest. Wheeler)

Schedule

Aug. 19 at North White

Aug. 26 Roosevelt

Sept. 2 River Forest

Sept. 9 at Bishop Noll

Sept. 16 at Calumet

Sept. 23 South Central

Sept. 30 at Wheeler

Oct. 7 North Newton

Oct. 14 Whiting

HISTORY LESSON

Season Record

2001 0-5. 0-4

2002 1-9, 1-5

2003 0-10, 0-7

2004 4-6, 3-4

2005 2-8, 1-6

2006 1-9, 0-7

2007 2-8, 2-5

2008 2-9, 0-7

2009 0-10, 0-7

2010 0-10, 0-7

Sectional titles: 1991, 1998

Roster

Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.

Alex Moyet 5-11 229 12 OL/DL

Taylor Sykes 6-0 180 12 WR/DB

Orlando Salas 6-0 230 12 OL/DL

Ryan Clark 5-8 155 12 SB/DB

Justin Handley 6-0 215 12 OL/DL

Hasonie Walters 6-2 210 12 RB/LB

Jason Bogaski 5-11 190 12 OL/DL

Carlos Martinez 6-3 190 11 WR/DE

Alfredo Lopez 5-6 195 11 OL/DL

Jordan Riley 5-10 150 11 WR/DB

David Guerra 5-10 260 11 OL/DL

Val Lopez 6-5 350 11 OL/DL

John Bastin 6-2 190 11 TE/DE

Chris Szostek 5-10 160 11 RB/DB

Kquerie Johnson 5-6 150 11 RB/DB

Nate Dodge 5-7 160 10 TE/LB

Mike Hanna 5-5 220 10 OL/DL

Robert Fazekas 6-0 155 10 RB/LB

Epi Cruz 5-6 290 10 OL/DL

Christian Thompson 5-5 10 10 WR/DB

Keith Durbin 5-11 195 10 OL/LB

Joe Gregory 5-6 160 10 RB/LB

Mylano Quinones 5-8 150 10 WR/DB

Felix Lopez 5-9 160 10 QB/DB

Carlos Calderon 5-4 140 9 RB/DB

Kyle Gooch 6-1 200 9 RB/DB

Kody Lemley 6-0 160 9 QB/DB

Cory Ilyes 5-6 175 9 OL/DL

Manuel Guererra 5-10 250 9 OL/DL

Justin Donnelly 6-1 190 9 OL/DL

Mason Baldazo 6-0 215 9 OL/DL

Anthony McCarty 5-6 145 9 WR/DB

Adrian Corral 5-7 170 9 DL/LB

Isiah Shultz 6-0 240 9 OL/DL

Jonah Shultz 6-0 250 9 OL/DL

Joel Garcia 5-5 150 9 RB/LB

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