Fairly young team to adjust from week to week, rely on strong leadership
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
There haven’t been too many instances in recent history that didn’t find the Big Foot football team right in the thick of the Rock Valley Conference race.
And if all falls into place, that trend should continue again in 2016.
Big Foot brings a fairly young squad into the new season off a team that advanced to the second round of the WIAA Division 4 playoffs last season, but third-year head coach Greg Enz remains optimistic.
“We have a lot of inexperience coming in,” he said. “With that said, there is a lot of potential both in our skill positions and (on the) line.
“We will need to be fast learners and make a difference in adjustments within games from week to week.”
Big Foot was 6-5 overall last year and tied on top of the RVC with Clinton, Brodhead-Juda and Beloit Turner at 4-2. The Chiefs beat East Troy in the first round of the playoffs before they fell to eventual state runner-up Lodi in the second round.
The Chiefs tuned up for this week’s opener last weekend with a five-team scrimmage at Brookfield Central.
Big Foot faced Whitnall, Grafton, Beaver Dam and Cedarburg – and like probably every high school coach in the state, Enz came away with some good and some bad from the experience.
“We have to make some adjustments to help the players be more successful on the field,” he said. “We will need to continue to improve on our understanding of plays, calls and execution to make for consistent success.”
Trio among leaders
Looking at the personnel, Enz said leadership should come from a number of sources, but a trio of players – seniors Brennan Malone (defensive back) and Olinh Craig (linebacker-running back) and junior Jackson Enz (quarterback) – will have a major role in that area.
Enz, the coach’s son, completed 46 of 88 passing attempts for 654 yards and seven touchdowns last year. He also rushed 78 times for a team-leading 432 yards and six touchdowns.
Craig had 72 rushing attempts for 266 yards.
Defensively, Craig was second on the team in tackles with 90 and first in tackles for a loss with 15. Malone was third in tackles with 87.
Enz was a first-team, All-RVC pick last season, while Malone was second team and Craig honorable mention.
“(My expectations for the leaders are the) same as I would (say) every year,” Greg Enz said. “(I want a) consistent performance on the practice field and in games. (They need to) lead by example and hold the team to those same expectations.”
Joining Malone and Craig from the senior class on the roster are Nelson Tovar (receiver), Andrew Rego (defensive back-offensive lineman), Thallin Baker (cornerback), Kasey Woodside (receiver-cornerback), Blake Synove (defensive back), Matt Orick (running back-linebacker), Travis Berryman (defensive back), Michael Petkoff (defensve back-running back), Beau Cary (defensive end-receiver), Devin Rankins (lineman), Charlie Chalcoff (offensive line-defensive end), Edward Uden (lineman) and Jacque Christman (linebacker).
Other juniors on the roster are Jack Heidenreich (receiver), Pedro Sierra (receiver), Hunter Sharpe (receiver-defensive back), Austin Brongiel (receiver), Tucker Milligan (no position listed), Jose Mercado (linebacker), Ethan Rowland (offensive line-linebacker), Connor Hessman (defensive end-offensive line), Taylor Trotti (lineman), Rocky Lavariega (offensive line-linebacker), Mike Volschow (lineman), Danny Carpenter (lineman), Hugo Dominguez (lineman), Aaron Carpenter (lineman) and Grant Yttri (defensive back).
The roster also includes 17 sophomores and 16 freshmen.
Conference changes
The new season marks a change in the RVC, as the two divisions have been replaced by one 10-team set up.
That means no more nonconference games, and that right there will be an adjustment, Enz said.
“Bigger conferences require going through the gauntlet,” he said. “We will have to be very wary of injury and overall physical and mental fatigue that can set in.
“You don’t have the advantage of nonconference (games) any more, and the overall schedule for everyone has improved immensely.”
As far as the race goes, Enz sees several teams that could be a factor, including Evansville, Clinton, Beloit Turner and Brodhead-Juda.
Where the Chiefs can fit in remains to be seen.
“We always place an emphasis on a conference title,” Enz said. “This isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. Our growth will be key to meeting this goal.”
Enz is assisted this year by Greg Lueck, Pat Holihan, Rob Christman, A.J. Paul, Kim Arntz, Wes Courier, Mike Dowden, Jon Petkoff and Tyler Heck.
Big Foot opens the season Friday night against visiting Brodhead-Juda at 7 p.m.
2016 Schedule
The following is a schedule of the Big Foot High School football team’s regular season games. Home games are listed in bold:
- Aug. 19 vs. Brodhead-Juda, 7 p.m.;
- Aug. 26 vs. East Troy, 7 p.m.;
- Sept. 2 at Clinton, 7 p.m.;
- Sept. 9 vs. Jefferson, 7 p.m.;
- Sept. 16 at Beloit Turner, 7 p.m.;
- Sept. 23 vs. McFarland, 7 p.m., Homecoming game;
- Sept. 30 at Edgerton, 7 p.m.;
- Oct. 7 vs. Whitewater, 7 p.m.; and
- Oct. 14 at Evansville, 7 p.m.
