Friday, Aug. 28, 2009

CENTRAL: Cougars poised to return to respectability in conference

BREESE -- From 2004 to 2006, some of the best football in the Cahokia Conference was played by the Central Cougars.

Those glory days could be returning to Central this fall.

Seven returning starters on offense -- including Matt Elliott, the leading rusher in the conference -- and five on defense have the Cougars poised to land on the positive side of the .500 mark after two straight losing seasons.

"We've been looking forward to this year," said Central coach Brian Short, who's in his third season with the Cougars. "We knew when I got the job this had the chance to be a special year. As a whole, it's a great mixture of kids.

"We have a lot of aspects covered. We have a lot of speed, a lot of size and a lot of ability. We just need to play up to our potential and take care of ourselves."

The Cougars, who open at 7 p.m. today at Mascoutah, finished 3-6 and 4-5, respectively, the past two seasons after a three-year run of playoff appearances and two-year reign as Cahokia Conference champions.

A solid senior class and gifted group of sophomores have the Cougars being tabbed with Columbia and Freeburg as the teams to beat in the conference.

"When I got to Central ... our name being on top of the conference was something people around town were used to," Short said. "The last two years we struggled, but this senior group has definitely made it a goal. They've been our foundation, and our sophomore class is very talented with a wide range of athletes."

Headlining the returnees is Elliott, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior who came out of nowhere to rush for a team-high 1,131 yards and 16 touchdowns on 187 carries.

Elliott led the conference in rushing and was among the area leaders in that category.

"Getting Matt back is huge for us this year," Short said. "Every game he rushed for over 100 yards we won. I think it was pretty obvious when Matt was successful and our offensive line was blocking, we played really well and won ballgames. I've never seen a kid work harder than Matt."

Teaming with Elliott in the backfield are senior fullbacks Tyler Voss (5-10, 185) and Kevin Grayling (5-9, 240). Grayling led the Cougars in rushing yards (877 yards on 121 carries) and touchdowns (10) as a sophomore but was removed from the team last year for disciplinary reasons and academic ineligibility.

"He's really turned the corner," Short said. "He's becoming more accountable every day and is somebody that we can really rely on."

The 1-2 punch of Elliott and Grayling could be one of the best in the conference.

"That's what we're excited about," Short said. "We were worried about them just being able to key on Matt, and with Kevin and Tyler back there, they're not going to be able to do that. They're going to have to worry about both of them the whole time.

"I think this year, we're going to have the ability to throw the ball enough where if people think they can stack the box, they're not going to be able to do that."

Sophomore Brandon Book (6-5, 190), who started as a freshman on Central's Elite Eight basketball team, appears to have the inside track at quarterback over senior Joe Luebbers (5-9, 160).

"Joe's a great kid and a hard worker, and Brandon is obviously a tremendous athlete from anybody who's seen him in basketball," Short said. "He has a good arm, and he just has to learn how to become a better football player."

Senior Gage Harding caught a team-high 17 passes for 218 yards last year and returns at wide receiver along with senior Scott Brown (seven catches, 75 yards). Sophomores Nick Grapperhaus and Nathan Poelker provide more speed and savvy.

Anchoring the offensive line will be three-year starter Michael Norman, a 6-1, 200-pound senior with a nasty disposition. Senior Eric Pollmann (5-11, 225) and juniors Jacob Buehne (6-5, 200), Trevor Schnerre (6-0, 230) and Luke Gebke (6-0, 200) are the other starters.

Back on defense are Voss (73 tackles) and Brown at linebacker, Harding at strong safety and Pollmann and Norman on the line. Luebbers, Grapperhaus and Poelker fortify the secondary.

"We have a lot of experience coming back," Short said. "We're deeper into our playbook, both offensively and defensively, than we've ever been."