For two years straight, the fourth-ranked DGN Trojan football team is off to a 5-0 start. With big wins over O’Fallon, DGS, GBW, Proviso West, and OPRF, the football team has been building their momentum since their first game. The Trojans have outscored their opponents 208-14, shutting out three opponents and only allowing seven points in the other two games.
“I feel like the team this year is very good. We were a young team last year so we have many returning starters with lots of experience due to our deep playoff run last year,” senior wide receiver Charlie Cruse said.
The varsity team returned 11 starters which gives them a huge advantage over other teams that have had to go through a complete rebuild this year. Additionally, everyone doing their job and playing very selflessly has contributed to the overall success of the program.
“The Downers South game was awesome. It’s always great to beat our crosstown rival at home,” defensive coordinator Keith Lichtenberg said. “We started that game with a defensive touchdown and that really fueled the rest of the success of that game-everything just came together after that big momentum play.”
The team’s defense has been doing their part by only allowing 14 points all season and accumulating many turnovers on defense. Meanwhile, the offense has also contributed to the success of the team scoring 208 points so far this season.
“Along with our defense playing their hearts out, the offense deserves the same praise,” Lichtenberg said. “Our offense has really taken control of the game by taking care of the ball and calling outstanding plays, which has been huge for our offensive unit as a whole.”
The next two weeks will serve as proof as to how strong the Trojan football team really is. Playing two of the toughest conference teams the next two weeks, York and Lyons Township, the Trojans have a great opportunity to prove what they can really do with this team.
“The most competitive game this year is hands down going to be playing York in Elmhurst at their place. It’s going to be a true test to see how good we really are and we are all more pumped than ever to win these next match-ups and finish the regular season 9-0,” Cruse said.
