Photo by Bill Roseberry
Senior members of the Civic Memorial Eagles for the 2015 season pose at practice recently. In front from left to right are: John Whitworth, Jack Walker, Ronnie Alesandrini, Dillon Lawrence, Dylan Sutton and Timothy Klocke. In back from left to right are: Adam Hill, Brett Lane, Brenden Ricci, Austin Reams, Jacob Brockman and Jordan Stagner.
Justin Winslow enters his fifth season at the helm of the Civic Memorial football program believing he's found the formula for success.
After starting the season 2-0 in 2014, the Eagles finished up 3-6 and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year. They last reached the Class 4A postseason in 2010, bowing out in the first round. They were 1-4 in the grueling Mississippi Valley Conference in '14.
Quarterback Adam Hill returns after a stellar junior campaign with a bunch of other skill position players back.
“We've got some experienced skill kids coming back and some experienced linemen,” Winslow said. “The Deckard kids have all played a little bit, Jordan Stagner played left tackle and Hill and other offensive guys are back, so a lot of high expectations for our offense. I think we have the ability to be as good as we were in 2010 when we won the league and we put up a lot of points that year.”
Hill threw for 2,356 yards and 18 touchdowns a year ago. Running back John Whitworth will be full time this year. He rushed for four TDs and received three more while sharing backfield duties with the now departed Zach Klocke and Brayton Williams.
“Whitworth gives us a little bit more speed than we've had,” Winslow said. “We've tweaked some running plays to cater to him a little bit.”
Hill and Whitworth have size for protection. Stagner (6-2, 220), and the junior Deckard triplets — Brandon (6-1, 280), Curtis (6-4, 300) and Andrew (6-1, 320) all have experience.
There will be a solid receiving corps for Hill. Brett and David Lane, Timothy Klocke, Rikki Lafferty and Brenden Ricci are there. Brett Lane led the Eagles with 40 catches and 661 yards receiving last year. He caught four TDs.
The loss of 6-6 wideout Caleb Buhs will hurt some.
“You lose that tall guy in Buhs, but David Lane might be our best receiver because he's really dynamic,” Winslow said. “He can make all the plays and can run some routes that Buhs couldn't. Buhs could do some things he couldn't do too, but (Lane's) running some routes where we can get him the ball, get him in space and cause some different problems.”
It wasn't lack of scoring that plagued the Eagles last season though. They averaged 33.1 points per game, but unfortunately allowed 33.3 points per game on defense.
CM lost Michael May (90 tackles), Doni Vesjeli (78 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries), Devin Daniels (69 tackles) and Brayton Williams (52 tackles, 3 interceptions) from last season.
Zach Williams (80 tackles, 2 sacks), Dylan Sutton (73 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions), Lafferty (68 tackles) and David Lane (42 tackles, 2 interceptions) are back to change the fortunes on defense.
“Year 2 in coach (Mike) Liljegren's system is going to help,” Winslow said. “It's the same terminology and we did play eight sophomores on defense last year and that was kind of by design. They're a year older, a year bigger and hopefully much improved.”
The schedule is the same. CM opens with Marquette Catholic at 7 p.m. Saturday in Alton and Winslow enjoys that matchup. The Eagles won that one 49-7 last year.
“Playing Effingham is a great game for us, but our kids are a little more excited to play kids that they know,” Winslow said. “It's nice to play Marquette and it would be nice to play Roxana, maybe in a playoff game. It adds something you can't get out of regular games.”
Quick Hits/2015 Outlook
TEAM: Civic Memorial Eagles
HEAD COACH: Justin Winslow
CONFERENCE: Mississippi Valley
2014 RECORD: 3-6, 1-4
CAREER RECORD: 4 years, 13-23
LAST PLAYOFF: 2010 first round Class 4A
ROSTER
SENIORS
NAME HT WT POS
Ronnie Alesandrini 6-0 185 LB/RB
Jacob Brockman 6-4 220 OL/DL
Colton Farrell 5-11 300 OL/DL
Adam Hill 6-1 180 QB
Timothy Klocke 5-10 175 WR/DB
Brett Lane 6-2 175 WR/DB
Dillon Lawrence 5-9 165 FB/DL
Austin Reams 6-3 210 TE/DE
Brenden Ricci 6-3 215 TE/DE
Jordan Stagner 6-2 220 OL/DL
Dylan Sutton 6-0 205 TE/LB
Jack Walker 5-10 165 WR/DB
John Whitworth 6-0 175 RB/DB
JUNIORS
Marcus Bridges 5-9 160 WR/DB
Griffin Courtoise 6-2 220 OL/DL
Andrew Deckard 6-1 320 OL/DL
Brandon Deckard 6-1 280 OL/DL
Curtis Deckard 6-4 300 OL/DL
Colin Flaherty 5-11 240 OL/LB
Rikki Lafferty 5-10 185 WR/DB
David Lane 6-1 170 WR/DB
Nick Newell 5-10 180 RB/DB
Corey Price 5-10 170 QB/DB
Cody Reynolds 6-0 270 OL/DL
Shane Spell 5-9 160 WR/DB
Zach Williams 6-0 190 RB/LB
SOPHOMORES
JaQuan Adams 6-1 165 WR/DB
Zach Brundeen 5-9 160 RB/DB
Adam Eaton 5-11 170 WR/DB
Caden Farrell 5-10 205 OL/LB
Eli Jones 6-4 245 OL/DL
A.J. Lewis 5-8 160 WR/DB
Peighton Phillips 5-11 210 OL/DL
Brayden Pierce 6-2 180 QB/DB
Tyler Seely 5-9 130 QB/DB
Travis Wallace 5-11 275 OL/DL
SCHEDULE
Aug. 29, 7 p.m. at Marquette
Sept. 4, 7 p.m. at Mattoon
Sept. 11, 7 p.m. vs. Effingham
Sept. 18, 7 p.m. at Jersey*
Sept. 25, 7 p.m. vs. Mascoutah*
Oct. 2, 7 p.m. vs. Highland*
Oct. 9, 7 p.m. at Waterloo*
Oct. 16, 7 p.m. at Triad*
Oct. 23, 7 p.m. vs. Mount Zion
* Denotes conference games