By Mark Gregory
@Hear_The_Beard
OFFENSE
The Porters have been getting better and are hoping to continue the upward trend this season. Offensively, Lockport returns some key players, including senior quarterback Ben Davis. He will have a couple of weapons back with him in senior wide receiver Patrick Cooper and junior slot Austin Hoffman. Other weapons in Lockport’s offensive attack will be senior wide receiver Payton Fernandes and senior running back John Snidanko. Leading the way on the line will be returning senior guard George Kringas. He will be joined up front by senior lineman John Lukasik.
DEFENSE
Lockport returns four starters, three of them on the defensive line in senior defensive ends Josh Baker and David Balderrama along with junior defensive tackle Tommy Mulhall. Junior Eric Jungheim also returns at defensive back. Joining Jungheim in the defensive backfield will be senior defensive backs Andrew Novak and Brian Trochuck. Seniors Ryne Travis and Nick Dado will take over the reigns at linebacker this season. Special teams will also be an important part of the Porters this season, as Davis will kick and punt and Jungheim will serve as the primary punt returner.
“We aren’t as big as last year up front, but we hope to be in great physical condition and play strong for a complete game, allowing us to win the close games that we lost in the early part of last season,” said Lockport coach Dan Starkey. “The team has a really good off season and summer. The players trained hard with Nick Setta four days a week.”
Setta is a 1999 Lockport graduate who was a place kicker and standout cross-country runner for the Porters. He kicked for the University of Notre Dame as well as in NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League and now runs Setta Performance athletic training.
OUTLOOK
The conference this season will look different. With Joliet West and Central leaving the SouthWest Suburban Blue for the Southwest Prairie and Lincoln-Way North closing in the SWSC Red, the league is now one, 13-team conference.
The league consists of Lockport, Bolingbrook, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Thornridge, Thornwood, Thornton, H-F, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way West, Sandburg, Andrew and Stagg.
The Porters will see old SWSC Blue opponents H-F, Lockport, Bolingbrook, Stagg and Lincoln-Way East and will add Lincoln-Way Central, Andrew and Lincoln-Way West.
The Porters open at Downers Grove North and host South Elgin in non-conference play in big games as they hope to end the playoff drought.