MILLEDGEVILLE – As the Milledgeville Missiles lined up across from each other, offense vs. defense, fourth-year head coach Jason Wroble enthusiastically explained how the next play was going to work.

While that’s a common scene as football season kicks off throughout the state, it’s one that Milledgeville sees as the light at the end of the tunnel.

Two years ago, the Missiles finished their season with 18 players in the entire football program; last year, they were forced to forfeit their Week 3 game against East Dubuque because injuries had depleted the varsity roster to the point where they couldn’t field a team.