Almost fully loaded: Numbers, spirits up in Milledgeville going into new season

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.

But with 30 players in the program this year – including the retention of all of last year’s freshmen turned this year’s sophomores and another large class of incoming freshmen – Milledgeville is thrilled to have the ability to go 11-on-11 during practices.

“We’ve got more guys out here this year, and we’re stronger and older and more experienced,” junior quarterback Kameron DawTyne said.

“We really want to win, and if we stay focused and work hard, hopefully we can put that together with our play out on the field.”

Small class sizes are mainly to blame for the low numbers. There are a total of six boys in this year’s senior class, and Wroble is pleased to have four of them out for football; the junior class isn’t much larger.

But that hasn’t hampered the effort and enthusiasm of the Missiles. Buoyed by the large number of underclassmen – and the experience they gained as freshmen and sophomores playing varsity due to necessity – this year’s juniors and seniors are looking forward to brighter days in 2012.

“We’re really staying positive,” junior running back/linebacker Devin Biller said. “We’re pretty loose, going 100 percent in each drill and making sure we’re doing all the right things every practice. We’ve got to will to win, and if we stay healthy, I think we can make that happen.”

Any win would be welcome for a program that has two in the last 3 years. The Missiles are coming in off back-to-back winless seasons, and know they have a long road ahead to get back to where they were as recently as 2008: 12-1, conference champs and 1A state semifinalists.