With a record 4-1 and on the heels of a State appearance last season, the OH varsity football team is ranked 20th in State and third in Conference (1-1) according to MaxPreps. As the season progresses with a game against Yorkville tonight, expectations are on the rise – and not only for wins.
“Wins aren’t the only thing that matters,” Head Coach Brian Cooney said. “When school starts, we start talking about what conduct in the halls [or] on social media looks like.”
Cooney and the other coaches hold their players to high standards during both regular and off season. They want their players to show pride and resilience no matter what time of year it is to emphasize the good sportsmanship in everyone. These expectations have had a strong impact on the players.
“[My coaches] are bringing me to a better aspect of being on time, stuff like that, giving your best in practice,” OH junior and Defensive Back Lane Abbott said.
Abbott is new to OH this year, a transfer from Marmion Academy. Clearly, Cooney and Abbott’s teammates have already made an impact on his personal standards, even in such a short time.
Cooney and the coaches are hard at work when it comes to reviewing and adapting, finding places for growth for the whole team.
“We stay back and watch [film, and] there’s always room for improvement,” Cooney said. “Morale is high; winning helps. [We] never rest, [and make] constant improvement.”
The Panthers earned their wins using that constant improvement philosophy. The team’s only loss this season came on Sept. 11 facing Bolingbrook (21-7). With powerhouse wins against Neuqua Valley on Aug. 21 (44-22), Geneva Aug. 28 (44-42), Plainfield North on Sept. 4 (34-14), and Plainfield South on Sept. 18 (35-6), the team is feeling strong with leadership and talent.
Team leaders include senior tight end Ryan Wynn with 107 receiving yards per game, junior running back Ammar Baniere with 232 rushing yards per game, and senior quarterback Drew Kleinhans (who is ranked the top quarterback) with two touchdown passes. But the newest member of the team is also contributing, even early on.
Since moving schools, Abbott hopes to bring “a high spirit, kinda like a hard working attitude for the team,” he said. “I am very excited to see how the season goes, I think we can make it pretty far. I think we have a pretty solid team, and I am very excited to see how far we [actually] go,” Abbott said.
The Panthers play tonight against the 3-2 Yorkville High School Foxes in Yorkville. With the coaching from Cooney, his coaching team, and the captains, the Panthers will be ready.
Hello! My name is Sydney Saucier and I am a junior at Oswego High School. This is my first year on the 42Fifty staff as a staff reporter. Along with 45Fifty, I am a part of the Science National Honor Society, Business Professionals of America, Oswego Athletic Trainers, and Youth and Government. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
