DANVILLE: High expectations

Little Johns should be much improved on offense, especially through the air

Despite a lack of depth, Danville head coach D.J. Crane expects his team to contend for a confer ence championship.
Despite a lack of depth, Danville head coach D.J. Crane expects his team to contend for a confer ence championship.

— The Danville Little Johns suffered an early exit from the playoffs last season at the hands of Hazen, but Coach D.J. Crane is excited about the upcoming season thanks to the addition of a solid sophomore class that was undefeated last year in junior high.

Danville, which finished 7-4 last season only lost two confer ence game including a close loss to Mountain Pine in the closing minutes of the game.

"We are going to be a lot better offensively this year than we were last year," Crane said "If I had to say anything, the overall team is going to be pretty good. We don't really have a standout, but there are just not a lot of places that we have glaring weaknesses. I would like to have a little more depth, but the work ethic of these kids is just really good. They do whatever we ask them to do."

Danville is a school rich in football tradition, and Crane said the team understands what it takes to win a conference title. Danville returns five starters on offense, including its leading receiver, Ossie Apalategui. Crane said Apalategui had nine touchdown receptions last season and eight interceptions on defense. The other starters are linemen Eddie Ventura, Jacob Gates, Trevor McLeron and fullback Clayton Hayden.

"We've got a lot of tall lanky kids that can go up and get the ball," Crane said. "I think that will help us this year.''

Senior Justin Roy has earned the starting quarterback position. Crane said he was very confident in Roy's ability to lead the Little Johns.

"He had a great [junior varsity] year," Crane said. "We played a really tough JV schedule, and he played well against some good teams so I expect him to come out and have a good year. He's wonderful in the huddle and the kids just love him. He doesn't have hardly any experience coming in here, but you would never tell that by the way he carries himself in the huddle and here in practice."

On defense, the Little Johns return Travis Klober, Apalategui, Jacob Gates, Edwin Tapia and Ventura. "Defensively we were really good last year," Crane said. "We've got a couple of spots that we have to fill, but I think we can be very good this year."

Crane, entering his seventh year as head coach, has set high expectations for the team but is also quick to point out that the pressure he faces is the pressure he puts on himself in this football community.

"Our goals are a conference championship every year," Crane said. "Playing past Thanksgiving. If you're playing during Thanksgiving then you are good. It doesn't matter who you are, if you are playing during Thanksgiving, then you have a good team - anybody can win it all then."

DANVILLE LITTLE JOHNS

Sept. 4 ................ at Dardanelle

Sept. 11 .................... Bigelow*

Sept. 18 .....Western Yell County

Sept. 25 .. at Conway Christian*

Oct. 2 ......................... Hector*

Oct. 9 ...................at Lutheran*

Oct. 16 .... Cutter Morning Star*

Oct. 23 ..............at Two Rivers*

Oct. 30 ................ at Quitman*

Nov. 5 .............Mountain Pine*

Special, Pages 228, 229 on 08/23/2009

Upcoming Events