On July 23, 2013, at 5:30 a.m., the car is gone, the cereal bowl is left on the table, and the house is silent. High school football players all around Huntley are on their way to school to run, lift weights, and bash helmets.

At 6 a.m., practice starts. There is not a single player that has to be there, but every last one wants to. They sprint, they fight, they yell, they hit, and they run some more for the chance at a State Championship. Football coach John Hart is barking out orders, and he sees new, fresh faces that were not there before. The team is changing along with the program.

Harder workers and hitters playing varsity are getting younger and younger. Standing among the juniors and seniors are sophomores Zach Peter, Tim McCloyn, and Tim Ryan. These three, along with many others, have worked their whole lives for what they hope will be their future, bringing the State Championship to Huntley High School.

“Gains,” said sophomore linebacker Peter, “it’s all about gains in the weight room and on the field.”

All you can ask of kids is to strive to be their best, and with the players that are coming through the ranks, Huntley can be the best. The future of the Huntley defense isn’t just up to the players. Their coaches demand a lot from them, but the players are more than happy to give them all they have and then some.

“After standing on the sidelines of a varsity football game, every other game I’ve played is not like the intensity of varsity. You feel [like] a part of something bigger and learn to respect the game,” said sophomore defensive back Ryan Ford.

Everyone at Huntley is looking forward to see what these young players can offer on the gridiron. Day in and day out, they are out at practice bashing helmets and running wind sprints. Every day the older players go their hardest and are shocked by the skill level and the effort given by the sophomores, and instead of being upset about not having the starting position, they do as much as they can to help the underclassmen improve.

“The [upperclassmen] are great, they push us to be the best we can be for the school and ourselves,” said Peter. “Without them, we would not be nearly as good as we are, they really are a family to me.”

The Homecoming game was a great game, the defensive players were out of breath and in dire need of water in their 34-7 romp over Prairie Ridge. Tim Ryan could only talk about how great the coaches and older players have been since he has arrived to the varsity level.

“The only reason why we are where we are is because the coaches spend so much extra time working with us and making us better for the future, and now,” said Ryan.

The defense is filled with powerhouses from the D-line to the D-backs. Some notable players are lineman Zach Peter, linebackers Tim McCloyn and Daniel Dennis, cornerbacks Tim Ryan and Ryan Ford.

All of these players are starting on varsity or well on their way and hope to be there next year as juniors. According to Coach Hart, the defense is all about “discipline.” When the sophomores are disciplined, they are a steel wall; no offense can penetrate this defense. All they need is consistency and experience, and the Huntley defense will be unstoppable.

They will get there, and it will be soon.