The have a very positive outlook for the 2011 football season.
After a disappointing 2010 that saw the Knights finish just 3-6, head coach Mike Bartholomew says he has been encouraged by preseason practices.
"Camp has been awesome," he said. "The attitude and effort these guys have shown has been beyond my expectations."
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The Knights have their first test of the season Friday when to take on Milwaukee Hamilton in a non-conference battle at 4:30 p.m.
The Hamilton game along with the first home game of the year next week against Brookfield Central will be the Knights' only opportunities to prepare for the tough Southeast Conference schedule.
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"In the non-conference games, we are going to set the standards for the season," Bartholomew said. "We are looking for three things - to play together, play hard and play smart."
Oak Creek will field a fairly young team, with five returners on defense and just two on offense, but Bartholomew will not use that as an excuse.
"We expect these guys to come in and compete," he said.
Defensively, the Knights have high expectations for the season. Their concept depends on each player doing their job on every play, and they feel they can hold teams down pretty well.
Senior defensive back Ben Clinton is the captain and leader of the unit. Bartholomew said that junior defensive lineman Alex Hahn will be a player to watch as the season progresses.
"We have a lot of trouble keeping Alex contained in practice," Bartholomew said, "and in our scrimmages last week, all three teams really struggled with him as well."
On the offensive side of the ball, the Knights believe they are primed to do damage to opposing defenses. Led by senior captains Nick Marks (quarterback) and Lincoln Wylie (running back), and aided by the return of receiver Rey Overlund from an injury that cost him his junior season, the offense feels good about its skill-position players.
Junior Jordan Veloz will be the Knights only two-way starter, playing both tight end and defensive end.
"Our offensive and defensive lines were our biggest question mark," Bartholomew said. "But the improvement of both units has been remarkable in camp.
"We need to get better every rep, every drill and every practice to raise our game to compete in the league."
