Eagles back with promise of new year

Coming off an 0-8 season in 2016, the now official St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse co-op high school football team is back with four more players on the roster and three returning seniors.

Chase Schluneger returns at running back/linebacker, with Dustin Fox and Levi Bailey at tight end/defensive back. Other key returning players are Trey Fleming, a sophomore quarterback; Brady Pitts, sophomore, and junior Grant Harrison, who will vie to start at center, and sophomore Jonathan Logan at running back.

“As young as we are, we’ve got a top-shelf team,” said Ken Gering, the Eagles’ third-year coach. “This team has the most chemistry of any team I’ve had as head coach.”

St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse will open its 2017 season against Tekoa/Rosalia at 7 p.m. Friday at Rosalia.

“Every coach’s goal is to give these kids memories to last a lifetime, or it should be,” Gering said.