Friday Night Lights: Tribe Opens With 100-Mile Bus Ride

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[In some way, shape or form, Mother Nature has left her mark on each season opening Du Quoin High School Football game since 2000.

One glance at the current National Weather Service forecast for Bethalto and Madison County eads one to believe that trend may could continue.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely in and around the St. Louis Metropolitan area Friday night, where the Indians begin their 82nd season of prep football against Bethalto Civic Memorial at 7 p.m.

The Indians and Eagles are battling for the third time with the Tribe posting a pair of convincing wins to start the series, which will continue at least through next year's meeting.

A member of the Mississippi Valley Conference, BCM had 844 students enrolled for the first day of classes last week. The Eagles compete in Class 4A and are just three years removed from back-to-back trips into the 5A state quarterfinals.

After opening with Highland for seven years-and enduring a meteorological smorgasboard which included downpours, thunderstorms, stifling heat, humidity, rain-soaked fields and even tornado warnings-Du Quoin again hopes to escape its bad run of first night weather.

Last year, the temperature was 94 degrees at kickoff. In 2007, a one-hour storm delay preceded the contest.

"We've had very good luck with the weather so far. I hope it continues Friday night," 22nd year Indians coach Al Martin (214-43) said. "But the weather is something we can't control. Whether its storms or the heat, you just try to work through things."

In BCM, Du Quoin faces an opponent with 22 returning letter winners from last year's 0-9 squad. The defending state runner-up Indians are one of seven playoff teams on the 2009 BCM schedule.

"I think we had something like 55 power points on our schedule last year," third-year mentor Scott Tonsor (44-44, 11th year overall) said. "And the way it looks, this year's schedule could be even tougher."

Tonsor planned to build a veer and split-back offensive attack -with plenty of play-action passing-around talented returning quarterback Zach Tobin (5'10, 175, jr.).

Tobin (785 yards, five TD), however, is still recovering from a hockey injury and likely won't play.

Moving back into the starting QB position is junior Michael Czeschin (6'1, 180, jr.).

Czeschin was thrust into action against Du Quoin after a pre-season injury last season. His top targets will be Alex Belloso (6'2, 180, sr.), Jack McKinney (5'11, 165, Jr.) and tight end Tanner Brown (5'10, 175, Jr.).

Devin Caldwell (6'0, 185, sr.) is the top returning rusher (260 yards). Ryne Cherry (6'0, 210, sr.) wil be the fullback.

Anchoring play up front are juniors Isaac Gowin (6'5, 325) and Andrew Campbell (6'2, 200).

Tonsor mentions Chance Phillips (6'0, 215, sr.) and Chase Karrick (6'0, 225, sr.) as other linemen to watch.

Defensively, a strong linebacking crew is led by Brown, Caldwell and Ryne Cherry.

Caldwell had a team-high 115 tackles last season. Cherry added 75 more.

Belloso, Tobin and Czeschin key an athletic secondary.

"Absoultely I feel like we can be better than this season," Tonsor said. "I've seen a lot of improvement and the kids really committed to our system over the summer. They've worked hard to get in the position of hopefully turning this thing around."

Tonsor lists 36 players on the varsity roster and only eight are seniors.

Despite the youth, BCM hopes to be one of the metro east's most improved teams. They've been tabbed to finish last in the rugged MVC, but Martin's expecting a big challenge.

"We caught them last year when they had a lot of injuries problems to open the year," he said.

"Bethalto has some very good athletes coming back. They have good size and strength. There's a lot of pride. To keep coming back and just playing every week in the a conference like theirs tells you a lot. They are going to be very hard-nosed."

Du Quoin will return just a handful of starters, but ample experience with 33 letter earners back from the state title game run.

Up front, the Indians welcome back Alex Heape and Jonathon Tennyson.

At the skill positions, Matt Gossett debuts at quarterback, but record-setting wide receiver David Rose, leading rushers Jamar Reed and David Gaytan and receiver Marcus Clarry also return.

Rose (S), Clarry (CB), Reed (CB), Gossett (LB), Evon Stolhans (LB), Karson Hoffman (S) were defensive starters versus BCM last year.

"We're going to be very balanced offensively and have a good scheme to spread the field," Martin said. "And defensively, we are very confident. There's some flu going around and we have a few kids sitting out Friday. We will really need that depth, especially with our defense. To win games on the road you need to play great defense, stay away from turnovers and stay together as a team."

Tonsor points to BCM's rugged schedule-they face final four squads from Richmond-Burton (5A) and Breese Mater Dei (4A) before conference play begins against Class 6A Troy Triad Sept. 18.

"We play a very tough schedule," Tonsor said. "But that's the way we want it to be. Du Quoin's going to be a tough opener no matter what your school size is. They have great tradition and are just very solid every season."

WDQN-AM (1580) broadcasts Friday night's game live.

Start time is 6:40.