A new football season brings new promise and while both Harrisburg head coach Gabe Angelly and Eldorado head coach Joe Clark are entering their second season, the history that both programs have put them on the same path.
Last season Harrisburg finished 4-5 under Angelly and the Bulldogs are just 2-6 in qualifying for the playoffs since 2012. Harrisburg has gone 4-5 the last two seasons and were 7-3 in 2015 when they lost to Quincy Notre Dame in the first round. The last playoff appearance for Harrisburg was the 2012 season when the Bulldogs lost to Rochester 49-22 in the 4A state semifinals.
Eldorado hasn't missed the playoffs since 2013 as the Eagles are a combined 43-18 since 2012 and have won two Black Diamond Conference titles. Last season, the Eagles were 8-3 and advanced to the second round of the IHSA Class 2A Playoffs.
Still, there are some similarities as both squads take to the field tonight and that will be replacing key players.
Harrisburg lost 24 players to graduation, including All-Conference and All-South selection Jordan Bartok, who is now playing at McKendree University.
Eldorado didn't graduate quite as many, but did lose two-year starting quarterback Kale Oglesby, who also signed with McKendree, but will be playing baseball, as well as, Braden Attebury (Belleville-Lindenwood) and Jacob Traxler (SIU).
When Harrisburg hosts Mt. Carmel at Taylor Field, they will renew a rivalry that first started in 1911. The two teams have been playing each other since 1985. Mt. Carmel leads the series 22-20 and there have been two ties. Harrisburg knocked off the Aces 17-14 in the Snake Pit last year.
Chester joined the Black Diamond Conference in 2012 and thanks to a 42-22 win by Eldorado last year, that series is tied at four games a piece. Eldorado has won the last three meetings. The other win for the Eagles came in 2011 (35-28).
Spyder Dann covers prep and college sports for the Southern Illinois Local Media News Group. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.
