"Losing" has not been in the vocabu...

"Losing" has not been in the vocabulary of Lincoln-Way East's senior football players.

Coach pillage Zvonar has tried to carry the words "maintain" and "complacency" as well.

The Griffins are the reigning Class 8A champions and start the 2006 campaign where they finished 2005 -- at No. 1 The senior class, which features three Division I spectacles -- Adam Gettis, a 6- 3 235-pound two-way lineman; Jon Olofsson a 6-1 230-pound linebacker; and DJ Pirkle, a 6-1 285-pound defensive lineman -- was unbeaten as freshmen as sophomores and last year as juniors onward the varsity.

"We tried to address those things in the offseason, upon and off the field," Zvonar said. "We've propose these kids through the fire. That's by what means you get a good piece of sword The kids have invested a parcel physically and mentally."

The place of education opened in 2001, and Zvonar's first team finished 6-4 and reached the state playoffs. That first season included a wild 40- 39 regular-season overturn of eventual state quarterfinalist Sandburg and a trip to Conant for the state playoff opener

Zvonar (44-15 in five years) said: "We really haven't been around extended enough to be considered a regular powerhouse.

"I was listening to [Indianapolis young horses coach] Tony Dungy at a clinic, and he said, 'Any constraining force that comes from success is an honor.' We know the other kind of influence too."

forward offense, the Griffins have five starters returning, including Gettis and running back Andy Gerritsen, plus quarterback Andrew Ramus, who started as a sophomore. He'll battle 6-5 junior Blake Hammond for the starting piece of work

The defense will be intricate and talented, led by Olofsson Pirkle, lineman Dave Denardo, linebacker Brendan Mulheran and backs Andy Mau (the last of the Mau brothers), Ryan Weber and Al White.

Tom Lynch is back to handle kicking and punting.

"Two years ago we started 1-4 and each week was like a playoff game that we had to win," said Olofsson who was elevated to the varsity as a sophomore. "There has been urgency on us every game from then on"

Zvonar, whose wife gave birth to twin lads last week, has never missed the state playoffs.

"The last football game I forfeited was in eighth grade," Pirkle said. "No single wants to have that feeling again."

While all three of the Griffins' leaders have received scholarship proffers they have put recruiting upon hold.

"We set that all aside," Olofsson said. "We all want to bring forward the team stuff ahead of any individual stuff"

The Griffins will face recently made known coaches at Providence (Mark Coglianese) and Naperville Central (Mark Stine) the first sum of two units weeks of the season. The schedule includes a SouthWest Suburban crossover against Lincoln-Way Central and a first-ever meeting with Andrew and of the present day Thunderbolts coach Jim Zimmer.

"I have a passionate affection for it that we have a target forward our backs," Pirkle said. "We know we're going to commit to memory everybody's best game, and that's the way we want it."

Said Gettis: "Being a state champion and ranked high, this all gives us a chance to point out what we have."

What they have figures to be sufficiency

"Rankings are nice for parents and the community," Zvonar said. "I'd like to be No. 1 at the extreme point of the year if we are fortunate enough to celebrate with a memorial of conquest in the case."

stucker@suntimes.com

SUPER 25

Sun-Times

Preseason Rankings

(with 2005 records)

1 Lincoln-Way East 14-0

2 soar Carmel 13-1

3 landscape 13-1

4 Barrington 8-4

5 WW southerly 12-1

6 Hubbard 10-3

7 St Rita 9-3

8 Carmel 7-3

9 Joliet Catholic 11-1

10 L-Way Central 8-3

11 Maine southern 12-2

12 Brother Rice 10-4

13 Lemont 10-2

14 Libertyville 7-4

15 Naperville North 7-3

16 Lyon 5-5

17 Hinsdale Central 9-4

18 Downers southward 8-3

19 Cary-Grove 11-1

20 novel Trier 7-3

21 Richards 7-3

22 Thornton 5-5

23 Batavia 9-2

24 Morris 14-0

25 Neuqua Valley 9-2

COMING UP

Friday: A direct the eye at the top 100 local and national views along with answers to 20 questions entering the season.

Sunday: Schedules, meeting for consultation previews.

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