'Leave this place better': Senior class looking to get Appleton East football team back on the winning path
APPLETON – Winning in a conference as deep as the Fox Valley Association takes hard work and commitment.
Members of this year’s Appleton East football team are confident that commitment and many hours in the weight room during the offseason will lead to better results.
The Patriots have struggled the past few years, including back-to-back 0-7 marks in the FVA. Things could be about to change. But according to sixth-year coach Mark Krommenacker, the success of this season will be measured differently.
“We’ve got some guys that put in a lot of work over the summer and we’re just trying to get better every day, really,” Krommenacker said. “The goal of the season is just leave this place better. Whether that means that day in practice or just leaving the field in general a better place. Or leaving a legacy for your overall career.
“Even just talking about this season. We’re just trying to get better each day. This is a group we enjoy working with and we’re excited to get a chance to go against some other teams soon.”
One of the groups of players Krommenacker and his staff are relying on heavily is this year’s senior class.
“The guys that are committed, you can tell they’re all-in because of the time they’ve put in for the program,” he said. “You have to have seniors to win in this conference and I think this year we have some of those type of guys that are all in that have put in the time, put in the work and now hopefully they’re ready to leave this place better and leave their legacy on this program.”
One of those players is Zander Streim, a 6-foot-4, 315-pound offensive and defensive lineman who is expected to anchor the line on both sides of the ball.
“We’ve got some seniors, some bigger guys,” Krommenacker said. “We’ve got Zander (Streim) here that will be playing nose and offensive line for us. He’s really transformed himself into a pretty strong guy and a guy that has size that you can’t teach. But he’s done that through hard work and commitment, so we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do on both sides of the ball, really.”
Streim said he’s already seen a big change in the team’s attitude.
“I think that our big thing is our confidence has gone way up,” Streim said. “I think us seniors have kind of led that. We’ve made everyone believe this is possible. We can do this. We can really compete in this conference. I believe that’s what we’ve done. Our senior class has built confidence in this program that we can go up from where we’re at right now, because we’re not at the highest point right now.
“We have figured out that this offense does indeed work. It’s worked in the past. These past two years I feel like we’ve had not the commitment that we needed. I feel that non-commitment is what’s holding everything back. This year we’ve all been the best we’ve been. We’ve been lifting heavy all together. No one has been slacking off. It’s just been work. I think that work is going to come with results on the field. I’m just looking forward to it. I can’t wait.”
Streim also said it helps that the senior class has grown together.
“Our senior class has been together for probably six years now, so we’re all really tight-knit, we’re all together,” Streim said. “All of us are friends, so you really can’t split us up. So I’m really hoping that we can take this program to the next level with our class and our tight-knit community we have here. I’m hoping we can dominate and do the best we possibly can.”
Among those seniors expected to help carry the load include Zach Carpenter and Anthony Burdett, a pair of players who have been through the grind before.
“We’ve got a fullback and a linebacker, Zach Carpenter, who has a lot of experience,” Krommenacker said. “He’s been playing varsity since he was a sophomore. All that experience, hopefully, will help us this year.
“On offense, we have Anthony Burdett playing slot back for us. He’s been playing for a couple years now and has some speed on the outside and taking pride in blocking out there for his buddies as well. Really all of our seniors I’m looking to be the roots of the program because that’s what it takes to win, and I really believe in these seniors we have.”
As far as the daunting conference schedule is concerned, Krommenacker and company are welcoming it.
“Definitely, every single week is going to be a battle,” Krommenacker said. “We definitely embrace it. We wouldn’t want it any other way. Things are different here at East than at other schools in the conference, that’s for sure, but that’s why we try to embrace that or be a little uncommon ourselves and do things a little bit differently, whether it’s the schemes we run or just the way we operate.
“We’re OK with being different because we know it’s not comparing apples to apples when you look at the other schools here. But we love it that way. I always tell the guys, even though it’s hard, it’s going to be even more glorious when we see the results on the field because of the work we’ve put in.”
The Patriots open the season Friday at home against Menasha.
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This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton East football team boosted by work of senior class
