Glenbard East football rebuilding from the trenches

Glenbard East’s football team qualified again for the playoffs last season, dominating many of its opponents along the way.

The Rams continue to build chemistry in preparation for another run this fall, but they’ll be without many of the departing seniors who led from the trenches on the offensive and defensive line.

The process took a step forward last week when Glenbard East’s varsity and junior varsity linemen competed at West Aurora’s 24th rendition of the Battle of the Big Butts.

“Just being out with your teammates, bonding,” defensive tackle Cooper Conliss said about his favorite aspects of the event. “Just competing. Competing is the best part.”

Conliss, a rising senior, played offensive line most of his life, but switched to defensive tackle last season.

“It’s fun,” Conliss said. “You just got to have fun.”

After defeating Harlem and Addison Trail in the first two rounds of last season’s playoffs, Glenbard East fell to Normal Community in the Class 7A quarterfinals.

Joey Rozycki will play center for the Rams in the fall, taking on an increased leadership role.

“I wasn’t a good leader at the beginning, but (being a center) really makes you learn to lead,” Rozycki said.

Rozycki will play alongside four new members of the offensive line this season as the Rams replace all five starters from last year.

“Summer’s been great,” Rozycki said. “We’ve had a lot of good attendance. We lift together, we do everything together, so we are basically becoming a family over the summer.”

Rams offensive line coach Tony Bartolotta appreciated the opportunity the West Aurora camp gave his players to compete and grow.

“The linemen don’t necessarily have a chance to compete with other schools like the other guys do in 7-on-7,” Bartolotta said. “They don’t get a chance to see the payoff.”

“For them, it’s an exciting opportunity to prove themselves and see how much they’ve progressed physically, mentally and overall,” he said.

Despite the inexperience on the line, Glenbard East enters 2024 with high expectations. With talent on both sides of the ball, success centers around a common goal.

“We always talk about pulling from the same rope,” Bartolotta said. “But, if everybody’s bought in and excited about working hard for the same goal, then we know the team is headed in the right direction.”

The Rams open their season Aug. 30 at Willowbrook.

“You’re the only people that are out there (on the field),” Conliss said. “It’s really just us against the world, that’s how it feels. It’s important to build that in the summer.”