Plano kicks off first fall practice with focus on ‘finishing’

PLANO – Plano football coach Rick Ponx broke the huddle, and led his team to one end zone for post-practice gassers while barking a clear message.

“Second half!”

It’s no secret to Ponx’s Reapers what he meant by those words.

Plano’s fall 2021 season provided plenty to build on. The Reapers posted a 6-4 record, their most wins since 2016, a good rebound from two consecutive losing seasons. But the possibility of much more still burns with the Reapers. In all four of its losses, Plano either led or was tied into the second half, including its first-round playoff loss at Kewanee.

“Our conditioning, those gassers, every four is a quarter,” Plano senior lineman Alex Diaz said. “We push ourselves to beat teams in the fourth quarter. Looking back to last year, we want to push ourselves to be better. We had a big season last year and we want to top that. That starts with conditioning, and bonding together as a team.”

It continued Monday, the first official day of fall practice across Illinois. Plano eluded the morning rain by practicing in mild conditions during the late afternoon. Likewise, the forecast sure seems to be bright around the Reapers’ program.

Last fall was a good measure of success in Ponx’s third season, and he reported that he had more kids show up over the summer than ever before. Turnout is in the 40s at the varsity level, and around 42 at JV.

But the veteran coach is hardly resting on past laurels. He hammered home constant reminders during the running.

“Dig deep.”

“Better think back to Kewanee, put them away.”

“We have to finish.”

“Not gonna let this team slide away, I owe you that.”

“We lost four games last year we should have won,” Ponx said afterward. “The Kewanee game especially sticks in your craw. You come out and lead 14-0 and you end up losing, we can’t let that happen. It’s a mindset. If we’re winning at halftime, we’re finishing the game.”

Talent-wise, Ponx said his group has shown it’s there.

Plano was tied in the final minutes with Richmond-Burton, a program riding a 23-game winning streak at the time, and also went toe-to-toe with Marengo.

“It’s a mindset to get to that point,” Ponx said. “We have to finish every block. Finish every play. Finish your homework. Lock the door. Clean up the field. They have to learn how to finish everything.”

That attitude has hit home with senior quarterback/defensive back Samuel Sifuentes, who is entering his third varsity season.

“It runs through my head every time I run,” Sifuentes said. “I keep thinking in the back of my mind that we just have to be better than last year. Pushing ourselves now will make us better during the season.”

Ponx glowed with how Sifuentes has pushed himself in the offseason. He also has high praise for Diaz, a kid who Ponx noted “always does the right things.”

“Sam has really grown up,” Ponx said. “This is his senior year, he’s been playing the whole time, but behind the scenes he wasn’t always where you wanted him to be. He had an amazing summer from working out to practices to being a leader doing all the right stuff.”

Plano graduated honorable mention All-State running back Ray Jones, who ran for 1,157 and 14 touchdowns in eight games. Ponx, though, is confident that speedy junior Waleed Johnson, who opened eyes as a sophomore, can step right into those shoes.

“He will start in the backfield, we’ll put him at receiver, he’ll be a returner for us, we’re going to build around him, find a way to get him the ball,” Ponx said. “Our job is to keep him healthy. He’s built himself up in the weight room to take a pounding because he’s not the biggest kid, strengthened himself to be able to touch the ball 30 times.”

Ponx is more anxious to see how his team fills holes defensively. The Reapers lost a lot with the graduations of linemen like Nemo Denton and Bryan Del Abra, and safeties Josh Padilla and Kam Williams. Linebacker Sean Earwood is tough to replace, but Carnell Walls is back healthy and Ponx anticipated junior Logan Scheich stepping in to fill a spot.

“D-line is the biggest question mark we have,” Ponx said. “It starts and ends up front.”

Sifuentes and Diaz is eager to get started. Plano’s season opener is August 26 at Ottawa.

“Very high energy, very positive, everybody has bought into this team,” Sifuentes said. “We just got to keep working.”