January 07, 2025
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Crystal Lake Central will hire Dirk Stanger as football coach

By Joe Stevenson
Crystal Lake Central offensive coordinator coach Dirk Stanger during practice for the Crystal Lake Central varsity football team on Wednesday, July 21 at Crystal Lake Central High School in Crystal Lake.

Crystal Lake Central High School Varsity Football Practice Crystal Lake Central offensive coordinator coach Dirk Stanger during practice for the Crystal Lake Central varsity football team on Wednesday, July 21 at Crystal Lake Central High School in Crystal Lake. Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local (Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local)

Crystal Lake Central offensive coordinator Dirk Stanger is set to be promoted to head coach after the Community High School District 155 Board meeting Tuesday night.

Stanger is on the D-155 agenda to be approved for two positions, one as a supervisory paraprofessional and the other as head football coach.

According to District 155 policy, athletic directors do not discuss new coaches until after the board meeting makes hirings official.

Stanger, who graduated from Marian Central and also played at Wisconsin, has been the Tigers’ offensive coordinator for the past six seasons. During that time, Central has had one of the most potent passing attacks in the Fox Valley Conference.

Central quarterback Jake Staples threw for 2,175 yards in 2017 and Aidan Ellinger threw for 2,744 in 2018. The Tigers’ Colton Madura threw for 1,846 yards last season in nine games and missed three games because of an injury.

Stanger will take over for Jon McLaughlin, who resigned after coaching Central for 13 seasons in two stints as head coach. McLaughin will retire as a teacher after the 2022-23 school year.