Pirates look into the past for new path

Rick Chastain has surveyed this scene before. Eighteen years ago to be exact.

Chastain was the new head football coach at Perryville in 1985 when he took over a program that was in the dumps. The Pirates had won just one game in the two previous seasons combined.

By the time he left six years later, the Pirates had won two district championships.

It's 2003, and both hard times and Chastain are back at Perryville.

The Pirates are coming off their second straight 2-8 season and have won just five games over the past three seasons. Chastain is coming off 11 years of being a high school principal. He hasn't coached since the 1990 season.

"Perryville was interested, and I came back home," said Chastain. "I feel bad about the way the program was allowed to go downhill, and I'm committed to changing it."

The coach and the players are equally hungry.

Chastain and his staff are stressing a family approach in their quest to get the Pirates back.

"He wants us to all go to the weight room together," junior lineman Mike Schamburg said. "We've gone to the pool together. Just being committed to each other more."

But Chastain said it's not necessarily all about having fun -- or even getting bigger, faster and stronger. "It's about building a team concept and camaraderie," he said.

The new coach also wants in on the commitment.

"These kids, they just want somebody to care about them, and me and my staff are committed," he said. "Nobody cares about how much you know until they know how much you care. And these kids know we do care, so they'll do things for us."

On the field, the Pirates are sprucing up an old-school offense with a passing game, expanded plays, multiple sets and motion, all in an attempt to achieve a more balanced attack.

Perryville has had a history of producing some superb athletes, which its recent success in track and field will attest, and the cupboard is not bare.

Graduation claimed the majority of last year's starters, but 6-foot-1, 205-pound running back Jesse Whistler is among the returning cast. Whistler, a three-year starter, has speed and strength.

The Pirates also have senior Kyle Dobbelare (6-1, 180), a state champion in the long jump as a sophomore and an accomplished hurdler. Dobbelare started his junior year at quarterback before moving to wide receiver when sophomore Corey Buerck took over. Dobbelare is also an all-conference punter who will handle all the Pirate kicking chores.

With a large offensive line that contained the likes of 6-foot-5, 270-pound Zach Leible, the Pirates tried to use a physical running approach last year with little success. They were shut out their first three games and had just 21 points through six games.

Buerck (6-0, 170), a junior, and senior Tyler Stevens (6-0, 190) are battling for the starting quarterback job. Dobbelare is among a group of receivers that will include senior Andrew Yamnitz (5-9, 165) and Garrett Winkler (5-8, 150) and juniors Kirk Luckey (6-0, 185) and Matt Unterreiner (6-2, 175).

"I think our passing game will be a lot better than last year," said senior fullback Andrew Bachmann (5-10, 190). "We're going to give it a better shot."

The offensive line will be downsized with junior twins Mike Schamburg (5-11, 240) and Matt Schamburg (5-10, 200), and seniors Duvall (6-0, 215), Matt Tisher (5-11, 200) and Dustin Ellis (6-3, 200), but it hopes to compensate with quickness.

The offensive players are also leading candidates for defense with the offensive line also stocking the defensive front. Receivers and running backs are candidates for the secondary. Senior Tyler Glueck (5-9, 185) saw action at linebacker last season and will be joined by sophomore Jasper Hager (6-0, 215), along with Bachmann and possibly Whistler, who could play anything from lineman to defensive back.

"I think you're going to see a different attitude in the team, and you're going to see a team that thinks that they're going to win every game when they take the field," Chastain said. "I don't think we'll play one opponent we don't think we can beat."

jbreer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 124