NORMAL, Ill. – The Normal Community Ironmen have put themselves in prime position to make the playoffs. Sitting at 4–1 through the first half of the season, the Ironmen need just one more win to officially clinch a playoff berth.
Head coach Jason Drengwitz highlighted his team’s strong start to the season and shared what has impressed him the most.
“To start the year, I felt like we were a little inexperienced in a lot of different positions. We didn’t have many starters back, so I would say just being a connected group and having strong relationships has really impressed me,” said Drengwitz. “Our guys always stay positive and pick each other up; they never get negative with their teammates when things go poorly. If we can continue to get better, improve, and stay connected and positive with each other, that’s always a good sign and can lead to some successful outcomes in games.”
Even with the Ironmen’s strong start, Drengwitz stressed that there are still areas they need to improve.
“One thing we have to do is continue to be a little more efficient in the passing game and take advantage of opportunities when they’re there,” said Drengwitz. “Defensively, I think we need to do a better job of getting off the field on third- and fourth-down situations. On special teams, we need to cover kicks better. And in general, as a team, we’ve had way too many penalties, so we need to cut that down.”
This week, the Ironmen face a tough challenge as they take on the undefeated Bloomington Purple Raiders, who are 5–0 and coming off a shutout performance. Drengwitz said his message to the team is about consistency and preparation.
“Regardless of who we play, we tell our guys that we have to be consistent week to week and focus on being the best version of ourselves,” said Drengwitz. “We need to practice the right way and prepare the right way. That means watching film and going out and executing. Bloomington presents a lot of challenges: they’re good in all three phases, they’re well-coached, and they have some really dynamic players. For us to give ourselves a chance to win, we have to be the best version of ourselves and avoid any self-inflicted wounds. It’s a big challenge, but it’s also an opportunity that our players and coaches are looking forward to.”
The Ironmen will face the red-hot Bloomington Purple Raiders at 7 p.m. Friday, with a playoff berth on the line.
For all things IHSA football, be sure to stay tuned to wznd.com