• Haslett prepares for the season.

UPDATE: HASLETT - The Haslett High School football team is preparing for the 2012 season.

Back to school means back to high school football and the Haslett boys of fall are ready to get back under the Friday night lights.

If there is one thing Coach Otlewski had to say about Haslett football, it's that last year, was last year.

"Last year we didn't have the kind of start we wanted," Otlewski said.

But Haslett is not discouraged. After a 5-4 record last season, senior captain Tom Baldwin says it's time for Haslett to make a comeback.

"As a team I just want to win because for the last couple years Haslett hasn't lived up to their reputation and we just need to put us back on the map and consistently make playoffs," Baldwin said.

Getting to the playoffs in high school football means crossing a few rivals, but senior captain Sam Wegenke says they're ready.

"They are our rivals, I don't know if they consider us a rival anymore. I think Zimmerman called us their little brother. But I mean there's a little rivalry between DeWitt and Haslett," said Wegenke.

But DeWitt isn't the only tough team on Haslett's schedule, according to senior captain Sam Rathbun.

"Right now my goal is just to beat East Lansing. If we start out good in game one, if we get a good game one we'll have a good season," Rathbun said.

Coach Otlewski has bigger goals in mind.

"Every year we come in with the same goals. We want to win our conference championship, that's our first goal. The second goal is to make state playoffs, and the third goal is to win the state championship," Otlewski said.

To pursue their goals of winning a state championship, leadership on the team will be the key to their success.

"I just think it's been a lot easier because we've had a lot more seniors this year than in the past and we've had more experience because all of us started last year so we have more game experience and we can pass that on to the younger kids," Rathbun said.

Leadership off the field is just as important.

"They do a great job in the classroom, they do a great job outside the classroom, encouraging their kids, challenging their teammates, so they've done a great job all season," Otlewski said.

With three senior captains to lead the Vikings, Haslett will rely on running the ball and familiar strategies to win, despite the criticism they may receive.

"We run the ball about 90 percent of the time. We're going to tell you we're going to block you and we're just going to block you. It's basically who's the bigger man and we just going to come at you," said Rathbun.


ORIGINAL STORY: HASLETT - Haslett High School football is preparing for the season. Get the details on All Access Sports!