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But, it's a monster of his own creation, and with that in mind he doesn't fret over the high expectations the Trojans' recent playoff appearances have wrought.

The Trojans finished the regular season 9-0 last year, captured the Ski Valley Conference title and won a district championship before exiting the post-season tournament with a loss in the regional final.

Although nine seniors graduated off last year's record-setting 11-1 team, including seven twoway starters, Gryzbauskas is confident this year's group of athletes will be competitive.

Whether some of the younger players Gryzbauskas will be counting on to fill some of the holes left by the graduated seniors develop quickly enough to put the Trojans in position for another playoff appearance is questionable.

Despite being limited by new Michigan High School Athletic Association mandates over how often coaches can get together with their teams as a group, the Trojans did put in some work this summer.

Gryzbauskas had a chance to evaluate the younger players at a team camp, and during a 7-on-7 scrimmage.

But there's only so much you can learn about the athletes you have in the summer.

"We didn't do as much as we have in the past, but we still got a little bit done this summer," Gryzbauskas said last weekend. Once practice starts (conditioning begins Aug. 6) Gryzbauskas and his coaching staff will have a better opportunity to find out what kind of team they have this year.

The Trojans, who never had a 10-win season before last year, will conduct their conditioning drills, which are limited to shirts, shorts and tennis shoes, at 4:30 p.m. Helmets may be worn, but there are no contact drills the first week

It's a different team

Central Lake's 11-1 record was the best in school history, and set the bar incredibly high for those coming back, as well as the new recruits.

Gryzbauskas is entering his seventh year as the Trojans' football coach, and he's done quite well since taking over the program, guiding them into the playoffs three out of the last six years, and two out of the last three.

"Things are going in the direction they need to go," Gryzbauskas said. "We had a great year last year, and hopefully we can just build on that now.

"I thought we did pretty well at the 7-on-7 camp. It's obviously a different team for us this year than last year. We were very senior-led, and we had five guys who were three-year starters on the varsity.

"So, we had a lot of experience. This year, the experience isn't quite there. We're pretty athletic, and I feel we have the talent. Our junior varsity was also 9-0 last year, so we've had some winning in our program.

"We're doing a lot more basic stuff this year (because of the players' inexperience), to get our young guys ready for the season." Gryzbauskas has been meeting with his coaching staff the last few weeks to prepare for the start of practice on Aug. 9. They're already evaluating the schedule.

"Being my seventh year here, we have a pretty good idea of what each team is going to do," Gryzbauskas said. "We're already looking at our first opponent, and getting ready for them."

Although the coaching staff has changed for this season, with Gryzbauskas moving last year's junior varsity assistant coach to the varsity and hiring a new J.V. assistant while promoting a member of the current staff to the head junior varsity position, there is continuity.

The other varsity assistant is starting his third year with Gryzbauskas, and the head junior varsity coach has been with the program, too. It's not a complete overhaul by any means.

Conference race should be tight

"The nice thing is with the one guy being on the J.V. level for the last six years, and me on the varsity for six years, we've had at least one face at each level that has been here my whole time here," Gryzbauskas said.

"With the other new faces around, that's all right, because we can get them on the same page with us and things will go all right."

Central Lake has had a weightlifting program a couple of days per week throughout the summer, and attendance has been about average with all that is going this time of year.

Gryzbauskas envisions a balanced conference race, with Mancelona again contending for the championship.

The Ironmen made the playoffs last year, too, and boasted a successful junior varsity team as well. Gaylord St. Mary is usually well desciplined and tough, while Johannesburg-Lewiston and Indian River-Inland Lakes are always competitive.

"I expect us to be competitive," Gryzbauskas said. "We'll have to wait to see how our young guys develop. But, I expect them to do well."