PREP FOOTBALL PRESEASON COUNTDOWN

The Journal Sentinel offers preseason rankings for area high school football teams in a multiple-part series. Find the complete list at jsonline.com/preps.

3. BROOKFIELD CENTRAL

The Lancers keep climbing. Two years ago, they improved their victory from five to nine and went undefeated in the Greater Metro Conference. Last year they shared the title with Marquette, but raised their victory total to 10 and went one round deeper into the playoffs.

This year the sky appears to be the limit for the Lancers.

Central is the near-unanimous pick to the win a third straight league title, and the talent lining its roster gives it a chance to advance deep into the playoffs and maybe all the way to Camp Randall Stadium.

Nine starters return on defense. Five are back on offense. The big hole on that side of the ball has been the line, which will have four new starters.

“The bigger thing is to develop depth there,” Central coach Jed Kennedy said. “We’ve got a really solid group of six kids right now that I think are going to be as good as any of the groups we’ve had the last three years. It’s just after that group of six we’ve got to get some other kids ready to fill in.”

The defense returns three first-team all-conference players including senior outside linebacker Reggie Jennings, a Northern Illinois recruit. The offense features 1,700-yard rusher Zack Heckman and 1,400-yard passer Drew Leszczynski, who are also seniors.

“We’re certainly hungry after last year,” said Kennedy, whose team lost to eventual champion Brookfield East in the state quarterfinals.

“As a program we take pride in having our guys playing their best football at the end of the year, and for us last year I don’t think that was our case. We’ve had a great off-season and are really excited for some great things this year.”