PERRYSBURG — Perrysburg football looks to build on a very successful 2022 campaign in the fall of 2023 as the reigning Northern Lake Conference champions.

Coach Dirk Connor is eager to take the field this year, enjoying a lot of what he has seen so far this summer in training camp.

“They kind of know what’s expected of cultures, and we go to work, and they’ve done that all summer long, and they’re a fun group to coach,” Connor said.

“I’m looking forward to going and battling with them every Friday night.”

A great culture for many years under coach Connor, who says success is not just playoff results but being in the winning mindset every time the Yellow Jackets clip on the chin strap.

“The expectation is more success,” Connor said. “That’s always going to be an expectation. We don’t necessarily measure that in how far you go in the playoffs or things of that nature.

“But we’re going to expect to prepare to win every day, and we’re going to expect to win when we go out on the field on Friday nights.”

Connor doesn’t expect the strategy to change much just because the Yellow Jackets will now be playing in the Northern Lakes League’s new five-team big-school Buckeye Division.

“But when you’re in the middle of the grind, like the players and the coaches are, the approach is always the same. We’re going to take it one week at a time, and whoever we’re playing that Friday is who we’re going to focus on.

“We do everything we can to win or hit the reset button and do it again the next week.”

Perrysburg has veteran leadership returning on both sides of the ball but looks to replace their starting tailback and No. 1 wide receiver on offense.

This year’s starting tailback will be Nick Oros and top receiver will be Gavin Fenneken, both players going into their third year as varsity contributors.

Last year, Oros had 22 carries for 173 yards and one touchdown, but he averaged 7.9 yards per carry, and he caught two passes for 14 yards.

Oros replaces Connor Walendzak, who ran for 1,678 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and 21 touchdowns his senior year and is now a freshman player at the University of Toledo.

“Nick Oros has two years of experience as our backup tailback, and he’s got a lot of varsity carries to his name,” Connor said.

“The last couple of years when Connor Walendzak was out, he started some games, helping us win some big games. We’re excited to have somebody in the mix with experience back there that knows how to be a varsity running back.”

Fenneken had 38 receptions for 493 yards, averaging 13 yards per catch, and he caught six touchdown passes. He also carried the ball four times for 11 yards.

“Gavin Fenneken has been our No. 2 receiver for really all of last year and then for about half of his sophomore year, and he’s ready to step into the No. 1 and be the guy that kind of takes over that.”

Connor says preparation for this year’s season started in January, and Connor is focused on the 10 guaranteed regular season games they have on their schedule, beginning with hosting Toledo St. Francis in the season opener.

“This is why we do what we do. One of the things I love about the game of football and what it teaches young men is that we’ve been working for this since January,” Connor said.

“It hasn’t just been practice for the last two weeks. These kids have worked hard for a long time, and they’ve worked hard for what are only 10 guaranteed opportunities.

“I think there’s a lot of life lessons in that, and I’m proud of the work that they put in. We’re about to get to the point where it really gets fun, the preparation, then obviously the battles on Friday nights, and so this is what you work for.”

PERRYSBURG SCHEDULE

Aug. 18 TOLEDO ST. FRANCIS

Aug. 25 @ Marysville

Sept. 1 @ Fremont Ross

Sept. 8 SYLVANIA SOUTHVIEW

Sept. 15 @ Clay

Sept. 22 SYLVANIA NORTHVIEW

Sept. 29 @ Toledo Whitmer

Oct. 6 FINDLAY

Oct. 13 @ Springfield

Oct. 20 ANTHONY WAYNE