By Andy Walter

WOODSIDE — Tyler Heverin doesn’t even hesitate to answer.

The Polytech High lineman was asked what he thinks about the new alignment for high school football teams in the state.

“I love it,” said Heverin. “I love the idea of just getting everything back to normal — playing better football, winning more games.”

Of course the Panthers, who opened pre-season practice on Monday morning, are one of the teams that the realignment is designed to help.

Polytech is in Class 1A along with 13 other schools that are trying to become more competitive for various reasons. The Panthers are in District II along with Henlopen Conference South teams Indian River, Laurel and Seaford; First State Military; and first-year varsity programs Early College@DSU and Odessa.

The rest of Polytech’s schedule is also made up of Class 1A programs, including A.I. DuPont, Wilmington Charter, St. Elizabeth and Christiana. The Panthers open the season on Sept. 10 with a 6 p.m. game at A.I.

The trouble is, the Panthers lost to the three squads that return to their schedule from last fall — IR, Laurel and Seaford — in an 0-6 campaign. So clearly Polytech’s players know there’s no reason for anyone to feel overconfident.

“Nothing’s easy in life,” said Heverin, a junior two-way tackle. “You’ve got to work for it. You’ve got to put a lot of time and effort into winning.

“There were a lot of games (last year) I would have thought we would have won. But we didn’t pull through because we didn’t play as a team. I think some guys think it’s going to be easier than what it’s going to be.”

“I want everyone to take every team like they’re the best team out there,” said junior quarterback Taariq Bacdi. “We have to play our best.

“I like the new schedule. I like being able to play new teams because everybody plays differently.”

Since going 6-4 in 2017, the Panthers have lived through some tough times. Their record is just 2-24 over the past three seasons.

In 2019, Polytech had to forfeit its final two games because of a shortage of players. Last fall, the COVID pandemic shortened everybody’s season.

On Monday, the Panthers had about 60 players at practice, including a big group of freshmen. If Polytech is going to start improving, coach Bob Gilmore knows that the program needs players to keep playing as they get older.

And the way to get players to stick around is to make playing more enjoyable.

“It’s an opportunity to get a new start, to rebuild, refocus, re-energize and turn kids on about football again,” Gilmore said about the realignment. “I don’t care what school you’re associated with, if you haven’t had a tremendous number of competitive games, kids lose focus in any sport.

“Nobody really enjoys (learning) life’s lessons every day. They do want the reward of winning on the other side of it.”

Polytech has added former Wesley College player and coach Bernie Nowakowski as strength coach for the school. Gilmore said the Panthers have regularly had about 30 players in the weight room over the summer.

“We had a tremendous off-season,” said Gilmore. “Our freshman class has been just awesome. Bernie has the kids excited.”

“I love his energy,” Bacdi said about Nowakowski. “Every day he comes and gives like 120 percent — it’s never less. It’s just great.”

Polytech knows things are set up for the program to be more competitive now. When the Panthers will start winning some games again is the part that nobody can predict.

They open the season trying to snap a 14-game losing streak.

“We’re always the underdogs going into the season,” said junior running back Brett Shelton. “But when we go into the games, we’re going to fight. It’s just tough losing like 40-0. I don’t mind losing a tough game by seven points. It just depends how we lose.”

Gilmore knows a more competitive schedule is part of the solution. But he also knows that it will take a lot more than that to get the Panthers back on track.

“We know we have to improve,” said Gilmore. “We don’t care what division we’re in. We, as a program, have to get better every day — and that’s been our focus.”