This column originally appeared in the Oct. 9, 2012 print edition of The Mercury.

Bill Parks felt it would likely take some time to get everyone on the same page, perhaps even get into the win column, when he was named Daniel Boone’s head football coach back last April.

Introducing an entirely new system to a team that had been gutted by graduation was one thing. Kicking off a new season against three opponents who were projected to be among their respective league’s contenders was another. And if that wasn’t anywhere near enough of a challenge, trying to mend a long, long list of injuries to two-way starters along the way sure was.

So when Parks and the Blazers secured that elusive first win last Friday night at Twin Valley, rest assured there was reason (or reasons) indeed to celebrate.

“It was a long time coming, obviously,” Parks said. “We’re just happy for the kids. We felt good for them, for all their hard work, for them succeeding.”

Parks inherited a program that had enjoyed a school-record nine straight winning seasons under former head coach Dave Bodolus. During that stretch, three of the teams won Berks Conference Section One titles, and all nine played their way into the postseason — two Eastern Conference and seven District 3 playoff appearances.

But the bulk of the last year’s team was gone.

The newcomers, the inexperience, was oh so evident when Parks and the Blazers kicked off this season at Cocalico, which is currently atop the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Two standings and 5-1 overall; hosted Spring-Ford, just a game back in the Pioneer Athletic Conference chase and 5-1 overall; and then at traditional District 3-AAA power Manheim Central, which is just a game behind Cocalico and 4-2 overall.

It didn’t get the least bit easier opening its Berks Football League schedule against Governor Mifflin and Conrad Weiser, either. Governor Mifflin is 4-2, with its only two losses to a pair of state-ranked rivals, and Conrad Weiser is 5-1, with its only loss to state-ranked Wyomissing. And going into this weekend’s games, the Mustangs and Scouts happen to share the BFL Section One lead.

The Blazers had played five games, endured five losses … and couldn’t help but notice that 182-32 overall deficit on the scoreboard.

But they were closing in on that proverbial corner after a solid second half of the setback to Conrad Weiser, then finally turned that corner against Twin Valley.

“Our kids have accepted every challenge,” Parks explained. “They won’t back down. They know of the reputation preceding them, that all those kids were tough, and they played tough.

“They’ve worked harder every time they lost, though. They have such a desire to be successful. Everything we expected of them they’ve given us. We’ve seen so much improvement (from week to week) this season.”

The commitment helped Parks and his staff work around the walking wounded.

At one point or another since camp opened in mid-August, the Blazers have seen a slew of two-way starters go down. Among them have been Dan Downs (tight end, defensive end), Darius Hinton (guard, defensive tackle), Pop Lacey (running back, cornerback), Pat Stone (tight end, defensive end), and Nicky Storti (guard, linebacker). Last Friday night, J.D. Okuniewski (quarterback-defensive back) and Ryan Bologa (fullback-linebacker) left in the first half with injuries and didn’t return.

“The injuries have definitely been the most frustrating thing,” Parks said. “Even our trainer said he’d never seen anything like it. It’s just been one after another.

“It’s forced us to move kids into different positions, forced us to put them in positions they have no experience in. But they work hard at it. There’s no quit in them.”

Parks has been especially pleased with the leadership he’s getting on the field.

Up front on both lines, center-nose guard Rhett Glaser has led by example, and Cody Barrows — a first-year starter going both ways at tackle — has emerged as a big contributor. Okuniewski, before getting hurt, was guiding the offense with help from backs Devyn Haring and Kyle Myers. And the defensive charge has been led by Bologa and Xavier Smith, who along with Lacey (before the injury) are among the leading tacklers.

“We had a tough start,” Parks said. “Learning a new system and new terminology, kids in new positions, all the injuries, and the teams we played… it hasn’t been easy.

“But the kids have done a good job with everything. They’ve given us what we’ve asked for. And (Friday night) we saw overall improvement. They’re starting to understand things, and that’s a credit to them.”