Year two of the Tyler Whitebread regime led to Erie-Prophetstown making ideal progress.

From three wins in Whitebread’s debut campaign of 2023, the Panthers returned to the IHSA playoffs for just the second time in a decade. Their 5-5 season ended with a hard-fought 14-6 loss to Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin in Class 2A’s first round.

With a new season just around the corner, Whitebread is hoping that Erie-Prophetstown can not only continue to trend in an upward direction, but be a force to reckon with in the Three Rivers Conference’s Rock Division.

“That’s the goal, to continue what we did last year and do it better,” said the 2002 Newman graduate. “I felt that we lacked consistency from game to game last season. But the guys are excited about getting back to the playoffs. That’s a big thing. We want that to be the norm every year.”

Last fall, the Panthers finished 2-3 in the Three Rivers Rock to finish in a three-way tie for third place with a pair of 4-5 clubs in Mercer County and Riverdale. A tough 21-18 setback at Riverdale in Week 6 prevented E-P from posting a winning record in the league.

“We’re hoping to be able to compete with the top teams (in the TRAC Rock) — the Newmans, the Rockridges — every year,” Whitebread stated. “We want to be at the top of the conference. That’s the biggest thing.”

Last year’s return to the postseason for the first time since 2021, when Whitebread was on Jesse Abbott’s staff for an E-P club that went 8-3 and reached 2A’s second round, is also an event the Panthers want to see become a regular one.

“We’ve got a nice group of returning starters, so we have experience on our side, and coming off a playoff berth gives us more confidence,” said the third-year head coach. “With the off-season we’ve had and the work we’ve put in, that puts us in that position.”

The Panthers do lose one of their top weapons in running back/defensive back Demetree Larsen, a unanimous first-team All-TRAC Rock selection last fall on both sides of the ball.

But as Whitebread said, the E-P cupboard is far from bare. Among the top returning starters are a pair of two-way All-TRAC Rock second team standouts in junior lineman Derek Naftzger and Caleb Reymer.

Also back in the fold for the Panthers are the senior honorable mention All-Conference trio of wide receiver Connor Keegan, linebacker Gaven Adams and defensive back Keegan Winckler. Whitebread also looks to junior Tristan Hovey to fill Larsen’s shoes in the backfield.

“In the past, (returning) experience has not been as big a strength for us as it is this year,” said Whitebread, who in addition to Larsen lost linebacker Amen Barron (second team All-TRAC Rock) and offensive guard Jesse Livingston (honorable mention) to graduation.

“Going into games and playing well consistently, that’s the biggest hurdle for us to overcome right now. It’s a process; it’s not going to happen overnight.”

The process kicks into gear for Erie-Prophetstown on the night of Friday, Aug. 29, when it kicks off the season at home with a Three Rivers crossover matchup against Kewanee, a Class 4A playoff qualifier six times in the last nine seasons.

The Panthers jump into Rock Division play at the deep end on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 13, heading to Sterling to take on the Newman Comets.

“Top to bottom, the conference is going to be tough,” said Whitebread. “For sure, you have to go through Newman and Rockridge, but you’ve also got Mercer County, Riverdale’s improved, and Orion’s got their quarterback (senior and second-team All-Conference pick Kale Filler) back.

“Every team on our side of the conference is going to be tough. There’ll be several games that could come down to the fourth quarter.”