--Defiance, Ohio—The 2004 DC Yellow Jacket Football squad has been picked to finish fourth by conference coaches in the HCAC preseason poll.

Defiance, after finishing with a 4-6 record and a 3-3 conference mark in ’03, will look to a host of returning athletes and a healthy crop of newcomers to climb the ladder in the Heartland Conference this upcoming season.

Junior running back Jason Gendron headlines the DC returners. The Newport, Michigan native rushed for over 1,100 yards last year with 296 of those coming in a record-setting performance against Franklin in week eight. Senior wide receiver Aaron Schmidt, a Wauseon, Ohio product causes size and speed mismatches on the outside and took advantage of such situations last year for 49 receptions and eight touchdowns.

Ben Haas (Allegan, Mich.) anchors and relatively young offensive line trying to build on the momentum of Gendron’s 1,000-yard season and season-ending three-game winning streak. In the last three games of ’03 the Jacket front five allowed just one sack.

Sophomores Mike Haydon (Allen Park, Mich) and transfer Tyler Haines (Piqua, Ohio) will look to lead the Jacket defense. Haydon started all 10 games as a freshman in ’03, accumulating 40 tackles and two interceptions. Haines is a transfer from Division II Ashland University and will take over for three-year starter Ryan Ditty who was lost to graduation.

Punter Blake Stambaugh (Swanton, Ohio) and kicker Keith Wilson (Indianapolis, Ind.) both return to lead the special teams for DC. Both specialists earned HCAC Player of the Week honors in ’03. Stambaugh averaged 38.5 yards-per-punt, while Wilson went 3-for-5 in field goal attempts with a long of 35 yards, the game-winner in overtime vs. Franklin.

Defending champ Hanover was picked to once again win the league, followed by Mt. St. Joseph, and Anderson. DC was tied for fourth with Franklin, while Bluffton and Manchester rounded out the list.

DC opens the season at home against Otterbein on September 4th.