Skyline High football has endured a miserable year. Its 0-10 record tells that story.

With one game left in the 2010 season, the Coyotes hope to salve the wound of a winless season and its past 17 overall. That final chance comes Friday night at home against Casa Grande, who like Skyline, was winless until the Cougars took home a 21-19 win over Alhambra last week.

"We have a pretty bad losing streak going so this is an opportunity to start a winning streak," Skyline coach Pete Jonovich said. "Most teams that go to the playoffs end their season with a loss. This is a chance to end our losing streak and have our next group start off with a winning streak."

Skyline enters Friday's game with a 17-game skid dating back to September 2009 when it beat Gilbert. With 2010 the second year of a two-year block, the Coyotes' opponents in the regular season didn't change. And neither did their abilities.

Skyline opened 2010 against Chandler, a  team mentioned along with Hamilton in the 'who-can-win-5A-I -talk of the preseason. The Wolves are 6-3 and probably the best team Skyline has played.  The tough opponents didn't stop after Chandler. Those who followed were 6-3 Ironwood Ridge, Cibola (8-1), Gilbert (4-6), Pinnacle (5-4), Mountain Pointe (7-2), Desert Ridge (6-3), Westwood (5-5), Perry (7-2) and Marcos de Niza (8-1). That's a combined 62-30. And it's possible all of them are going to the playoffs (Gilbert and Pinnacle are on the bubble heading to the final week). Last year 9 of Skyline's 11 opponents advanced to the 5A-I or 5A-II playoffs.

Despite the losing, there have been few defections since preseason when the coaching staff introduced season-long 5:30 a.m. practices rather than after-school workouts. Considering all the losses, that's something Jonovich chalks up as a plus.

"We had a lot of kids leave early on, but that was before the season began," Jonovich said. "Since the games started most have stuck it out. That's what you want to see. How committed the kids are no matter what. It's easy to stick around when you're winning. A lot  tougher when you're not."

Senior wide receiver Christian Strobel said it has been difficult to keep a positive outlook. In just about any direction the team turns for support.

"You have close friends, some teachers people like that give you encouragement," Strobel said. "But generally there is a negative feeling from around  school. We have to find the positive things ourselves."

Center-kicker Brandon Whitney, another senior who has endured the 17-game skid, appreciates the coaches' positive vibes.

"They stay positive in the pep talks," Whitney said. "They tell us each week the team we play is beatable, and the majority of the guys are still working hard."

Part of the decision to practice in the wee hours before school this year was to instill dedication, commitment and help out players academically.

"It was bringing a new tradition," Strobel said. "You have to get up at around 4 in the morning  and be here ready to go at 5:30  "Some of the players complained last year that practicing (after school) late made it hard to get homework done. I think going to mornings helped our team. We had maybe 10 guys we lost last year because of grades. This year one or two."

Receiver A.J. Colpaert said the team's most dedicated players and leaders still care about winning and want badly to prevail in the season finale.

"They guys here that are leaders and committed love football," Colpaert said. "I thought we would be better this year than last year. We've had some injuries, but too many times guys get down when things go bad. If the other team scores first, sometimes it's like guys give up....

"Winning the last game would be huge and change a lot. I think if we lose the last game some of the juniors and sophomores might not show up next year. I still have fun. I don't like losing, but I have fun because I love the game. Love to play it. That won't change."