JORDAN - Sal DiSanza never bagged it.

He didn't quit or complain, even when his football team faced perennial Class B power Solvay with four players down with injuries.

Not even when he walked the halls of his school, Jordan-Elbridge, and saw that students had given up on the Eagles because they had won just seven games the last five years.

But when DiSanza heard last year that coaches and parents had discussed getting the team out of Class B and into a more competitive schedule, he was receptive. J-E's enrollment, indeed, made it a Class B school, but just barely. Most of the time, it was playing against much bigger schools with more athletes.

Last season, the Eagles went 1-8, and were outscored 219-81.

So third-year coach Mike Smart, with support from players, parents and athletic director Brad Hamer, applied to Section III and received permission to play this season in the Onondaga High School League's Class C West.

That's just a formality, though. In reality, the Eagles will be an independent without a chance to make sectionals. J-E seems happy with the change.

"Personally, I think it's a good thing for the program," said DiSanza, a 5-foot-7, 190#-pound team captain who will be a starter for his third straight season.

"We've played in a tough division against some of the best teams in the region. Now we can come into each week, practice hard, and have a chance to win."

But this is far from a wash for the Eagles. Smart and three other coaches of independent teams (Mexico, Clinton and A-P-W) have arranged to play for a championship at season's end.

There are other benefits as well. The Eagles can keep players on the JV team instead of calling them up during the season.

And word of the change persuaded more kids to come out for the team. Now there are 36 players on the varsity roster.

"These kids have always battled, but much of the time they were overmatched. I want to put them in a situation where they are successful," said Smart, who played football for J-E in the 1980s.

DiSanza still has the chance to make all-league honors at his center position, but his priority is to go undefeated, and then win the independent championship.

He knows it won't be easy, especially with new rivals Port Byron and Cato-Meridian on the schedule.

The Eagles' season begins at 7 tonight at home against Bishop Grimes.

"We know we have tough games ahead of us, and we will have to fight hard to build our confidence," DiSanza said. "But I think what we are doing now is going to be good for the future of this program."