Previewing: Waubonsie Valley

Waubonsie Valley took its off-season conditioning program to heart.

From a roster of 75 players, 50 had at least 95 percent attendance and 28 never missed a session.

"In 30 years of coaching football I've never had those kind of numbers for an off-season commitment," said Warriors coach Paul Murphy, aiming for a third straight playoff berth, which would be Waubonsie's longest streak since 1989-94.

Despite graduating three-year starting quarterback Tyler Castro the veteran coach believes the Warriors have the skill-position depth and athleticism, and the work ethic, to challenge for the Upstate Eight Conference title. At the sophomore level Murphy's juniors and seniors combined for a 13-5 record, with the seniors winning the UEC.

Kenny Clay, Castro's backup in 2008, offers a speedier presence that could mean traces of the veer option that predated Castro. Clay will target a seven-deep receiver corps headed by junior tight end Mark Szott and all-area wideout Scott Kuehn, who caught 61 passes for 687 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2008. Jason Lockowitz, a starting safety as a junior, shifts to running back.

Defensively, all starters on the Warriors' 4-3 set were timed under 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Linebackers Owen Saldana and Rickey Simpson are the headliners. As with the receivers, defensive backs are plentiful though inexperienced.

The main questions are filling in three offensive line positions and two more on the defensive line. Special teams coverage and a kicking game that lost all-stater Mitch Ewald to Indiana University also are concerns.

"They're not special yet, but they've got a chance to be special if they continue to work at it," Murphy said. "Because in terms of athleticism, we're going to be as athletic as anybody on the field. It's just all the intangibles that we've got to take care of."