Last year a youthful Canton squad took their lumps, particularly after the injury bug hit. They're hoping this year the experience they picked up will lead them to dishing out the lumps instead of taking them.

"We still have some young guys, but they got some experience last year, so we've got a few sophomores and juniors that played a lot," Canton coach Tyler Sechrist said. "You can just see in the 7-on-7s, they're just a little more confident, a little more sure of themselves. I think that'll help us as we get into the season."

Starting on defense they return their leading tackler in Marcus Solomon. Solomon moved into the area and immediately made an impact on defense, finishing with 78 tackles a year ago.

"We're fortunate to have him," Sechrist said. "Probably linebacker is going to be one of the strengths of our defense. We'll have him and Bailey Gardner in the middle, and some other good linebackers, so having Marcus there is going to be huge."

Last year was Solomon's first as a full-time starter, and he enjoyed the responsibility.

"It was a great experience," he said. "Football is a big experience, and for me it was my first time really starting, so it was really good to help me develop as a player. I'm really confident. My freshman year, my sophomore year I didn't get the opportunity to really start, so finally being the guys, it felt nice."

Other key returning defenders are Owen Moore (40 tackles, two interceptions), Jake Pepper (36 tackles, two sacks), and Blane Wesneski (34 tackles).

On the offensive side of things Moore returns at quarterback. He threw for 990 yards on a 42-percent completion percentage with eight touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

Gardner led the team in rushing a year ago with 318 yards on 54 carries with four scores. 

They have to replace the production of outgoing Ryder Route (439 yards receiving and two touchdowns on 22 catches), but Monte Whitehead (eight catches, 246 yards, four touchdowns), Leeland Tubach (16 catches, 211 yards, one touchdown), and Rylan Wesneski (six catches, 129 yards, and two touchdowns) all did well.

"We bring back a lot of skill players," Sechrist said. "That's going to be huge, them getting a lot of reps last year. Bailey Gardner comes back in his senior year at running back, we've got Monte Whitehead and Leeland Tubach at receiver, and Rylan Wesneski can play anywhere between back and wide receiver. And then we have a lot of younger guys we can throw in there to see some time - Grant Jennings, Aaden Dowling, Brayden Tucker. They've been working hard, and they're going to find a place on the field."

Of course, everything you do on offense starts on the line, and that's where Canton has to replace two big losses.

"We're going to have some holes to fill," admitted Sechrist.

One key returning is Blane Wesneski, who's been working hard weightlifting and learning the play book. 

"Just getting these guys in," Wesneski said about bringing the younger guys along. "They're all young so we have to get them educated."

Uriah Talada, Daniel Inman, Trapper Burr are others that Sechrist expects to see out on the field.

"We have Kix Carr coming out," he continued. "Not sure what he's going to do - he's always played soccer because he was at Northeast - he's a tough kid, smart kid, a young kid, so I'm hoping maybe we can get him on board eventually on the line."

They expect the offensive line to be a work in progress as they get ready for the season.

"There's not a lot of depth," said Sechrist. "Not a lot of depth. We have some guys with some good experience. We're going to have to work at building some depth there on the line."

That's where the veterans know that's one are they have to step up, especially for guys like Wesneski who was on the team when the Warriors had success.

"Just getting these kids to know everything about football," he said. 

The Warriors went 2-8 a year ago, so there's lots of room for improvement this fall.

"Obviously, try to stay healthy," Sechrist said as their main goal. "If we can stay healthy we can get a few more wins. My goal this year is to try to get .500, and get in districts again."

He'd like to get a district win, but in a field with returning champs Line Mountain, a resurgent Montgomery, and the always tough Muncy Indians, that might be a tall order.

"That might be a little lofty," Sechrist said. "But you want to have high goals and work towards them, so that's kind of what we're looking at."

ROSTER

Rylan Wesneski (12)

Marcus Solomon (12)

Monte Whitehead (12)

Dawson Malone (12)

Bailey Gardner (12)

Lucas Hicks (12)

Brayden Dodge (12)

Blane Wesneski (12)

Uriah Talada (12)

Tristan Kass (12)

Leeland Tubach (11)

Alante Ryan (11)

Brayden Tucker (11)

Aaden Dowling (11)

Brayden Lowery (10)

Owen Moore (10)

Jack Whitehead (10)

Grant Jennings (10)

Trapper Burr (10)

Michael Ortiz (10)

Daniel Inman (10)

SCHEDULE

Aug. 28 vs CV, 7 p.m.

Sep. 4 vs Montgomery, 7 p.m.

Sep. 11 vs Wyalusing, 7 p.m.

Sep. 19 vs Wellsboro, 7 p.m.

Sep. 25 at South Williamsport, 7 p.m.

Oct. 2 vs Sayre, 7 p.m.

Oct. 9 at Muncy, 7 p.m.

Oct. 16 vs Athens, 7 p.m.

Oct. 23 at Towanda, 7 p.m.

Oct. 30 at Troy, 7 p.m.