HEGINS - The last time Tri-Valley's players stood on the field after a football game, the Dawgs accepted silver medals after finishing second to Williams Valley in the District 11 Class A playoffs.
Nine months have passed.
Much has changed in the Hegins Valley.
- After five seasons, Mike Kogut was not retained as head coach and subsequently left the school district.
- Mike Ulicny, who ended a successful 16-year run in 2004, came out of retirement to lead the program again.
- Seven seniors graduated, including Blake Bowman, the school's single-season and career rushing leader.
- Those seven seniors accounted for 3,341 of the team's 3,462 yards rushing, all but seven of the 531 yards passing and 318 of the 400 points the Dawgs scored last season.
That's a lot of production to replace.
But the Dawgs have been through this before.
So has Ulicny, who posted a 117-65-3 mark and guided the team to the postseason 11 times in 16 seasons from 1989-2004. Tri-Valley won the District 11 Class A championship in 1991, 1999 and 2000, reaching the PIAA semifinals in 1999 and the quarterfinals in 2000.
"I was apprehensive in the spring about taking (the job), but as I got into it more and more ...,'' Ulicny said during Tri-Valley League Media Day.
"I did this 15-20 years ago,'' he added. "I still look forward to it - getting practice schedules together, putting media sheets together, putting posters together for the kids, giving out equipment.
"You get excited and start looking forward to that first week of practice, your first scrimmage and knowing the games are coming up.''
Before talking about this year's team, there's no getting around the graduation losses. Bowman rushed for 2,198 yards and 33 touchdowns, scoring 212 points - more than half of the team's total.
Dalton Miller emerged as an excellent second option and rushed for 1,112 yards and 13 scores. He also passed for 456 yards and eight TDs.
"It's definitely not going to be a one-man show,'' Ulicny said. "We have a whole pile of people that we need to step up.
"We hope to get a couple to step up like Dalton Miller did,'' he added. "His junior year wasn't much. Last year he wanted to play his senior year. He stepped up and was really impressive.
"I need some of the kids that played last year to take the bull by the horns like Dalton Miller did.''
In some ways, this will be a typical Tri-Valley team - not many players, but the ones who suit up are tough, smart kids.
The preseason roster had just 26 names on it, including six seniors.
"We just never have any numbers,'' Ulicny said. "Guys are going to go both ways. Guys will have to know multiple positions. Both physically and mentally, we have to be ready for it.
"... I think they're going to be able to accept that challenge.''
Leading the way will be an offensive line that returns four starters. Three are seniors: Center Gavin Kline and guards Devin Masser and Max Kroh. Sophomore Hunter Herb returns at one tackle spot, with sophomore Dan Opozda playing the other tackle.
Kline is a 300-pounder, while Herb and Opozda are 200-pounders.
Juniors Jericho Zemencik and Billy Wagner are battling for time at tight end.
"We're going to be a little bit bigger up front than most years,'' Ulicny said. "We're going to depend on them this year because they're the experience.''
As a philosophy, the coach always liked option football, with multiple formations depending upon his personnel.
Three quarterbacks are vying for the starting job. Ulicny said junior Hunter Harner (25-112, 1 TD rushing; 12-175, 4 TDs receiving) is probably the best runner of the group. Senior Cale Bruso is the best combination of runner and passer, with sophomore Jaden Buchanan perhaps the best pure passer but the most inexperienced. Whoever doesn't play quarterback will see time in the backfield or at wideout.
Senior Tanner Coleman and sophomore Tyler Lucas are the halfbacks, with junior Anthony Snyder and sophomore Chase Schaeffer the fullbacks.
Harner, Snyder and Schaeffer are also standout wrestlers for the Dawgs.
Senior Jon Snyder, who made 29 extra points last season, will handle the kicking.
Many of the same names will show up on defense. Herb and Kline are the tackles, with Kroh and Opozda at defensive end. Kline and Kroh started at tackle last season.
Masser moves from defensive end to middle linebacker, with Schaeffer and Anthony Snyder returning at outside linebacker. Lucas may figure into this mix, too.
Harner and Coleman return at safety, with Bruso back at one of the cornerback spots. Buchanan and Wagner are competing for the other cornerback position.
"Hopefully we fly to the ball,'' Ulicny said. "One thing we want to do is prevent big plays.''
During his first tenure, Ulicny put together competitive teams year after year. How competitive the Dawgs will be in an improving Tri-Valley League remains to be seen.
"It still comes down to running, blocking and tackling,'' Ulicny said. "If your players are well-prepared in the basics of football, they're going to be able to pick up our system and do it real well.
"The kids were always ready to play,'' he added. "They played hard, played tough.''