PLATTSBURGH — Plattsburgh High took its lumps in 2009 due to an roster wrought with inexperience.
A year removed from a 3-win campaign, the Hornets are still young, but now they have experienced youth.
That's why second-year coach Pat Goodell expects his Hornets to me much more competitive in 2010.
"I would think that with the experience we gained last year, we're going to be a little bit more ready to compete at the varsity level," he said. "We're looking to be competitive in every game and with some good fortune and some good play that competitiveness can turn into some more wins for us."
The Hornets roster consists of 17 seniors, 11 juniors and six sophomores. Twenty players who saw varsity action are back, with many starters back. Although there have been some position changes, Plattsburgh High returns 12 starters.
James Stiger, the Hornets leading rusher with 621 yards and six touchdowns, will start at quarterback. Goodell called the junior signal caller a good athlete that can do just about anything on the field.
"As a football player, he's got some all-around skills," Goodell said. "As a quarterback, he's done a nice job in the offseason of working on his passing skills and he's a very accurate passer.
"I'm sure if he had his choice he would rather be playing running back, but at this point he's done what he needs to do for the team to be successful."
Stiger will have some experienced help up front. The Hornets entire offensive line returns intact, with seniors Ethan Hart, Kyle Trout and Brian Goodell, junior Jake Richards and sophomore Sean Shea.
Frank Hoang returns at fullback, while Cody Bushey and Nathan Harrington will take over Stiger's duties in the backfield.
Joe Courson moved from the line to tight end, where Micah Nevard will also see time.
"Our offense hasn't changed too much, although with James Stiger at quarterback we will probably run more than our quarterbacks did last year," Goodell said.
Hoang, Trout, Richards, Nevard and Kyle Carpenter return on the defensive line.
Returnees Devin Richards and D.J. Puchalski will be joined by Dustin Laundry, a transfer from Texas, at linebacker.
Stiger and Bushey return in the secondary with Harrington, who joined varsity in the season finale.
Goodell said the team now has the depth to plug in players who have game experience. The added experience should also breed competition among players.
"Players are going to have to earn their way on to the field, and in order to stay on the field they are going to have to perform because there are guys behind them who are anxious to show they can do it," Goodell said.
The Hornets face a less brutal schedule than they had in 2009, when Plattsburgh High played many talent-loaded teams, some that were state-ranked at the time.
"(It) was a tough pill to take and then swallow when you have so many sophomores and juniors," Goodell said.
Plattsburgh High, which moved up to Class B, also doesn't have a forfeit win to start the season like in 2009. Last year, the Hornets had to play their first game against a senior-laden Peru squad who had already played a game. Peru won, 45-0.
"That hurt us right from the start because whatever confidence we had with the youth, that killed it right away," Goodell said.
Goodell said he would like to see the Plattsburgh High football team reach the same success the school's other sports team achieve annually.
"We're not a football school, but we're trying our best to become one," he said.
The Hornets open up at home against Beekmantown tonight.
E-mail Ryan Hayner at: rhayner@pressrepublican.com
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