OLD TOWN – Old Town coach Ian Braun thinks this is the year his team can reach a higher level.

The Indians have posted 0-9 and 2-7 marks the past two seasons. But Old Town returns 11 letterwinners, including four starters on the offensive line and eight starters on defense, who are focused on turning the program around.

“We’re not a playoff team right now, but we could be one [by the end of the year],” Braun said.

The experienced offensive line includes seniors Matt Avery, Steven Savoy, Jake Ela, and junior Brandon Eastman. Avery started every game on both offense and defense last year.

Halfback Roger Cole should benefit from the work of the offensive line. Cole is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he didn’t hit his full stride on offense until the end of the year. In a late-season game against Brewer, he rushed for 110 yards and scored the winning touchdown.

Cole had popped his knee in the preseason. Although he ended up playing in all but one regular-season game, he saw most of his action at defensive back. He racked up 143 tackles and was an All-LTC second team pick.

Braun hopes that the Indians’ spread offense will open up the field for Cole. He said he would like to get Cole 12-15 carries and two or three catches per game.

“Roger Cole is as good as any running back in the LTC,” Braun said.

Braun said he hopes to throw the ball 20-25 times per game. Senior Jeremy Storrman will likely replace the graduated Keenan Goslin at quarterback. Goslin, who was second in the league in total yards last year (887), is back with the Indians as an assistant coach.

Storrman, a second baseman on the baseball team and a guard on the basketball team, hasn’t played football for two years.

Defensively, the Indians will run their familiar 5-2 set. They should benefit from the leadership and improvement of senior Chris Kimball, who added 30 pounds in the offseason.

Kimball only started playing linebacker last year. Although he missed one game and was injured for most of another, he was still third in the LTC in tackles with 117.

Braun said his team will have a hard time matching up with perennial powers Belfast and Winslow. Beyond that, he believes the playoff race could be wide open.

“Hampden, MDI [Mount Desert Island], Brewer, and us are more or less in the same boat. We have a lot of work to do before that,” he said.

Avery believes the Indians are already well on their way to a better season.

“We have to work harder in practice and we’ve been doing that, so far. … The seniors are showing more leadership,” he said.

OLD TOWN INDIANS

2000 results: 2-7, 5th in LTC Class B

Head coach: Ian Braun, 6th year

Key players: Roger Cole, HB-SS, Sr.; Matt Avery, DT-G, Sr.; Steven Savoy, OT, Sr.; Brandon Eastman, TE-DE, Jr.; Jake Ela, G-DT, Sr.; Chris Kimball, LB, Sr.; Adam Sokoloski, LB, Sr.; Aaron Nichols, DE, Sr.

Outlook: The Indians’ defensive backs lack experience, so it may take a few games for them to gel. Braun said he expects his 12 seniors to show the necessary leadership so that his team develops “that elusive chemistry.” Old Town has the chance to pick up some early wins – and some confidence – when it faces Orono (1-8 last year), Lake Region (0-9), and Windham (1-6 in the developmental league) in three of its first four games.