WATERVILLE – When the Waterville football team opens up its season, it will return as usual to Drummond Field.

But it’s not the same old Drummond Field. And the Panthers are hoping that they won’t be the same team from the past two years.

Just as the field has been revamped recently, with shiny new stadium bleachers among the changes, the Waterville squad will be young – with several players ready to shine.

“Since [the old field] used to be the worst field in the league, and now it’s one of the gems, it gives them a lot of pride,” Waterville coach Frank Knight said.

The Panthers are coming off two straight 3-5 seasons after 10 years of winning campaigns.

Getting back to .500 or better is one of the team’s big goals.

“They are insistent on not being [known as] the senior class that had three losing seasons,” Knight said. “So for us, it’s a winning record and make the playoffs. … Right now we’re hoping to get into the playoffs.”

Waterville already has a head start in that direction with the return of quarterback Ryan Lockard, a senior and three-year starter.

Lockard threw for 683 yards and six touchdowns while scoring four last year. Knight said he plans to run more option than last year.

Two relatively new faces in the backfield will be halfback Matt Hilton and fullback Nate Hart. Hilton was a backup last year and Hart is a converted tackle.

Hilton and Hart, who are both seniors, have looked good early, Knight said. Last year’s wing-T offense is gone in favor of an I-formation to take advantage of the new tandem’s strengths.

“We felt with Hilton we could keep things more off-balance, and we’ve got the speed to run outside and Hart can establish the inside run,” said Knight.

The offensive and defensive lines are where most of the youth and inexperience could show. The lone returning starter and the only senior on the line is the 6-foot-4, 275-pound Mike Denis, an offensive tackle-noseguard. Denis is also the biggest lineman, with the rest averaging about 200 pounds.

Many of the same names pop up on defense.

As a Pine Tree Conference all-star defensive back, Lockard hauled in four interceptions, and served as a punter and punt and kickoff returner. Defensive back Sean Carey is a former track athlete. Cornerback Hilton is a high jumper on the track team and a returning starter, as is Ryan Crowell.

Senior safety Brian Tormollan has shown a lot of promise in the preseason, Knight added.

“We have two real good linebackers [Hart and Dylan Veilleux] and our defense is designed to funnel everything through them,” Knight said. “We have corners and safeties that can run, linebackers that are tough, but we’re young up front.”

WATERVILLE PANTHERS

2001 results: 3-5, fifth in PTC Northeast

Head coach: Frank Knight, 13th year

Key players: Ryan Lockard, QB-DB, Sr.; Nate Hart FB-LB, Sr.; Matt Hilton HB-DB, Sr.; Mike Denis, OT-NG, Sr.; Brian Tormollan, TE-DE, So.; Sean Carey, WR-S, Sr.; Ryan Crowell, SE-DB

Outlook: Matt Dwyer, a goalie on the Waterville soccer team, will also kick field goals for the football squad. The Panthers are dedicating their season to Bill Cox, a 13-year trainer at Waterville who died after complications from surgery this summer. Knight said some discipline issues last year have put inexperienced players into the mix sooner than expected this year, and the young team is working hard to come together.