The season ended a little more abruptly last year than players, coaches and fans are used to at Belfast High School.

The fourth-seeded Lions hosted a Pine Tree Conference Class B quarterfinal against newly transplanted Class A power Waterville and the Purple Panthers shocked Belfast 40-20.

This season, the Lions have many familiar faces (and jersey numbers) from last year’s squad to blend in with several newcomers who got their cleats wet enough last season to be counted on to fill the holes left by last season’s departed seniors.

“Some young players who I hope have matured over the past year will make us a better defensive team this year,” said co-head coach and defensive coordinator Butch Arthers. “We’re really excited about getting that part of our game back with experience.”

The defensive unit returns seven experienced players – five of them starters – and the offense welcomes back seven – six of them with starting experience.

Senior Travis Lee becomes the featured runner at tailback after sharing blocking and ball-carrying duties last season at fullback. He’s not the only one to make a switch as Ben Felton goes from wingback to offensive end in Belfast’s double-tight end set.

“I think we’ll be pretty diverse this year and be able to run the ball with a lot of athletes who should allow us to throw the ball if we want to or need to,” said co-coach and offensive coordinator Butch Richards.

The Lions will continue to use a lot of misdirection and trapping to confuse opponents.

Lee should be the latest in a long line of standout Belfast tailbacks as it is a more natural position for him, according to Richards. He also has the makings of a solid line in front of him with returning starters and seniors Justin Bernosky and Keegan Bartlett at tackles, Tyler Benjamin at center and Zac Carr at tight end.

Junior Jake Arthers (Butch Arthers’ youngest son) takes over at quarterback and will have several people to throw to in wingbacks Tyler Bowen and Nick Marston as well as ends Jim Davis and Felton. Senior John Walsh goes from Lee’s backup to starting fullback.

Defensively, the Lions return their entire linebacking corps with Lee, Walsh, and Marston. Ricky Bernosky will switch from linebacker to defensive back.

“We’re feeling pretty good about that,” Arthers said. “Depth-wise, we’re a little better off on the defensive side. At defensive back, we have a lot of kids about the same caliber.”

Other key players are Barrett at defensive tackle and Bowen at defensive end.

“We’ll jump back and forth from the four- and five- [man fronts] and throw in our six look as well,” said Richards. “Our concern is the multiple looks we saw last year with the spread offenses. Last year, it seemed like we were flying by the seat of our pants against those.

“The double wing and those spreads have been around, but we don’t see it too often and a lot of teams were using the spread effectively against us.”

This year, Richards expects the experience gained by his returning regulars to thwart that strategy.

BELFAST LIONS

2005 results: 5-4, lost in PTC Class B quarterfinals

Head coaches: Butch Arthers, 15th year; Butch Richards, 6th year

Key players: Keegan Bartlett, OT-DT, Sr.; Travis Lee, TB-LB, Sr.; John Walsh, FB-LB, Sr.; Ben Felton, E-DB, Jr.; Nick Marston, WB-LB, Jr.; Tyler Bowen, WB-DE, Jr.; Ricky Bernosky, RB-DB, Jr.; Jake Arthers, QB, Jr.; Zach Carr, TE-LB, Sr.

Outlook: The Lions return enough starters and experience to make them – at least on paper – a more improved team than they were a year ago at the outset. How far Belfast goes may depend largely on how much depth the Lions develop, especially in the interior lines. Depth in the backfield is a strength, so much so that coaches will try to come up with new ways to utilize the extra talent and production they have there.