ROCKLAND – The emphasis in the Rockland District High School football camp heading into the 2007 is on all that is new with the Tigers.

There are new tweaks on offense, new wrinkles on defense, new uniforms, new responsibilities for assistant coaches – and a new head coach in Woody Moore.

Moore, an assistant at Rockland for the last five years, steps in for Darryle Weiss, who resigned after six seasons and is now the head coach at Class A Westbrook High School.

During that tenure the Tigers improved from near extinction to the brink of a LTC Class C playoff berth, with a 5-4 record each of the last four seasons leaving the Tigers one painful game short of postseason play each year.

Taking that next step would mark the biggest “new” of all.

“The biggest thing I see changing is attitude,” said Moore last week from Camp Skylemar in Naples, where the team was holding its annual preseason encampment. “We’ve been successful the last three or four years, the record shows that we’ve had winning seasons. But I think we’ve got the stable of horses to take it to another level.”

Leading that stable will be senior quarterback Andrew Weiss, a prolific yardage producer since first stepping into a starting role as a freshman. Last year the three-time All-LTC choice passed for a league-best 1,217 yards while rushing for 698, giving Rockland a double-threat weapon from which the rest of the offense is based.

“He’s been the leader from the get-go,” said Moore. “He’s determined to have a big senior year in terms of telling me what his goals are, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get us to the next level.”

Sophomore Sam Weiss, Andrew’s brother, will step in at tailback this fall, and also will anchor the defense at linebacker after ranking among the conference leaders in tackles as a freshman. Senior Mark Boynton provides the Tigers speed at fullback after filling in admirably at tailback last fall after starter and leading rusher Mike Marsh was injured.

Junior split end-defensive end Nick Baudanza and junior wide receiver David Searle, will be among Andrew Weiss’s primary passing targets, while senior Alonzo Marks will provide leadership on the offensive and defensive lines. Rockland faces a tough opener at Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, but the Tigers expect to be squarely in the mix for a playoff berth – and perhaps more.

“I think this year is similar to last year,” said Moore. “Dover [Foxcroft Academy], Lincoln, Bucksport, John Bapst and Rockland all should be at the top vying for those first four spots.

“I think coach Weiss left me with a stable of horses that can prosper, I think we can be as good or better than any team in the league. But that’s just on paper. We’ve got to go out and play our alignments and handle our assignments and do it on the field.”

ROCKLAND TIGERS

2006 results: 5-4, fifth place in LTC

Head coach: Woody Moore, first year

Key players: Andrew Weiss, Sr., QB-SS; Sam Weiss, So., TB-LB; Nick Baudanza, Jr., SE-CB; Alonzo Marks, Sr., OL-DL; Mark Boynton, Sr., FB-DE; Dave Searle, Jr., WR-LB

Outlook: After four consecutive 5-4 seasons that narrowly left the Tigers outside looking in on the Class C playoffs, a postseason berth is again within reach. Andrew Weiss is a multidimensional threat as a fourth-year starter, while younger brother Sam could emerge as a 1,000-yard rusher as well as one of the conference’s top tacklers. Defense again will be a key for Rockland, which generally scores enough points to win most games but must keep rival offenses in check to realize those playoff dreams.