ROCKLAND – The Rockland Tigers experienced a breakthrough season in 2007, earning their first trip to the playoffs in 18 years.

But the aftermath of that success – coming after the program’s fifth consecutive 5-4 regular season – has been surprising.

After fielding a team numbering in the mid-40s last fall, Rockland’s preseason roster this fall is in the mid-20s thanks to a small senior class and an unexpectedly small freshman class.

And there’s no clear reason for the dropoff.

“That’s the million-dollar question,” said Tigers coach Woody Moore. “That’s something that we as a coaching staff are taking a close look at.”

The numbers defy a program-wide trend of solid turnouts and considerable success at both the middle-school and pee wee levels.

And while Moore expected several more players to join the team at the outset of school, it’s likely that half of this year’s roster will come from the junior class.

Fortunately for Rockland, it’s a talented junior class with considerable experience.

Rangy Dylan Meklin is a returning starter at quarterback, and classmate Sam Weiss could emerge as one of the LTC’s top running backs behind fullback Coby Boutot, a former slot receiver.

Seniors Nick Baudanza and David McGuire are two talented wide receiving threats, and senior David Searle is a returning starter at tight end.

That group will work behind a line led by senior tackle Tyler Patterson and junior guard Alex Young, the team’s co-captains. Junior Kyle Sareyani is another key along the line of scrimmage.

The lack of depth means plenty of two-way duty for the Tigers, with Young and Sareyani anchoring the interior defensive line while Patterson and Searle are veterans at end.

Weiss, one of the top tacklers in the LTC a year ago, teams with Boutot at linebacker, while Meklin, Baudanza, McGuire and freshman safety Aaron Weiss should give Rockland solid secondary play.

“It depends on how healthy we can stay,” said Moore, “because the system we run offensively and defensively really lends itself to the personnel we have.”

The Tigers were fully aware of the need to stay healthy early in preseason, limiting contact in an effort to keep the players fresh for the start of regular-season play.

“What I’ve told the guys right along is that we have a corps of kids, our ones, who are just as good as any team in the league, if not better,” Moore said. “But if we want to achieve what we’ve set out to achieve, we have to stay healthy and be better conditioned than the teams we play.”

Rockland also sought to enhance its depth by exposing its players to more positions on the field.

“What you try to do is put kids in situations where they get as many looks in as many different positions as possible without disrupting what you’re trying to do in practice.”

Moore expects teams like reigning state champion Foxcroft Academy, Bucksport and John Bapst of Bangor to be among Rockland’s most formidable opponents, along with Orono and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln.

“If we can stay healthy and get a few guys to come out on the first day of school to give us some more depth, we might be in the mix for one of those top four spots in the playoffs,” he said. “It’s going to be an interesting season.”

ROCKLAND TIGERS

2007 results: 5-5, reached LTC Class C semifinals

Head coach: Woody Moore, 2nd year

Key players: Nick Baudanza, Sr., WR-DB; Tyler Patterson, Sr., OT-DE; David Searle, Sr., TE-DE; Dylan Meklin, Jr., QB-DB; Sam Weiss, Jr., RB-LB; Alex Young, Sr., OG-DT; Kyle Sareyani, Jr., C-DT; Aaron Weiss, Fr., RB-FS; David McGuire, Sr., WR-DB; Coby Boutot, Jr., FB-LB

Outlook: With limited depth, good health will be pivotal to good fortune on the gridiron for the Tigers, who bring into the season a run of five straight winning regular seasons. Rockland features a number of playmakers in Meklin, Sam Weiss, Searle and Baudanza, and solid play at the line of scrimmage will make those threats even more dangerous. The Tigers should be in line for a second straight trip to postseason play.