They may have finished with a losing record last year, but the Belfast Lions were still a playoff team just two plays away from a 6-3 mark and a spot in the semifinals.

With 62 students total out for the team and 22 of them freshmen, the Lions have good numbers as they prepare to make another playoff appearance.

The Lions have 12 seniors and return seven players on offense and seven on defense who had at least a couple of starts last year. They’ll try to use that experience to tide them over while coaches decide who will win the coveted position of primary tailback.

“Four or five guys right now are in the running and it’s still a crapshoot,” said co-coach and offensive coordinator Butch Richards. “We’re kind of holding auditions and after more than a week of practice, we still didn’t know.”

“It’s probably the first time since Butch [Arthers] and I started here that we don’t really know who the featured back is.”

If it continues, that situation may translate into Belfast utilizing a running back rotation until someone gets hot.

Whoever’s getting the handoffs, they’ll be running behind junior-dominated line in Belfast’s double wing/I formation offense.

“I think the line will be athletic and strong, maybe not as big as we’ve had in the past, but a solid line to run behind,” said Richards, who noted that although many of the lineman are relatively new to starting, they played a lot of downs last season.

The top starting candidates are juniors Travis Spencer, who’s switching from starting guard to center; returning starter Mark Smith at right guard; Jimmy Davis at left tackle. The rest of the mix includes juniors Jason Vogel and Bruno Borzoni, and seniors Bryce Ridley and Warren Heath.

The guy lining up behind center should be able to do more this year after a full season as the starting quarterback. Senior captain Jake Arthers will lead the offense as both a running and passing threat.

“There are plenty of athletes on our team to throw to, but I think throwing the ball a lot is not our philosophy, even though we could with Jake,” Richards said. “I think we’ll develop a couple of solid passing combinations though.”

Defensively, the Lions should remain strong.

“Coming into the season, we felt defense would be one of our strong suits, but we’re still young, and fairly inexperienced,” said co-coach and defensive coordinator Butch Arthers.

They’re also in flux as Arthers takes over a cornerback position after starting only on offense last year, Davis moves from defensive end to tackle after getting stronger in the offseason, and Spencer goes from tackle to middle linebacker in the 4-4 set.

“We have some decent size in the middle and four or five state class wrestlers on defense, but I think our forte is speed,” Arthers said. “We have a lot of fairly quick guys who can swarm to the ball.”

So expect a lot of stunting and blitzing from the Lions to confuse offenses.

Although Arthers thinks his defensive backfield could be improved this season, he still wants proof.

“I think the big question mark will be the secondary, with only one starter back, and middle linebacker, with two new kids in there,” he said.

BELFAST LIONS

2006 results: 4-5, lost in PTC Class B quarterfinals

Head coaches: Butch Arthers, 16th year; Butch Richards, 7th year

Key players: Jake Arthers, QB-CB, Sr.; Tyler Bowen, TE-DE, Sr.; Nick Marston, WB-FB-MLB, Sr.; Ben Felton, FB-S, Sr.; Jimmy Davis, OT-DT, Jr.; Travis Spencer, C-MLB, Jr.; Mark Smith, G, Jr.; Zack Marston, RB-DE, Jr.

Outlook: Belfast returns plenty of talent, but much of it is either in new spots or starting full-time for the first time, so there could be some bumps in the road at the start of the season. If someone breaks out as featured tailback, the Lions are almost a sure bet to be a solid playoff contender.