PITTSFIELD – Last year was a struggle for Maine Central Institute, but head coach Tom Bertrand hopes he can steer his team in the right direction.

“We absolutely want to be one of those teams who plays for the championship this year,” said Bertrand. “Our goals are to get into the playoffs, get a home playoff seed and work our way through to that gold-ball game, which is everybody’s goal.”

In order to make it that far, the seventh-year MCI coach will have to overcome a difficult 2007 season.

Last year the Huskies finished with a 2-7 record and ranked ninth of 10 teams in LTC Class C.

“We didn’t win many games,” Bertrand said. “We need to take that lesson and build on it. That’s our focus for this year.”

In order to use last year as a motivator, Bertrand will have to rely on a mixed group of players.

Returning will be star running back Nick Miller, who rushed for 1,109 yards last year, second in the league. He also scored 11 touchdowns, good enough for a tie of sixth in the league.

“I’m going to have to put up some good numbers and make a solid contribution offensively and defensively as well as all the other players on the team,” said Miller, who enters his senior year. “I think we’re going to have a lot of kids this year put up big numbers.”

Miller will also be on defense as an outside linebacker. He finished with 52 tackles a year ago.

Senior Brandon Wilson will step into the quarterback role, replacing the graduated Zach Dorion.

Wilson hopes to take some of the load off Miller by passing more.

“We have a good receiver in [junior] Nick Cook,” said Wilson. “He can go up and get the ball and make a lot of plays out of the backfield along with the running back.”

Junior fullback and slot back Shawn Bennett hopes that the leaders’ enthusiasm will carry over to the younger players.

“Basically the team just needs to be disciplined and everybody just needs to fly around and be as intense as us four captains are about our team,” said Bennett.

Wilson, Miller, Bennett and senior Andy Shorey are captains for the Huskies.

In order to be successful, other players need to step up and chip in.

“Our junior class is pretty small, but all of those kids in that class will contribute,” said Bertrand. “We have a few sophomores who will go both ways for us.”

Young players also can equal mistakes. Turnovers and penalties were problems for MCI last year.

“We certainly need to execute what we’re trying to do,” Bertrand said. “We can’t afford to make mistakes. Limiting our mistakes, executing and staying healthy are really keys for us. If we do those things, we should have a good season.”

MCI HUSKIES

2007 results: 2-7, 9th in LTC Class C

Head coach: Tom Bertrand, 7th year

Key players: Nick Miller, RB-OL, Sr.; Brandon Wilson, QB, Sr.; Shawn Bennett, FB-SB, Jr.; Andy Shorey, OL-DL, Sr.; Nick Cook, WR-DB, Jr.; Garret Poulin, OT-DT, Jr.; Markus White, OL-DL, Sr.; Mike Lynch, FB-DT, Sr.

Outlook: MCI improved on its 1-8 record from 2006 and looks to do even better this year. Bertrand knows he has a tough schedule ahead, but if Wilson, Miller and Cook can get into a rhythm and if mistakes can be limited, the Huskies could challenge for a playoff spot.