Whitwell

Head coach: Rocky Stephenson (4-4 here and overall)

Returning starters: 9 offensive; 9 defensive

Last year’s record: 4-4 overall, lost in Class 1A first round

Key players: Chandler Britton (5-10, 180) Sr. RB/ FS, Cole Britton (5-10, 180) Sr. RB/DB, Wesley Nunley (5-11, 185) Sr. FB/MLB, Ethan Hobbs (5-9, 185) Sr. OL, David Pardo (6-0, 180) Sr. K, Brendon Easterly (6-3, 205) So. QB, Bennett McDougal (6-2, 185) So. RB/OLB, Garrett Miller (6-1, 185) So. TE/DE,

Wyatt Davis (5-9, 160) So. LB

Season outlook: The Tigers showed positive strides last fall in the first year of their rebuilding process, but Stephenson admitted there is still work to do.

Whitwell scored an average of 52 points in its four wins but didn’t score more than 10 in any of the four losses.

Now, though, all but two starters on each side of the ball return, which raises expectations.

“The good thing about having to play as many young guys as we did last year is that they gained a lot of actual game experience, and now we shouldn’t make the same mistakes that cost us at times,” Stephenson said. “In single-A ball you always worry about injuries, but we’ll be very competitive if we stay healthy, because this is a hard-working group.”

The entire offensive line returns intact, with Hobbs the lone senior of the group, while sophomores Easterly and McDougal will account for most of the carries. Easterly led the team with nearly 700 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns last year.