DUBOIS – With all but five starters (three players) gone from a 2001 team which went 5-6 overall and 4-1 in the D9 League (Tri-Champs with Bradford and Clearfield), this could be a rebuilding year for DuBois Area.

"We’re very inexperienced," third-year head coach Lon Hazlet told the DuBois Courier Express. "How hard we work, how hard we compete and how fast we grow will determine what kind of season we have."

The Beavers not only have an inexperienced team playing wise but also a young team with only 12 seniors on the roster.

With such an inexperienced roster, DuBois is going to rely heavily on the starters who are back. They include one of the fastest players in the entire district in wide receiver Mark Jones (14 catches, 264 yards, 3 touchdowns) as well as wide receiver Ryan Samanka (6 catches, 97 yards) and offensive lineman Josh Gully. Jones is also a returning starter at cornerback, while Gully is returning on the defensive line as well.

There is a lot of competition going on for the remaining starting spots.

On offense, a battle is going on at quarterback between Mike Hunter and Joe Wanson. Wanson has great size at 6-3, 205, while Hunter is a heady player according to Hazlet.

After relying on the Marshall brothers (Derek – 1,623 yards & 11 TD’s in 2001 – and Justin) the past few years at running back, DuBois looks like it is going with a running back by committee look in 2002.

Leading candidates to carry the ball include Jim Hoover, Justin Foltz, Eric Stuby, Mike Stewart and Vance Newell.

The receiving corps is one of the few positions with experience returning for the Beavers led by Jones and Samanka.

"It is the coaching staff’s job to find as many ways as possible to get the ball into both of those players hands," Hazlet told the DuBois Courier Express.

At tight end three players are fighting for a spot including Mark Bowley, Ryan Royer and Derek Bundy.

Even with all the competition at the skill positions, the biggest question mark on offense for DuBois still lies with the offensive line.

Only two players have firmly established themselves as starters with Gully at guard and Matt Radzavich at tackle.

Leading candidate in the battle for the other three spots are Garrett Kellar, Ryan Douthit and J.C. Burkett.

On defense DuBois will be led on the line by Gully at one defensive tackle position with Craig Ellis and Jordan Lydick battling for the other tackle spot.

Royer will be the "Mike" inside linebacker with Jim Hoover, Douthit and Kellar battling for the "Bill" spot.

The outside linebackers will be Bowley and probably Jeff Heverley, who missed all of last season with an injury.

At cornerback will be Jones with Jim Gusky and Travis Snyder, while Hanzely will be at safety along with Ryan Sprague, Hunter, Samanka and Jon Davis at the other safety spot.

A battle is going on for the kicking position between returning starter Mark Guthridge (23-26 PAT, 2-2 FG, 31 points) and sophomore Evan Greene, while Jones returns at punter.

The Beavers open their season at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 when they host Central Mountain.