2007 Season: 8-3 (4-1, 1st place-tie NEMC)

Head Coach: Andrew Pratley

Basic Offensive Set: Veer

Basic Defensive Set: 4-3

Returning starters: Andrew Funsch, sr.; Alex Rose, sr.; Anthony Carollo, sr.; Conrad Laurion, sr.

Outlook: The Ogemaw Heights football team may bear little resemblance to the teams of recent seasons, as just four starters return and 17 of the 43 on the season-opening roster were even on the team last year.

"We are very inexperienced, with only four returning starters," says Falcon coach Andrew Pratley. "It's now time for new faces to step up and take their turn."

Seniors Andrew Funsch, Anthony Carollo, Alex Rose and Conrad Laurion bear the mantle of leadership for this team. Funsch and Rose played extensively as sophomores on the Falcon squad that two years ago came within inches of advancing to the state semifinals. Funsch, a defensive dynamo, will also see time at running back this season, while Rose is a returning tight end who has caught his share of passes from two different quarterbacks the last couple seasons.

Carollo, a bruising fullback, and Laurion, a linebacker, moved into the starting lineup last year.

Taking over at quarterback will be sophomore Eric Noble and junior John Hughes, who will both see action throughout the season.

The Falcons, who have had known game-breakers coming into the previous three seasons, will likely see a more balanced offense less dependent on a single player. Depending on matchups, Funsch, Carollo and Rose, as well as a number of player new to varsity, will need to come up with big games for the Falcons to continue their recent run of playoff appearances.

The good news is that every other NEMC squad lost a number of key players to graduation, though most admittedly didn't lose quite as many as the Falcons. But with a pair of solid non-conference opponents to open the season, Pratley hopes his team will be ready when the Falcons face off with league co-champ Standish-Sterling in their league opener in Week 3.