The Ironmen went undefeated through the regular season last year before losing to eventual WPIAL finalist Beaver Falls in the quarterfinals, but only three starters from that team are back.

"We're very young and will need time to develop," Ironmen coach Ray Braszo said.

The returning starters are all seniors: 6-foot-5, 260-pound lineman Tyrone Ezell, linebacker/running back Tyrell Smith (5-11, 190) and cornerback/wide receiver Chase Perry (5-10, 160).

Ezell has already committed to Pitt, and Braszo believes the other two could play at smaller colleges. Smith was also an All-Century Conference selection after he led the team in rushing last season with 894 yards and scored 11 touchdowns.

Junior Tony Johnson is set to take over as the starting quarterback after PG South Fabulous 22 selection Ryan Sabo graduated. Look for sophomore Delrece Williams to pick up the pass-catching slack.

Before Braszo arrived in 2006, Steel Valley was 10-27 the previous four seasons. The Ironmen have gone 17-3 since.

The new coaching staff at South Allegheny, led by former Duquesne coach Pat Monroe, didn't place a high priority on evaluating the talent of its team through the first week of training camp.

Truth is, both sides were given a pass until they get to know each other.

"It's a lot when you have a whole new scheme coming in, for some of them this is the third scheme they have had [to learn]," said Monroe, who won 118 games and two WPIAL titles in 15 seasons at the defunct Duquesne High School. "It's a lot for these kids to take in."

The focus has been on allowing the players to become acclimated with their third head coach in four seasons as Monroe attempts to rebuild a team that has gone 14-64 since 2000.

The Gladiators return seven players who started last season, ones who fill five spots each on offense and defense. Quarterback is one of the positions that will be manned by an experienced player, Monroe just didn't know who that would be between senior Mike Cleary and sophomore Zack Anderson.

Cleary began the season as the starter but his injury forced Anderson into action.

Senior Rich White figures to be the primary ball-carrier.

South Allegheny hasn't made the playoffs in more than two decades, so Monroe isn't about to make any bold predictions or hoist unrealistic expectations on his team.

"There are no tangible goals. Everything is new [to me], the conference, the coaches, the group of kids," Monroe said. "We just want play good football ... play good football and be competitive on every snap of every play of every game. Play to the best of our ability level, and from there hopefully positive things will transpire."

On the heels of a 2-7 campaign in which they did not win a game in Class A Big Seven Conference play, the Crusaders have moved up to the Class AA Century Conference.

"It will be a challenge," said Bob Jacoby, Bishop Canevin's coach for the past 36 years.

Seven starters on each offense and defense return. That group includes senior linebacker/guard Matt Klein, who led the team in tackles last season, and junior running back/linebacker Jeff Dobbins, who led the team in rushing last season.

Other returning starters who are seniors include quarterback Lou DiPaolo, who passed for 766 yards and rushed for 330 last season; defensive tackles Casey Shaneyfelt and Nick Palastro; defensive back Zach Rogers, guard Scott Nelson and wide receiver Brendon Pifer.

Bishop Canevin was 7-13 the past two seasons after advancing to the WPIAL Class A semifinals in 2005.

The Golden Eagles are a young but relatively experienced team that lost only a couple starters on each offense and defense but can boast only a handful of seniors.

"We're a junior-based team," KO coach Nick Kamberis said. "A lot of these kids started as sophomores and got their butts kicked."

Among the seniors who started last season are quarterback Corey Bellovich and running back/safety Dion Wiegand. Bellovich passed for 1,328 yards last season and Wiegand was named the team's defensive most valuable player. He served as the backup to tailback John Fuhrer the past three seasons.

Junior lineman Max Keilbasa (6-3, 245) and sophomore running back/linebacker Matt McCann also have emerged as leaders, according to Kamberis. The offensive and defensive lines are anchored by Keilbasa and juniors Steve Scatteregia (6-2, 273), Brandon Stevens (6-2, 260) and Alex Demczak (6-3, 276).

The team was hurt by the loss of senior receiver Jon Lorenzi, who caught 44 passes for 772 yards last season. He injured his knee at a college camp in the spring.

The Rebels return six starters on offense and seven on defense to a team that has been 19-5 in conference play the past three seasons but suddenly has almost an entirely new conference around them in the Century.

"If we can stay healthy, we will be very competitive," Rebels coach Greg Perry said. "We should hold our own."

Senior Matt Fedor is a returning all-conference honoree on the offensive line. He is joined on the unit by senior Mike McConnville and junior Evan Kelly.

Senior Mitch Cunningham (wide receiver/safety), senior David Cortese (running back/linebacker), junior Jake Novicki (wide receiver/linebacker), senior Tom Quinlin (fullback/linebacker), senior Dom Tommarello (running back/linebacker) and senior Anthony Zwickle (tight end/linebacker) also are returning starters.

Cortese led the team in touchdowns last season, scoring four times rushing, three times receiving and twice on kickoff returns. Junior Anthony Rizza is set to take over as the starting quarterback from Pat Capatolla.

The Rebels will play their home games at Chartiers Valley High School this season after playing at Honus Wagner Field in Carnegie in recent years.

The Lions went 7-3 last season despite scoring only 18.9 points per game -- least among all Class AA playoff teams. But only four starters return from that defense.

Those players are senior linebacker Brad Opar (5-9, 200), sophomore defensive tackle Nick Faraci (6-2, 230), senior defensive back Cole Valko (6-3, 175) and sophomore defensive back Tyler Challengesworth (5-9, 160).

Offensively, coach Joe Rossi's team must find a way to replace quarterback Jon Taglianetti, who accounted for more than 1,500 yards of offense rushing and passing and tied for the team lead in touchdowns.

Christian Brumbaugh, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound sophomore, is the heir apparent at the position. Also set to contribute at the skill positions are wide receivers junior Ryan Ross, senior Will Rose and Challengesworth and sophomore running back Jeff Davis. Junior tackle Steve McElhinny and senior guard Josh Reid figure to anchor the line.

One key loss for the Lions is Drew Hareza, who was one of the top kickers in the area. Senior Nolan Levine will replace him.

The last time South Fayette did not have a winning record was 2002.

The Eagles are now three years removed from their perfect 16-0 PIAA title season, meaning the last players with direct ties to that season are in their senior years.

"They have that taste of what it takes to get to that point," Eagles coach Tom Loughran said. "We always talk to the seniors about being leaders, and that is some of what they can pass on to the younger players because it is their team, so to speak."

South Park is only 9-9 with two non-playoff seasons since 2005 but returns four starters on both offense and defense this season: Senior linemen Tony Szalla and Jon Carter, senior linebacker Baron Lindsay, senior tight end Devon Pook, senior running back Terran Senay, senior linebacker Alex Boscia and junior defensive linemen Pat Bradshaw and Cody Fircack. Lindsay, Boscia and senior wide receiver Ray Fleisner are currently injured, however.

Senior Nick Garofalo reclaims the starting quarterback job that he lost last season due to injury. Senay and junior Shane Dotson figure to split the ball-carrying duties.