Gateway advanced to the WPIAL Class AAAA title game in 2007, losing to Central Catholic, 35-34, in a memorable overtime contest at Heinz Field.

Gators coach Terry Smith believes the outcome could be different in 2008.

"This team should contend for the WPIAL championship," Smith said of his Gators.

Smith's optimism has everything to do with numbers -- 21 seniors, seven returning starters on offense and eight on defense.

"Both offensive and defensive lines return in tact," he said. "We will be very good up front on both sides of the ball."

The Gators finished 11-2 last season and won the Big East Conference title with a 5-0 mark. Gateway, 53-18 under Smith, has moved to the Foothills Conference this year as part of the WPIAL realignment.

On offense, Gateway's most notable loss was running back Cam Saddler, who rushed for 1,702 yards and scored 31 touchdowns.

But other key members return, including junior quarterback Robert Kalkstein, a three-year starter who passed for 1,187 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

Some of Kalkstein's favorite targets -- senior wide receiver Corey Brown (20 catches, 470 yards, three touchdowns) and senior wide receiver/running back Brian Williams (13 catches, 109 yards rushing, three touchdowns) -- also return.

The defense is anchored highly touted linebacker Dorian Bell. A three-year starter who recorded 131 tackles, he has verbally committed to Ohio State.

Smith had high praise for Bell: "He is the best football player to come from Gateway -- ever."

A challenge for Gateway will be to replace the production of departed linebacker Shayne Hale, who is at Pitt. He had 114 tackles in 2007. A contender to fill that role is junior Delbert Tyler, a two-year starter.

With two of last season's offensive catalysts having graduated, the pervasive question surrounding the McKeesport Area football team is a no-brainer: Who will run the vaunted flexbone offense?

The Tigers annually give opponents fits with their triple-option, flexbone attack, and the reins of this year's offense will be handled by a pair of players.

McKeesport coach George Smith said his team will go with a two-quarterback rotation of senior Parris Perdue (6-1, 165) and junior Julian Brown (5-5, 160).

They'll get plenty of support from senior fullback Nico Price (5-11, 235), who rushed for 963 yards and 12 touchdowns a season ago. Also seeing plenty of action will be senior wingback Gabe Patterson (5-7, 170) and junior fullback Darian Robinson (6-0, 205).

Senior two-way tackle Dana Brown (6-1, 265) leads the way up front. He'll be joined on the lines by seniors Carlos Brown (6-2, 235) and Eddie Gooden (5-9, 235).

The Spartans' 2008 season was impacted in May when senior quarterback Shane Meisner, the son of coach Greg Meisner, tore his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the school's baseball team. He is out for the season.

"It's been hard for me to move on because he's my son," said Meisner, who is entering his fourth season. "The big thing we've lost is the leadership that Shane would have brought to the field."

Three sophomores are vying for the starting quarterback position for the Spartans, who finished 3-7 in 2007 and lost to North Allegheny in the first round of the playoffs. Dante Nania (5-10, 159) and Garrett Trent (6-0, 160), who both played varsity last season, and Dolan Facchine are competing for the job.

"They're doing well," Meisner said. "Each does something different. Dante is a traditional-style quarterback, a pocket passer. Garrett is a running type quarterback. Dolan does a good job of throwing the ball."

Meisner, who is 7-23 at Hempfield, is encouraged by the progress of his younger players. Junior R.J. Thomas (6-2, 216) will start at fullback and linebacker.

Meisner said other players to watch include senior lineman Nick Carnicella (6-2, 255), junior running back Ryan Hayden (5-7, 147), senior wide receiver Dan Moyer (5-10, 156), senior lineman Doug Knight (6-1, 260) and senior Brandon Grisnik, a Greensburg Central Catholic transfer.

The Warriors stumbled out of the gate last season, losing their first five games. But they rebounded to finish 3-2 in conference play and claimed a playoff spot for the fifth consecutive season and 12th in the past 13 years.

Coach Art Tragesser's squad ended the year 3-7 after a 45-14 loss to Gateway in the first round of the playoffs. Tragesser's 12th season with the Warriors could prove to be his most challenging. P-T returns only three starters on offense and three on defense.

On offense, the Warriors will miss Brian Mack, an outstanding two-way player who rushed for 568 yards, caught 16 passes for 171 more and scored seven TDs.

Penn-Trafford returns senior quarterback Mike Brown (6-1, 190), senior lineman Mike Cima (5-11, 220) and junior lineman Luke Graham (6-6, 260).

On defense, the Warriors welcome back senior linebacker Bob Westerlund (6-1, 200) along with Cima and Graham on the line.

Wildcats coach Pat Murray enters his 10th season after guiding the team to a 2-8 record last year.

Latrobe should improve on that mark with nine starters on offense and eight starters on defense returning.

Junior Eric Shaffer (6-1, 200) is back at quarterback after throwing for 1,100 yards and rushing for 475. He will have a pair of familiar targets at wide receiver in seniors Tony Lonigro (6-1, 170) and Ryan LaDuke (5-9, 160).

The Wildcats return three two-way starters on the line in senior Tony Lamosek (6-1, 225) and juniors T.J. Dovie (5-10, 270) and Steve Kolman (6-3, 275). Other notable players for Latrobe include senior linebackers Jeff Kerila (6-1, 195), Alex Kernicky (6-0, 210) and Matt Blank (6-4, 170) and senior defensive lineman Joe Siwiak (5-9, 240).

Last year was a banner one for Norwin and coach Dan Conwell.

Paced by a strong senior class, the Knights posted a 7-4 record. The Knights defeated Woodland Hills, 29-14, in the first round of the playoffs, their first postseason win since 1999.

The Knights graduated 22 players last spring. The top returnee is senior quarterback Alex Dennison (6-3, 205), who passed for 1,310 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Dennison will need to find a new target after wide receiver Mike Shanahan (37 catches, 731 yards, 13 touchdowns) graduated.