WHEELING — It’s a new year with new faces for Wheeling Park, who are hoping to make another run into the playoffs with the next generation of Patriots stepping into starting roles.

Park went 7-3 last season, bowing out to Jefferson in the playoffs 21-14.

“We had our highs and lows last year,” Wheeling Park head coach Chris Daugherty said. “We had some really good wins, we had one or two losses that I don’t think we should’ve had, it was on us as a group. We lost some good seniors, there’s no doubt, but there was a lot of the junior and sophomore class who got a lot of playing time last year. Some of those sophomores, even though they’re going to be juniors, they had to play a lot last year. It’s a good opportunity this year to kind of play old this year and not look like your normal junior who’s out there for the first time.”

Park will need to replace several impact players from last year’s offense- wide receivers Mykel Davis and Keohn Stephens graduated, while starting quarterback Aiden Davis and starting running back Amare Johnson each transferred out-of-state.

The Patriots still have plenty of returners in the trenches and at key skill spots. Park returns four of five starters on the offensive line, jack-of-all-trades Jameson Maynard (6-1, 200), and Brennan Wack (6-0, 190), who had a standout season playing H-back and in the slot, and who will take over at tailback this year.

“We’re pretty excited about the group- their work ethic is good, they care about each other, and we don’t have to worry about a lot of other, outside problems,” Daugherty said. “They seem to be a good group who’s sticking together. They care about the right things, and that’s putting in work, trying to get better and worrying about the team. So far so good, I’ve been really excited with how these guys have attacked the summer.”

Coach Chris Daugherty discusses the upcoming season

Taking over under center will be sophomore Jay Bordas (6-1, 175), who will be starting on Friday nights for the first time.

“Jay Bordas will be taking over at quarterback,” Daugherty said. “He had a really good offseason, he just continues to get better and better. Jay will be a sophomore, and he’s a really talented sophomore, but he’s a sophomore playing the most important position on the offensive side of the ball.

“He’s going to have moments that he’s going to look like a sophomore, he’s going to have moments when he looks like a poised upperclassman. The talent’s there, it’s just a matter of getting him accustomed to the speed of a Friday night compared to freshman and JV ball. So far so good, I’ve been really excited with how he looks right now.”

Wack held his own in an offense chock full of talent last year, and moving in his junior season- and moving into a new position- Wack will be asked to take on a leading role.

“Really excited about Brennan Wack,” Daugherty said. “He’s going to have to move from an h-back position to tailback. He had a super sophomore year and we kind’ve expected big things out of him no matter where we put him.

“He had probably one of the best offseasons. He’s gotten faster, he’s gotten bigger and stronger, all those things usually lead to good football play, even better football play than last year. He had great moments last year. He’s moving to tailback, and he’s played tailback in his lifetime but it’ll be a new varsity position for him to learn and get accustomed to. Really happy with where he is right now.”

Maynard was the glue that held the Patriots together last season, conducting a wide range of responsibilities and excelling in all spots.

“We can’t live without Jameson Maynard, period,” Daugherty said. “He is one of the best football players we’ve had in maybe the last six, seven years. He can literally do anything- anywhere I put him, I don’t have to worry about that position anymore. He’s one of the best linebackers in the state, he’s one of the best H-backs in the state, he holds kicks and extra points, he catches our punt returns.

“The biggest thing is he’s unselfish. He doesn’t care about accolades. If they come, they come, but he wants to win and he wants the kids around him to win. The team comes first with him and I can’t say enough about him. He’s very important to the team, we need him.”

While there will be a youth movement with new players at QB, RB and WR, the offensive line is seasoned, with Cam Bryan (6-3, 230), Hunter Means (6-2, 280), Luke Miller (6-0, 235) and Kieran Moses (6-3, 280) all returning along for the five-man unit. Derek Croghan is the lone graduate from last year.

“We return a lot of guys,” Daugherty said. “You start with our right tackle, Cam Bryan, he’s a three-year starter, our right guard in Hunter Means, he’s going to have a really good year, a returning starter and our heavyweight wrestler. Our center Luke Miller is coming back, our guard Kiran Moses is returning.

“Our new face is going to be our left tackle, and that’s kind’ve out there right now. We’ve got three or four other guys who can step in and we’re happy where we are right now.”

Look out for Liam Waldeck (6-1, 240) to be in the mix for that last spot.

Trey Kocher (5-11, 190) could be a factor on offense catching passes and running the ball in his senior season.

“Trey Kocher’s returning,” Daugherty said. “He got thrown into the fire last year and just got better and better.”

Wheeling Park also suffered losses on defense- Davis and Stephens started at corner, while Jared Marsh was an all-state safety- but, as with the offense, there is also returning experience.

“Back at safety, we played two sophomores and they’re both returning, [juniors] Jed Hunley and Isaac Sands,” Daugherty said. “We’ll use Brennan a little bit, and if we use Brennan at safety we’ll probably bump one of those guys out to corner.”

Alongside Hunley (5-8, 150) and Sands (5-9, 175) on defense, Noah Short (6-1, 185) will look to make an impact at outside linebacker, while Coldin Burkhart (6-0, 210) will get after the passer and move sideline-to-sideline, shifting from playing as a down linemen to playing on his feet as an outside linebacker this season.

Corner remains a competition.

“We’re looking for a couple corners to step up,” Daugherty said.

Junior track star Owen Dobrzynski-Hines (5-7, 160) should be in the mix.

AJ Seals (5-7, 135) will return for kicking and punting duties.

The rest of the 14-man senior class includes linebacker Xander Ackley (5-7, 155), receiver/defensive back Rasheem Rose, running back/defensive back Keontae Berisford (6-1, 160) and linemen Jack Klein (6-0, 230) and Jayden Woods-Davis (6-4, 245).

In the mix from the Patriots’ junior class are receivers Cazhjaun Campbell-Heyward (6-5, 185) and Kolin Wiley (6-2, 180), both of whom give the Patriots plenty of height, kicker/punter Anthony Mealy (5-10, 160), running back/linebacker Channing Biery (5-8, 180), linebacker Briar Works (6-0, 180) and receiver/defensive back Ronald Proctor (5-8, 144) along with linemen Kaden Coyle, Nolan Yanchak (5-11, 200), Kayden Fortney (5-10, 240), Reuben Rouse, Carson McCort (5-8, 200), Kameron Dietrich (6-5, 200), Michael West and Gahmill Byrd (5-11, 175).

Rounding out the sophomore class is running backs Nate Hodge (5-11, 175) and Hunter Miller (5-10, 170), receiver/defensive backs Wade Barbour (5-11, 160), Michael Hunter (5-10, 150), Michael Neider (5-9, 150), Noah Kelley (5-11, 150), Maddox Richards (6-0, 165), Logan Pugh (6-0, 140), Austin Eikey (5-8, 150) and Logan Wilson (5-8, 135), tight end/linebackers Preston Heatherington (6-2, 185), Jake Franke (5-11, 200), Trey Lewis-Bledsoe (5-9, 180), Queinton Scott (6-1, 205) and Walter Garrison (5-11, 165), kicker/punter

Jacob Robinson (6-5, 190), and linemen Owen King (5-11, 185), Ethan West (5-10, 255), Terry Sparks (6-0, 235), Akeem Davis, Grayson Campbell (6-0, 270) and Jeremile Alexander (5-8, 140).

Forming the Patriots’ freshmen class is receiver Nico Pasqualla (5-8, 115), quarterback Jonah Hardaway (5-7, 130), running back Trent McCardle, receiver/defensive backs Liam Wetzel (5-7, 135), Cameron Smith, Jayden Reed (5-10, 150), Keokie Wilkes (5-11, 150), Braylon Mirides (5-7, 120)

and Rylan Baker (5-9, 135), linebackers Jaxson Updegraff (6-0, 180) and Braydon Bartsch (5-9, 180) and linemen Alex Cook (5-9, 280), Christian Dillin (5-9, 180), Jashard Hodge (5-3, 150), Cooper Bush (5-9, 190), Jake Trimmier (5-8, 255), Jeremy Porter (6-5, 340) and Kohlton Muldrew (5-8, 240).

Daugherty is in his 16th season coaching Park. His assistants are Drew Beihl, Zach Phillips, Shane Glass, Tim Ickes, Freddy Ray, Nick Nardone, Rick Marsh, Keith Phillips, Scott Cook, Savion Johnson, Dave Stahnke and Doug Boyd.