Playoffs or not

The Cougars are 10-6 the past two seasons and are coming off a 2001 campaign in which they won their last six games to finish with a 7-3 record.

Had Lyle not been over the B-8 enrollment cutoff (100 students in grades 9-12), it easily would have qualified for the state playoffs.

But it's a moot point since Lyle -- with a projected enrollment of 140 in grades 9-12 -- doesn't come close to qualifying.

So, with no post-season entry available, the Cougars again will play for nothing more than the love of the game.

"We have no problem playing an independent schedule with no avenue to the playoffs," Cougars Coach David Barthlow said. "As a school, we're too large to compete in the 8-man playoffs, and to schedule 11-man games we'd have to go to the coast or up in central Washington. With this young team, we feel it's the best opportunity to play the independent 8-man schedule at this time."

So it goes without saying that this season will be a learning experience for the Cougars, who must rebuild after losing their leading runner, passer, receiver and tacklers to graduation.

"We have a very young and inexperienced team this year," Barthlow noted. "We have many freshmen and first-year players among the 20 players who turned out. We're also small. We have no `really big' guys."

Lyle's only returning starter is senior offensive/defensive end Tyler Essex, who'll be ineligible until the third game because he hasn't participated in the mandatory 10 practices.

However, nine other lettermen who played in every game in 2001 will be ready to go in the Cougars' season opener.

This group comprises seniors Moses Ibarra (RB/DB) and Jesse Spalding (WR/LB-DE); juniors Justin Carlson (QB/DE-DB), James Stanovich (C/DE-LB) and Adam Jones (WR/DB); and sophomores Callan Johnson (RB/LB), Dusty Vorce (RB/DB), Chris Cochenour (WR/DB) and Devan Essex (RB/DB).

"These letter-winners gained valuable experience last year, and they'll be gaining more experience this season," Barthlow said.

The balance of the squad is made up of rookies: seven freshmen, a sophomore and one exchange student.

At least two members of Lyle's freshmen class, linemen Mark Rodriguez and Doug Ginnett, will be expected to step right in and get the job done.

"They're going to be our starting guards in the first game," Barthlow said. "They've been working hard to better themselves and will continue to improve during the season."

Competing for playing time will be freshmen Travis Cleveland (QB/DB), Craig Turner (OL/DL), Thomas Bell (WR/DB), Paul Jones (RB/LB) and Brent Turner (OL/DL); sophomore Jacob Shuttle (RB/LB), and exchange student Christian Doeker (WR/DB).