Kevin Myers leaned forward as the sense of urgency became evident in his voice. He pointed across the table to the three Dallastown senior football players sitting there.

"They know what's at stake," Myers said.

The Dallastown coach is so sure because those three, along with the rest of this year's senior class, have been on both sides of it.

They were around when the Wildcats stumbled through an injury-ridden campaign in 2006 to finish 1-9 - wrapping up a three-year stretch in which the squad compiled a wretched 4-26 overall mark. They participated in the resurrection of 2007, when a program seemingly left for dead finished the season 5-1 after losing the first three games, earning an unlikely playoff berth.

Now they're back

Sixteen-year-old Josh Mays pushes through the lie while running a drill during practice. (Daily Record/Sunday News - Kate Penn)
for the most important season for the Dallastown football program in recent memory - the year when the Wildcats can prove that 2007 wasn't a mere fluke and the Dallastown football program can consistently compete with the traditional powers of Division I.

"There's more pressure," senior lineman Chris Abrahamsen said. "There's more expectations. We just have to have the same mindset."

The Wildcats also have a lot of the same players, which should help. Dallastown loses only eight total starters, four on each side of the ball. Gone are quarterback Kevin Frisby and three-year starters Andy Le and Matt Rae, but the Wildcats bring back one of the most experienced offensive and defensive lines in the league in addition to starting tailback Kole Kraut.

They also have unprecedented depth, according to Myers, with more sophomores and juniors than ever ready to contribute.

It all sounds like the beginnings of sustained success for a program that has never been feared by other teams in the county, let alone the district and the state. The effects are already evident in the Dallastown community, Myers said, with strangers and neighbors alike congratulating the team and expressing their support.

It could all start to erode if

Duann Johnson, left, and Brad Myers battle for the ball during a preseason practice. (Daily Record/Sunday News - Kate Penn)
the 2008 squad can't keep the engine humming.

"Last year was an important year for us to start making that turn," Myers said. "If they want to make Dallastown in contention to be known as a football power and known as a quality football program in this league, we have to do it again."

Myers said that other coaches look at making the district playoffs as a measure of success, but he has his eyes on the division title - something that hasn't happened in a generation. His players are reminded of Dallastown's 26-year divisional title drought every time they enter the school's gymnasium.

"We have all of these championship banners from other sports," senior lineman Owen Reinalda said. "On our football banner, the last year we have is 1982. We have our eyes on a championship, that's something we were not quite able to reach last year."

Myers said his 2008 squad is better than last year's group and missing the

playoffs would be both

unexpected and "a disappointment." After a year of unprecedented success, the bar is set even higher.

"We don't look at it as a tough act to follow," Myers said. "We're looking at what these guys sacrificed and what they did and went through to get to where we were. Now it's on us to keep that legacy living, and do we want to be remembered like they are remembered."

smclernon@ydr.com; 771-2045

PAST DIV. I CHAMPS

2007: William Penn
2006: South Western
2005: Central York
2004: South Western
2003: Red Lion
2002: New Oxford; Spring Grove
2001: Spring Grove
2000: South Western
1999: Central York
1998: Red Lion
1997: South Western
1996: South Western; William Penn
1995: South Western