FOXBURG - Just how hard is it to compensate for losing 40 points and 28 rebounds per game?

The A-C Valley boys basketball team will soon find out.

The Falcons finished with a 21-6 record last season after reaching the District 9 Class A semifinals and the first round of the PIAA playoffs.

Gone from that squad are star center Jesse Morrison (17.3 points, 11 rebounds per game) and forwards Jake Mechling (16.4 and 9.4) and Justin Casey (5.8 and 8).

"They all had different personalities and played different roles on the team," said Falcons coach Jim Marron. "But Jesse will be the hardest to replace. He was the leader of the team and a role model to the younger players."

Despite the losses to graduation, the cupboard is far from bare. Returning are All-KSAC junior point guard Sean Foust (14.3 points, eight assists per contest) and senior shooting guard John Piecenski (7.9 points).

"Sean is probably one of the best point guards in Western Pennsylvania," said Marron. "He handled the ball about 75 percent of the time last year. This season, we hope to lessen that responsibility and give him more scoring opportunities."

Foust and Piecenski connected on 60 and 51 3-point goals last year, respectively.

The Falcons' perimeter game is solid, but will they have an inside presence to complement it?

"We've got some height on this year's team," said Marron, speaking of projected starting forwards John Kaufman and Ted Marron, who both stand 6-feet-2.

"Both of those guys can shoot the ball as well from 20 feet as they can from two feet," added Marron.

The Falcons will enter the season with no center and will play a third guard instead: senior Andy Smith.

"Andy is a very athletic kid," said Marron. "He could have started last year on a lot of the teams in this conference.

"A lot of people believe that we were just a five-man team last season," said Marron. "And when we got to crunch time in a close game, we did stick with those five guys. But in a lot of games, we had a big lead at the end and did get some other kids some playing time."One thing the Falcons lacked last season was a consistent contributor off the bench. Marron hopes junior forward Kyle McCall will fill that void."He has a chance to start," Marron said. "But if he doesn't, he will be our sixth man."Other players who could see considerable playing time are junior Mark Hart and sophomores Ryan Jackson and Shawn Courson.A-C Valley's defense will be man-to-man most of the time."We play our best when we're running," said Marron. "And we run when playing man-to-man."The Falcons prepare to compete in a new-look conference.The Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference has been split up into separate divisions. A-C Valley will be in the mix with East Forest, West Forest, North Clarion and Venango Catholic."We're keeping the same goal, and that is to make the playoffs," said Marron.A-C VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL2004-05 Boys ScheduleDec. 3-4-at Reynolds Tip-Off Tournament, 6 p.m.; Dec. 7-CLARION, 6 p.m.; Dec. 13-at Karns City, 6 p.m.; Dec. 15-at Clarion-Limestone, 6:30 p.m.; Dec. 17-at Venango Catholic, 6 p.m.; Dec. 18-VISION QUEST, 2 p.m.Dec. 21-EAST FOREST, 6 p.m.; Dec. 23-at Redbank Valley, 6 p.m.; Dec. 27-28-at Punxsutawney Tournament, 6 @ 3 p.m.Jan. 4-at Cranberry, 6 p.m.; Jan. 7-ROCKY GROVE, 6 p.m.; Jan. 10-at Abraxas, 6 p.m.; Jan. 12-WEST FOREST, 6 p.m.; Jan. 14-UNION, 6 p.m.; Jan. 18-at Keystone, 6:30 p.m.; Jan. 21-MONITEAU, 6 p.m.; Jan. 26-at North Clarion, 6 p.m.; Jan. 28-ABRAXAS, 6 p.m.Feb. 2-at West Forest, 6 p.m.; Feb. 4-VENANGO CATHOLIC, 6 p.m.; Feb. 8-at East Forest, 6 p.m.; Feb. 11-NORTH CLARION, 6 p.m.