CHERRY TWP — Moniteau senior running back/linebacker Nick Martino is a big believer in momentum.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound wrecking ball has it on the football field as he barrels through potential tacklers on offense or sprints to deliver a big hit on the other team's ballcarrier on defense.

Martino believes in another kind of momentum. A radically different kind. One that he hopes carries over from season to season, even though the Warriors' football team has some mighty big players to replace on both sides of the ball.

“I think we can pick up where we left off,” Martino said. “I feel like some of these games we'll go into as kind of an underdog, but I think there's going to be a lot of people surprised when we come out and smack them in the mouth and show, 'Hey, we can play.'”

Moniteau shook off an up-and-down start last season to win three straight games to end the regular season and earn a playoff berth.

The Warriors then upset Clarion in the first round of the District 9 Class AA playoffs before giving Ridgway all it could handle in a semifinal loss.

“I think a large part of that strong finish was in part because of these juniors as sophomores stepping up and playing better,” said Moniteau coach Bob Rottman. “I'm expecting a lot of that junior class.

“I truly believe we can take the next step,” Rottman added. “I'm not naive by any means and think it's going to be an easy road. But I don't think there's a Friday night when we take the field that we can't win the football game.”

Moniteau's big junior class — 15 of the team's 24 players are in that class — will be a key to their season.

A lot of them got significant playing time last season and have gotten bigger, faster and stronger since 2018.

One of those juniors, Brady Thompson, has the inside track on the quarterback job. The 6-foot, 160-pound Thompson is blessed with a cannon for an arm and may change how the Warriors attack a defense this season.

“Our offense will primarily be the same as last year with a little more balance to it,” Rottman said. “We're still going to focus on winning the game at the line of scrimmage and being able to run the football.”

More juniors will get a shot at carrying the ball, led by Trent Kelly, Mason Mershimer and J.D. Dessicino.

Those three played big roles at times down the stretch last year for Moniteau.

Martino will also likely get more carries in the backfield after primarily being a blocking back for quarterback Chance Nagy and tailback Cody Wise last season.

Nagy and Wise, who graduated, piled up 2,144 yards behind Martino and a big offensive line last season.

“I have four good running backs and every one of them is capable of having a big game and a big night,” Rottman said. “Trent goes from 150 pounds to 175. Mershimer — he's up to 195 pounds. Dessicino got taller and bigger — he's up to 190 pounds. I'm looking forward to seeing that junior class and how they improved and matured from last year. It's going to be exciting.”

That all will hinge, though, on how well the Warriors an break in a revamped offensive line.

Gone are all-state performer James Parenti, Bobby Mathews and Donavan Francois. That was 855 pounds of force up front that opened up gaping holes on offense and controlled the line of scrimmage on defense.

“I'm not going to try to replace them,” Rottman said. “It's high school football and, obviously, everyone has turnover every year. James was all-state. As a single person I don't think you are going to replace him. But what we have as an offensive line as a whole, it can be just as good as it was last year. I think it's going to be a different style than it was last year. I don't think we'll miss a beat.”

Martino is looking forward to a more expanded role in the running game.

Rottman is, too.

He wants to see that momentum at work.

“I see Nick getting better as the game goes on, being more productive as the game goes on, sort of like Cody was in the second half and especially in the fourth quarter,” Rottman said. “He's a big kid and a physical kid. He has that mindset that he invites the punishment.”