LAPEL — Entering the 2024 season, the Lapel football program has its eyes set on another postseason run.

After a sectional championship in 2022, the Bulldogs were defeated last year 45-43 by Eastern Hancock on a closing-minute game-winning field goal.

With plenty of experience returning on offense and some key players back on defense from a team that went 5-5, they’ll look to bounce back this season.

For head coach Tim Miller, that starts by taking things one week at a time.

“We’re not in a conference so our goal is to go as deep as we can in the postseason,” Miller said. “Football is a different game, though. You don’t have 25 games like some other sports, so the nine or 10 that we have guaranteed, we don’t want to overlook those. Every week is important. These kids work year-‘round for what could be as few as 10 games, and when you look at it through that lens, every game is important.”

Like other teams around the state, practices out at Lapel High School started a few weeks ago, and the team has one scrimmage under its belts.

So far, according to Miller, things have been going very well and there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the program.

“We’ve had some great practices,” Miller said. “It’s been a really fun group to coach so far, the kids are working their tails off and there’s a lot of enthusiasm.”

The Bulldogs strong suit, once again, will be its offense.

On that side of the ball, Lapel returns its starting quarterback, running back and two of its top receivers from a team that averaged nearly 30 points per game.

“We think we can be very good at throwing and running. We’ve got a lot of guys coming back with a lot of experience,” Miller said. “There’s close to 100 receptions and 700 rushing yards returning, so there’s a lot to be excited about.”

Leading that group under center will be junior standout Devin Craig.

After a good freshman year, Craig had a breakout season as a sophomore, throwing for 2,777 yards and 31 touchdowns with a 66.4 completion percentage and a quarterback rating of 112.9. His 2,777 yards were the most in the state during the regular season.

He enters the year as not only one of the top quarterbacks in Class 2A but one of the best in the entire state.

“Right now he’s playing at an even better level than he was last year,” Miller said. “The name of the game is completions, and as long as he continues to take what the defense gives him and that decision-making of his continues to be stellar, we expect very similar things from him this year.”

In the backfield alongside him will be sophomore running back Jack Miller. As the team’s top rusher as a freshman last season, he ran for 697 yards and five touchdowns.

At wide receiver, the Bulldogs lose All-State pass catcher Nick Witte (1,078 yards, 11 touchdowns), but still return strong options at the position.

Seniors Rylie Hudson (55 catches, 666 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Braxton Burress (34 catches, 395 yards, 6 touchdowns) anchor what coach Miller believes is a deep group.

Hudson will be one of the anchors on the other side of the ball as well. Last season he was third on the team in tackles (58) and tied for first in interceptions (3) from the defensive back position.

Along with him, sophomores Mason Page and Reed Hamilton will look to limit opposing teams’ passing games and will help replace Witte’s 46 tackles and three interceptions.

In the middle, Lapel returns sophomore linebacker and top tackler Isaiah Young (78 tackles), but around him, there are still plenty of people fighting for those positions including juniors Jayden Lindsey and Andrew Evelo.

Senior Isaiah Priest looks to be a factor on both sides of the ball once again for the Bulldogs after recording 49 tackles and catching seven passes last season.

Up front, the Bulldogs lose leading pass rusher Matthew Carpenter (56 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 8 sacks), as well as Chandler Lowes (43 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 4 sacks).

Senior Karson Kinsinger (39 tackles) will lead up front on both sides of the ball as defensive tackle and one of the teams top offensive lineman.

“We’re not going to overwhelm people with our size on defense, but it’s a group that really swarms to the ball well and they are practicing hard,” Miller said. “We’ve got a lot of guys learning on the fly, but we expect by the middle of the season for them to gel pretty well together.”

Lapel opens up the season at 7 p.m. on Friday at home against Hamilton Heights.