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Bethesda-Chevy Chase head football coach Rich Noland did not spare his players' feelings when he took over this past offseason. Having followed the program from within the building, and from a rival sideline, he gave it to the Barons straight.

"Our coaches really emphasized the fact that our school is known for getting beat down early in games and then not being able to come back," senior quarterback Casey Fitzgerald said.

B-CC faces plenty of challenges in 2009, not least of which a move up from Class 3A to the deeper 4A field. The varsity roster will only run 25-30 players deep, "not ideal for 4A," according to Noland, and only seven of those are seniors.

The Barons are aware of the challenges, and accept them. This year's focus is on how to prevent future editions from facing the same challenges.

"Every season you work to get bigger, better and stronger," senior Charles Banks said. "We're trying to build something new here. We're trying to change the mentality."

Banks is one of the reasons for optimism. Noland said "there's always been a degree of talent here," and B-CC stacks up well at the skill positions.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Banks will move from the line to "dive back" in the Barons' new spread offense, putting the ball in the hands of one of the team's better athletes. Fitzgerald is a three-year varsity player, last year's backup quarterback, and "perfect for this offense," Noland said.

This should also be a breakout year for speedy junior Matt Bookman, who started at running back as a sophomore. After fighting off an injury that kept him out of two-a-days, Bookman will pop up all over the offense, including at quarterback as a "Wildcat" type.

Several underclassmen provide encouragement for the future. Sophomore Keith Bennett played varsity as a freshman and has a similar role to Bookman's. Junior Collins Nitcheu was also on varsity as a freshman, and is back at middle linebacker after an injury last year. Wingbacks Kasey Cotting and Kerrance James are two other leaders of a sizeable junior class.

The outlook on the lines is not quite as rosy, where numbers are low and youth predominates. But Noland said there was size and potential in the junior class, with senior Jack Latourette (6-1, 190) cast as the reliable veteran.

Noland and his staff also see potential in a 50-man junior varsity squad. No one on East-West Highway is predicting playoff appearances or big upsets for this season, but the Barons do expect to lay the foundations of a brighter future.

The past? Well, let's just say they are burning that bridge. Or rather, a shoe they passed around after the final practice of two-a-days.

"While they held that cleat, that was the memories of last year," Noland said. "We took it, put it in a metal trashcan, lit it and stood around to watch it burn. I didn't think that would go over as big as it did. But I look at the kids' eyes, and I think it really meant something. That was the symbolic end to all the frustrations and all the disappointments of the last couple years."

B-CC

Head coach: Rich Noland, 1st year

League: Montgomery 4A West

Last year's record: 2-8

Last playoff appearance: 1995 (1st)

Last state title: None

Players to watch: RB/WR/QB Matt Bookman, RB Charles Banks, QB Casey Fitzgerald

2008 results

Sept. 5 — Paint Branch (L), 35-13

Sept. 12 — Whitman (L), 28-9

Sept. 19 — Seneca Valley (L), 53-7

Sept. 26 — Watkins Mill (L), 20-6

Oct. 4 — Kennedy (L), 22-20

Oct. 10 — Clarksburg (L), 25-14

Oct. 17 — Damascus (L), 38-3

Oct. 24 — Poolesville (W), 40-14

Oct. 31 — Einstein (L), 54-30

Nov. 7 — Wheaton (W), 30-7

2009 schedule

Sept. 4 — at Wheaton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11 — Paint Branch, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 — at Northwest, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25 — Whitman, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2 — at Wootton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9 — Walter Johnson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 17 — at Blair, 4 p.m.

Oct. 23 — Watkins Mill, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30 — Churchill, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 6 — at Gaithersburg, 6:30 p.m.