#10 WEST CALDWELL

A new day has dawned in Gamewell...but the journey back to respectability has only just begun. It boggles the mind that despite posting a lackluster 2-9 record in 2007 the Warriors are now facing a rebuilding year in 2008! From the head coach to the placekicker the Warriors lost it all after last season. "Progress" will be a relative term for West Caldwell this season.

AT A GLANCE

2007 Record: 2-9 overall, 1-7 CVAC

Coach: Mike Setzer
Career: 24-23 (4 years)

Returning Starters: 6; 3 on offense, 3 on defense

Primary Strengths: New head coach Mike Setzer is a former Warrior himself and is extremely fired up to be back at his alma mater. His return has caused an outpouring of enthusiasm and optimism among the Warrior faithful. Setzer, a 1994 West Caldwell graduate, was announced as the new coach after a five-month hiring search that included over 40 applicants. He played college ball at Winston-Salem State and East Carolina, and eventually logged time in the Arena Football League with the Charleston Swamp Foxes. Setzer has spent the last four years as the coach at Saint Pauls High School in Robeson County, where his teams went 24-23 with three playoff appearances. Just last season, Saint Pauls won nine games and advanced to the third round of the 2A playoffs under Setzer.

Potential Problems: The Warriors must replace their quarterback, their top three running backs, their top three receivers, their kicker...you name it. Plus, they have no depth to speak of.

Key Losses: Pretty much everybody.

Overview: I believe that Mike Setzer will be good for the Warriors. He has the will and the expertise to make them a better football team. I also believe that his return may signal a shift in the balance of power in Lenoir. I have long suspected that Hibriten has been the beneficiary of the decline at West Caldwell and that the rise of Hibriten and the downfall of West Caldwell were not accidental. Now that they've got one of their own at the helm in Gamewell there may be an exodus of talented players from Hibriten back to West Caldwell. Just a theory of mine. But whatever improvements Setzer accomplishes in 2008 will not be enough to keep the Warriors out of the CVAC cellar.