Pleasant Valley finished last season on a good note, rallying from a 19-point deficit to defeat Governor Mifflin for the Eastern Conference 5A/6A title.

The Bears, however, face a challenge this season having lost 20 seniors to graduation.

Among the departed are quarterback Valentino-Byers Robinson and running back Alex Ecker, who were catalysts on offense. Also gone is Dakoda Lucas, who had a solid season defensively and on special teams.

Ecker led the team with 16 touchdowns and finished with 1,254 yards (third among area players) on 190 carries. His 16 touchdowns ranked fourth among area players.

Byers-Robinson was second on the team with 555 yards rushing on 104 attempts and seven scores. Lucas made three grabs for 32 yards for an offense that attempted just 44 passes last season.

“That’s two years in a row that we’ve lost 20 seniors,” said Pleasant Valley head coach Blaec Saeger. “They are some big names that are going to be tough to fill.”

Junior quarterback Jaxson Haines takes over for Byers-Robinson. Haines saw some playing time in the past, and won the job to start for the Bears.

“He backed up last year as a sophomore,” Saeger said. “He was in competition all summer, but after the scrimmage, it appears the job is going to be his. With Val Byers-Robinson departing after being a two-year starter, Jaxson has some big shoes to fill. We just need Jaxson to be Jaxson.”

Getting a bulk of the carries this season will probably be senior Aiden Lollis and junior Isaac Westerman. The two backs will fill Ecker’s spot in the backfield.

Lollis was third on the team with 140 yards rushing, while Haines also carried the ball 10 times for 43 yards.

Pleasant Valley finished with 2,435 yards rushing last season — third most in the area — but threw for just 167 yards, the fewest among the nine Times News squads.

Look for that gap to close this season.

“We’re looking to throw the ball more this year,” Saeger said. “We have some kids that can run-and-catch.”

Haines can throw to senior Tyler Berger for big plays down the field.

The Bears will be in the new-look Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Monroe Division with Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg North, Pocono Mountain West, Pocono Mountain East and East Stroudsburg North.

“The division appears to be pretty wide-open,” Saeger said. “I know Stroudsburg has some returners and they always have a solid team. East Stroudsburg South, the same, and Pocono Mountain West are both very-well coached. Pocono Mountain East has a brand new coach. I’m not really sure what East is going to have. East Stroudsburg North has improved. We’re very young, so I don’t know where we slot in.”

The Bears have a tall task ahead of them with a younger team, and the primarily run-heavy offense — which scored 19.5 points per game — will have a challenge with Ecker gone and the carries rotating between Lollis and Westerman.

Defensively, Pleasant Valley has been solid under coordinator Brian Miller. The Bears ranked third in the area with 253.2 yards per game allowed, while surrendering 22.6 points per contest.

The Bears were 4-1 through the first half of the season a year ago, with their only loss coming to Bethlehem Catholic in the season opener. They went 1-4 in the second half, with a win over Pocono Mountain East in the annual Bucket Game.

A return to the postseason, where Pleasant Valley will compete in Class 5A, begins tomorrow with a rematch at Governor Mifflin.

The Bears will be looking to start strong, and carry the momentum of the Eastern Conference title game victory into a new year, writing a new chapter for the program.

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Pleasant Valley Position Breakdown

QUARTERBACKS

Junior Jaxson Haines takes over for graduated Valentino-Byers Robinson at quarterback. Haines saw some snaps last season and performed well in the team’s scrimmage. Byers-Robinson ran a lot in the offense and Haines will have to adapt to the style of running that PV uses. Don’t be surprised if the Bears also throw the ball more.

RUNNING BACKS

Senior Aiden Lollis and junior Isaac Westerman expect to get most of the carries for the Bears. The duo replace Alex Ecker, who had a 1,000-yard rushing season as a senior. Lollis is a three-year starter for PV and Westerman enters his third year for Coach Saeger.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Senior Tyler Berger leads the way for the Pleasant Valley receiver core. QB Jaxson Haines can also find junior Ajani Wheeler as a target and sophomore William Breuer will also line up as a receiver. The Bears, who completed only 12 passes a year ago, will look to throw the ball a little more this season.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The only returning starter on the offensive line for the Bears is senior Nick Marsh. Marsh will play right tackle and the offense will be lean on him a lot. Senior Mike LaFiura joins Marsh on the line, while Brady Cerrone and juniors Brad Serfass and McGregor Edward complete the front for the Bears.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Nick Marsh, Mike LaFiura and Brad Serfass will be the three starters on the defensive line. Defense was the name of the game for the Bears last season and the three will face a tough task when they play the Lehigh Valley powerhouse teams. Serfass is playing varsity football for the first time.

LINEBACKERS

Isaac Westerman and Aiden Lollis will be the inside linebackers for PV and there is competition for the outside backers. Sophomores Chris Ward and Jacob George will get one of the spots as a starter. Ward and George show the youth of the team. Ajani Wheeler and Tyler Berger are vying for the other outside linebacker spot.

SECONDARY

Both of Pleasant Valley’s starting cornerbacks from last year graduated. Sophomore William Breuer will get one of the spots and the other CB spot will go to either Justin Delgado or Quinn Kauffman, with the other one a reliable backup.