By DAN HINER

sports@vindy.com

Lowellville

Lowellville is coming off an up-and-down season that — as you might suspect — had its ups and downs.

Fifth-year coach Jeff D’Altorio believes a lack of consistency on both sides of the ball kept the Rockets out of the playoffs for the second straight year.

If they’re going to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2012, they’ll have to do it without quarterback Alex Harklerode, who graduated after throwing for 846 yards and four touchdowns as a senior in 2014.

Junior A.J. D’Altorio will be the starting quarterback this season. D’Altorio was the H-back last season and is transitioning into the starting role.

Lowellville has just 35 players and depth has been a concern throughout camp.

“You’re looking at 16 or 17 varsity players — the rest of the guys are going to be JV ballplayers,” Jeff D’Altorio said. “All the same names will be playing. All will be on special teams, also. We’ll see sophomores and a couple freshmen. We’re trying to sneak some freshmen on special teams, but it’s pretty cut and dry who are the guys and who are the JV guys.”

Offense

The strength of the offense will be the line. The Rockets are returning three starters on the line in seniors Austin Finch, Vincenzo D’Amato and Cristian Montanez. Juniors Joe Czap and Tyler Stellmar didn’t start last season, but are expected to see significant time this year.

“From my first year, we have improved on the offensive side,” D’Altorio said. “We want to be more consistent with that. It comes down to injuries and staying healthy.”

The Rockets lost most of their skill positions players from last season to graduation, and had to move several players around to compensate.

Steve Ruozzo will return as the running back and Cole Beatty will return as a receiver. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Beatty will be a mismatch for most defenders.

Myron Anderson will play receiver and running back and will see time as the “wildcat quarterback”

Defense

The line will be the key to the defense this season. Senior Jake Maszczak, Fitch, A.J. D’Altorio and Beatty will be starters, with juniors Joe Micco and Evan Stevens along with Montanez as starting linebackers.

Stevens and Anderson will return as the key members of the secondary. Senior Slade Bower will see time at free safety. Jeff D’Altorio will play “five to six guys back there.”

“Defensively, at times we played well last year, and at times we did not,” he said. “We have to be more consistent on the defensive side of the ball.”

Special Teams

Maszczak plays both defensive tackle and kicker. Jeff D’Altorio said he has been very productive on as the kicker throughout his career and he expects the same type of performance this season.

Outlook

Lowellville opens the season with a non-conference game against Lucas at home — one of three non-conference games to start the season. Then it’s on to a demanding schedule in a the newly three-tiered Inter-Tri County League.

“We want to have winning seasons in the league,” D’Altorio said. “We’ve had three consecutive winning seasons in the league. Out of 16 teams in the ITCL, we’re only one of five that’s been able to do that.

“Kids basically need to do their job. That’s one thing that we stress here — doing your job. Sometimes you go out there and you do everything right and sometimes someone is just better than you. That happens also, but you just have to adapt and be able to move on from that.”