Veteran Basile coach Kevin Bertrand calls Class 1A “Iron Man football.”

He would know as the Bearcats could have as many as eight players going both ways this season.

Not to worry. Basile has done it before — as recently as last year when the Bearcats swept through District 5-1A with a perfect 6-0 record and finished 10-2 overall before eventually falling in the state playoff quarterfinals to powerhouse Haynesville. Basile earned a first-round bye as district champions and beat Oberlin in the second round.

“We’re excited for the coming season,” Bertrand said. “But we must stay healthy to have a chance for success.”

The optimism starts with the line, where four starters return on the offensive front.

“We lost only one starting lineman,” Bertrand said.

The offensive big men include two seniors (Wyatt Bertrand and Emery LeJeune) and two juniors (Da’Shawn Randall with sophomore Romyn Cortez) joining the mix this season.

Who they’ll be blocking for will be more of a question mark, as the entire backfield will have to be replaced.

“The experience on the line should help our new backs,” Bertrand said.

There is rebuilding to do in the backfield.

Junior Jackson Courville is penciled in at quarterback, flanked by running backs Bryan Hardy and Tucker Leblanc. Neither got much experience last season as Leblanc had only four carries for 33 yards.

Tyler Newman is the only returning starting receiver, with Kade Sweeney set to take over at tight end.

Most of the names are the same on defense.

“Defense is experienced,” Bertrand said of a unit that normally lines up in a 3-2-6. “But replacing both linebackers will be challenging.”

Sweeney handles one of those spots, joined by Pierre Berzas.

All told, five newcomers have defensive spots spread out with two linemen, the two linebackers and one defensive back.