Southwest Junior High head coach Skip Bennett gives instructions to his freshman football team during Monday's practice.

The 2007 Southwest Junior High freshman football team will look to repeat its city championship of a year ago, while improving on a 6-3 record.

The city title will have to wait until the end of the year, improving on last year’s record will take a strong start. And this year’s early season schedule offers plenty of roadblocks.

“We have many challenging games to start,” Southwest head coach Skip Bennett said. “Kristin Mallory (Southwest’s activities director) works very hard to put together a very challenging schedule for us. We play Manhattan and three of the four Shawnee Mission schools.”

The Shawnee Mission schools offer a particular challenge to the Bulldogs: the sheer weight of numbers.

“They always have more kids than we do,” Bennett said. “Usually we’re outnumbered 2-1, which give them more options and more depth.”

Playing such a challenging schedule, while offering potential losses, also offers the players a good opportunity.

“I prefer that (the challenging schedule), if you play good teams you become better,” Bennett said. “Playing such a tough schedule helps them in the long run. They’ll be playing a lot of teams and players who will be in the Sunflower League. They come out of it better prepared for high school.”

The Bulldogs will head into the season looking to replace some solid contributors from last year. Southwest loses the services of leading rusher Kirk Resseguie, who Bennett called a “very big, fast and focused rusher.” He was named offensive player of the year by his teammates.

Up front the Bulldogs will be looking to replace one of their top offensive and defensive linemen, Michael Lisher.

“He (Lisher) was very strong up front,” Bennett said.”

In addition to the loss of two cornerstone players, there is another concern facing the Bulldogs a lack of size. But Bennett hopes his players can make up

“Overall we only have two kids who weigh over 200-pounds,” Bennett said. “It’s kind of a cliche to say we’re not very big but we’re fast, but with us it’s the truth.”

As far as the season is concerned, it could be too early to tell who will fill the holes vacated by last year’s freshman. But three days into practice the head man has reason to look forward.

“I’m optimistic,” Bennett said. “They’re working hard and we haven’t had to make that many sacrifices with the weather. They come in prepared and ready to learn.”

The Bulldogs will kick off the 2007 campaign against Manhattan at 4 p.m. Aug. 29 at Southwest Junior High.