Unlike last season, the Barnegat High School football team this fall has a few hills to climb. A couple of them may be small, but one of the bigger ones is experience.

“We lost 19 seniors – a lot to graduation last year, but (also) six others this year who are not playing for one reason or another,” said head coach Rob Davis after his Bengals edged Lakewood, 8-6, on Sept. 13. “We have some quality seniors, with a bunch of juniors and sophomores. We’re playing 17 underclassmen.