Last season, hearts were broken around Malden as the Green Wave football team lost to Caruthersville 38-20 in the district championship. The defeat accompanied the departure of 16 seniors; including quarterback Mason Brown, running back Tray Stevenson and a litany of talent on the offensive and defensive lines.
With two returning starters on each side of the ball, the 2018 Green Wave possess the look and feel of an entirely new roster. Naturally, skepticism permeated around the town and according to head coach Kevin Collier, people see this year as a rebuild or a retooling.
The doubt isn't unwarranted. After witnessing an incredible string of football -- including a 26-1 record over the last three seasons -- it's reasonable to think that a team of mostly unproven players cannot sustain the same level of success.
However, the 2018 Green Wave aren't the 2016 or 2017 teams; they should be allowed to set and meet their own standard.
"They have their own identity to follow and new things that should be under their skin," said Collier, who is in his sixth season at the helm. "They want to prove that they can do the job. We lost a good group of seniors, but we have a good group now."
Linebacker Gavin Bristow isn't concerned about people's lack of expectations. He believes this team can carve out its own place in Malden sports history.
"Some people might not think it's realistic," the senior noted. "But you'd be surprised when you get everyone on the football field that puts their heart toward something, sets a goal that they all have in common and do everything they can to achieve that goal.
"We may not be the biggest or strongest and probably not even the fastest, but we will work the hardest compared to our opponents."
That goal must be firstly achieved on the practice field.
In a Malden practice, you'll see Collier and the rest of the coaching staff -- clad in Green Wave gear, a visor and sunglasses -- running around the practice field, jumping from drill to drill and emphatically yelling "Yeah!" or "That's it right there!" after successful moments.
The reason for the team's past successes and why they feel excited about this season comes from the coaching staff's attention to detail in the summer heat. Collier's intensity spills over even into the most minute aspects of the game like offensive line blocking assignments. After a right guard is late pulling across the line after the snap, Collier makes the team run the play again and again until it's just as he needs it for Friday nights.
Collier attributes tough practices in June for revealing the team's weaknesses and allowing the coaches to focus on aspects that were lacking in the squad's play.
Accountability and leadership doesn't solely permeate from the coaching side, however. Collier quickly mentioned Bristow, quarterback Tye Miller, offensive guard Dalton Headley and center Jose Ruiz as the unabashed leaders of the squad.
"These guys have stepped up and kept practice going when it has started to lag a little bit," he said.
For Miller, being a leader means setting an example during practice for the younger players and demonstrating to them the little things the add up to wins during the season.
"(Me and Gavin) had to get the tone set and say, 'This is how it's going to be on Friday nights when you play almost every snap'," the senior said. "And just making sure everyone is going 110 percent each snap during practice, cause that's what you gotta do on Friday nights."
On the field, change won't seep into the team's style of play.
Collier still wants to run an up-tempo offense; showing spread formations that delve into a multi-back set. The ability to run multiple plays out of a variety of formations causes fits for defensive coordinators and routinely confuses defenses at the high school level.
"(The defense) gets misaligned easily, Collier explained. "It negates cherry-picking certain blitzes and additionally, it's really hard (for opposing teams) to replicate in practice."
The biggest challenge in running the offense is recuperating the speed lost last season. That's to be expected when losing nearly each starter.
Bristow disagrees. He believes the Green Wave's pace is precisely what puts them ahead of other squads.
"You can't practice that, he said sternly. "What we do you can't practice for, unless you get a lot of conditioning and run as hard as you can all practice; which is a waste of practice anytime (teams) practice for what we do. We will be the fastest running team on offense and our defense will be just as conditioned."
Anchoring the team is the linebacking core. The group retains the most experience and poise. The skill positions, especially running back, provide the explosive, dynamic wrinkle that allows the offense to roll each game.
Collier adds that all other position groups are irrelevant without success up front. A new host of offensive linemen means each player must learn the nuances of multiple positions across the line. Familiarity, comfortability and chemistry with fellow linemen are the main components of a successful line. Without that, the Green Wave will feel more like a low tide.
"We've got to block people," he said. "We've got to be solid in what we do and not make mistakes. This is a team that has to be relentless in their execution."
Senior Dalton Headley echoed his coach's sentiment. "We just have to have heart, work hard and do everything that we're supposed to do."
Hard work and heart is something that the ten Malden seniors will bring to every single play -- practice or game. After success with historic teams, they refuse to finish off their careers with a demoralizing defeat. With doubt and pessimism clouding the team, the players' attitudes and expectations for themselves haven't changed. One thing is still expected: greatness.
"We want nothing less than perfection the entire season, Bristow said. "We will work the hardest and what happens will happen."
"Some of us know what it takes to do all of that winning," Miller added. "So when you get everyone together and all on the same page and everybody gets clicking at the end, that's the ultimate goal; to get clicking at the right time and go as far as we can."