La Salle Institute football players do stomach crunches during Monday's opening day of practice. (Photo by Mike McMahon - The Record).

La Salle has won three of the last four Section II Class AA Super Bowls, but 2009 figures to be a very interesting year for the Cadets. They have the mystery of a potential merger with CBA hanging over the battle for the Sabre in the second week of the season and for the first in head coach Al Rapp's nine years at the school, the tailback position is a total question mark.

Marquis Terrell, who graduated after the 2008 season, finished his stellar career as the No. 5 career rusher in Section II history with 4,314 yards.

Prior to Marquis, the Cadets trotted out backs like Dave McCarty - now a star at UAlbany - and Jay Bernardo and Ernie Everett.

"It could be by committee this year," Rapp said. "We’re not sure how it’s going to work yet. We’re still trying to make up our mind and feel our way on that. We'll run our I-back offense and we have to have guys."

Tyler Washington and Cainann Lacy will likely be first in line to pick up some carries, but don't count out the Cadets passing game led by quarterback Mike Murray and receivers Lou DiNovo and Nick Edgington.

Check back tomorrow for more updates on some of the 21 schools we're working on for our 48-page preview section to hit the newsstands on Thursday, September 3.