The Kountze Lions return 16 starters from 1-8 team a year ago.
Coach Todd Paine has been a lifer in SETX at West Brook, Hamshire-Fannett and Lumberton as an assistant and has his own program now. He enters year two in the Lions' den.
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"We have to build on the experience," he said. "We have a good amount of returners from last year's young team."
Back on offense are RB Ely Whisenant, WR Matthew Walters, WR Zach Paine, RB Demond Hamilton and OLs Taylor Jones and Noah Thomas.
The small school will rely on those stars to flip around to defense to join LB Trenton Phillips, Johnny Coward and James Whiteside.
The Lions are trying to #ProtectThePride in 2020 as Paine looks to take a big step this fall.
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