Change.

Since the end of last season, the landscape of high school football has seen nothing but.Gone is the Anthracite Football League, which was merged with and now includes members of the Schuylkill League.In is the PIAA's move to six classes for football.As for what's new on the field, many of the most productive players from a year ago have moved on - 13 of the top-14 scorers from the area - leaving voids that will be difficult to fill yet create opportunities for those who have been waiting for their time to shine.That process will begin in earnest this coming Monday, as the nine football teams in the Times News area hit the field for their first official practices of the season.RealignmentThe newly branded Schuylkill Football League, which now includes Pottsville, will affect over half of the area gridiron programs. Jim Thorpe, Lehighton and Tamaqua will be lumped together as Division I, or big school, teams; Marian and Panther Valley will be Division II, or small school, teams.Five out of the nine TN teams were able to qualify for the postseason in 2015, with Marian winning the District 11 Class 1A crown, blasting Tri-Valley 33-0 before falling in the first round of the state playoffs. The Colts finished the season with a record of 8-5.Northwestern Lehigh (9-3) advanced to the District 11 Class 2A championship game for the second consecutive season, but came up short against Notre Dame Green Pond.Lehighton finished the regular season a perfect 10-0 and captured the AFL title on its way to a District 11 Class 3A title game where the Indians lost to state semifinalist Saucon Valley.Jim Thorpe (3A) and Pleasant Valley (4A) both qualified for the Eastern Conference playoffs. But the Olympians (8-3) and Bears (6-5) both lost their first round contests.The PIAA's expansion to six classes will likely paint a different postseason picture this fall.The revamped Class 3A features four teams from the TN area, as Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Northern Lehigh and Tamaqua will be among 11 teams in the classification. Palmerton and Panther Valley are two of the six teams in Class 2A. Marian (1A), Northwestern (4A) and Pleasant Valley (6A) are the only TN area schools in their respective classifications.The top for teams in Classes 1A through 5A will get into the District 11 playoffs, while the top eight in Class 6A will qualify.Coming and GoingIn order to make it to the postseason, a number of area teams will have to replace several key players.While roster turnover each year is inevitable, the amount of production gone from the 2015 season is staggering. Thirteen of the top-14 scoring leaders from a year ago were lost to graduation.Palmerton's Mike Stasko, the 2015 TN Specialist of the Year, is the top returner and will look to get the Blue Bombers (5-5) into the postseason after ranking fifth in the area a year ago in both total touchdowns (21) and rushing yards (1,233).A number of top passers are back this season. Stasko will be joined in the backfield by quarterback Garrett Perschy, who threw for 1,080 yards, good for fourth in the area, and 11 touchdowns a year ago.Marian's Ethan Kuczynski returns for his senior season after throwing for 1,183 yards, second best in the area, and 13 scores last year, though the Colts did lose dynamic running back and TN Defensive Back of the Year K.J. Snerr to graduation.Pleasant Valley head coach Mark Versuk should have no shortage of playmakers to work with in his first season leading the Bears.Quarterbacks Brandon Keyes (685 yards) and Mikey Brown (581) ranked fifth and sixth, respectively in passing a year ago and should help offset the loss of four-year starter Austyn Borre at tailback.Whoever is at quarterback will almost certainly be looking to get the ball to Justin Richardson, who ranked sixth in the area with 375 yards receiving on 23 catches.Northwestern returns one of the top wide receivers in Trevor Cunningham, who was third in the area with 426 receiving yards on 24 catches in 2015. Cunningham's return should help soften the blow of losing running back Harry Hall, who rewrote the record books at Northwestern during his career and was the TN Offensive Player of the Year in 2015.Anthony Madera (375 yards rushing, three touchdowns) and Justin St. Hill (278 yards rushing, four TDs) should return to a typically potent Jim Thorpe offense, which loses TN Running Back of the Year Robbie Heller and TN Linebacker of the Year Kevin Vitti, a key member of the "Red Swarm" defense.Lehighton will have plenty of holes to fill with the loss of Times News Player of the Year Wyatt Clements, who was also the TN Defensive Player of the Year, TN Quarterback of the Year Tyler Cann, TN Wide Receiver of the Year Tegan Durishin and TN Offensive Lineman of the Year Connor Frey.But the Indians seem well-prepared to handle the losses, with Mike Mayernik (six touchdowns) and Cody Scherer (three touchdowns), among others, showing they were capable of stepping up at various times last season.Tamaqua (5-5) narrowly missed a spot in the postseason but returns promising junior signal caller Thad Zuber, who threw for 573 yards and three scores a year ago.Northern Lehigh (4-6) loses leading rusher CJ Young (906 yards, 12 TDs) and passer Chad Cederberg (547 yards), who also had 556 yards on the ground, along with TN Defensive Lineman of the Year Cameron Kates, but should get back third-leading rusher Kellen Hendrix (342 yards).Panther Valley (2-8) got a spark last season from several of its younger players. That trend should continue in 2016 with many of those players coming back with another year of experience under their belt.Danny Gilberry returns after leading the Panthers with five touchdowns last season, as does Rene Figueroa, who scored four times and led the team with 449 yards rushing. Look for junior Hunter Kennedy to take another step forward at quarterback as well after throwing for 487 yards and 10 scores in 2015.What's next?With many established faces gone and plenty of new ones ready to make their mark, the 2016 season should be one to remember.Below are the practice times, scrimmage times, and expected numbers for each Times News football team:JIM THORPEHead coach: Mark RosenbergerPractice schedule: Aug. 15-17 7-9:30 a.m., 12:15-2:45 p.m.; Aug. 18 7-9:30 a.m., 4-6:30 p.m.; Aug 19 7-9:30 a.m., 12:15-2:45 p.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12): 42Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug. 20 vs. PalmertonLEHIGHTONHead coach: Tom McCarrollPractice schedule: Aug. 15-17 8 a.m.-11 a.m., 2 p.m.-5 p.m.; Aug. 18 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 3 p.m.-6 p.m.; Aug. 19 8 a.m.-11 a.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12): 52Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug 20 vs. CatasauquaMARIANHead coach: Stan DakostyPractice schedule: Aug. 15-18 8 a.m.- 1 p.m., 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Aug. 19 8:30 a.m.-11 a.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12): 55Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug 20 vs. Northern LehighNORTHERN LEHIGHHead coach: Joe ToutPractice schedule: Aug. 15-18 8:15-10:30 a.m., 1:00-3:15; Aug. 19 8:30-11 a.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12) 45Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug. 20 at Marian, 10 a.m.NORTHWESTERNHead coach: Josh SnyderPractice schedule: Monday, Aug. 15 - Friday, Aug 19, 8-10:30 a.m.; 12:30-3 p.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12) 44Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug. 20 vs Pottsville, 10 a.m.PALMERTONHead coach: Chris WalkowiakPractice schedule: Aug. 15 -18 6:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. and 6-8 p.m.; Friday Aug 19 - 6:30-9:30 a.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12) 40Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug. 20 at Jim Thorpe, 10 a.m.PANTHER VALLEYHead coach: Matt DavisPractice schedule: Aug. 15-18 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Aug. 19 1-2:30 p.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12): 47Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug. 20 vs. Saucon Valley, 10 a.m.PLEASANT VALLEYHead coach: Mark VersukPractice schedule: Monday, Aug. 15- Friday, Aug. 19, 7:30 -10 a.m.; 12-2:30 p.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12) 85Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug. 20 vs. Whitehall, 10 a.m.TAMAQUAHead coach: Sam BonnerPractice schedule: Aug. 15-18 7-3:30 p.m.; Aug. 19 12-3:30 p.m.Turnout: Varsity (grades 9-12) : 44Scrimmage: Saturday, Aug. 20 at Hamburg, 10 a.m.(Capsules compiled by Justin Carlucci and Patrick Matsinko)