The playoffs eluded all three Fort Mill Township football teams last year. But the 2008 season will start practice in full gear on Friday and hopes are high at each school.

Fort Mill had the best shot at the playoffs a year ago. The Yellow Jackets finished the season 7-4 overall and 3-3 in region 3-AAAA. However, they missed the playoffs due to the point system the South Carolina High School League uses.

The system rewards schools for strength of schedule with points. Although Fort Mill was three games over .500, they had fewer points than Rock Hill High School. So the Bearcats, at 4-7 overall and 1-5 in the region received the playoff berth.

Fort Mill will again play in region 3-AAAA in its new, realigned form. Clover, York, Northwestern return to the region. Gaffney is now a member along with Nation Ford.

Rock Hill, South Pointe and Lancaster were moved to region 4-AAAA with three Columbia-area schools.

Clover and Gaffney will be a challenge for the rest of region 3-AAAA. Clover won the AAAA Division II state title last year. Gaffney lost in the third round of the Division I playoffs.

Fort Mill coach Ed Susi lost 42 players from last year's team to graduation.

"We were a very senior-laden team last year, now we are quite the opposite. We have 14 or 15 seniors and only seven of those got playing time last year," Susi said.

Nation Ford played an independent schedule a year ago. This year, the Falcons jump into the fire of region 3-AAAA.

Indian Land suffered through a one-win season last year. The Warriors finished 1-9 overall and 1-4 in region 3-A. The team was shutout seven times last year and beat North Central in the season finale to avoid a winless year.

Coach Mike Mayer said he will have more than 25 juniors on the team. That is more than double the largest football class in school history.

"We need to get off to a fast start in the jamborees and win the first two games," Mayer said. "We need momentum early in the season. We will be much improved, especially on defense. Offensively, we will only be as good as our offensive line blocks, which was a major weakness last year."

All three teams are scheduled to begin practice Friday.