CHAMBERSBURG — Unless you’re trying hard to forget the whole year of 2020, you may remember that the high school football season was, um, pretty disjointed to say the least.

Mark Luther

The pandemic created plenty of issues — limited schedules, new regulations, sparse crowds, etc., and lots and lots of questions.

While the upcoming football season is looking a lot more like normal, the Chambersburg Trojans will be facing a different set of questions when they open the season at Greencastle-Antrim’s Kaley Field on Friday night at 7 p.m.

Trojan coach Mark Luther said, “That’s us this year — so many unknowns.”

The reason is that Chambersburg graduated the majority of its starters, including just about all of the skill players. That means Luther will be seeing most of his team in a varsity setting for the first time on Friday.

“For so many kids, Friday will be their first legit game time,” Luther said.

That doesn’t mean the Trojans are hurting for talent. It just may take awhile for them to get into the swing of things. And the good thing is that the senior class is not large in numbers, so the majority of players who start this season should be back for another go in 2022.

Luther said, “A lot of our most experienced guys will be on the line, and I’ve always believed that’s the most important group at the high school level. If the line can get off the ball and execute their blocks, then we can run the ball and go from there. With our inexperience elsewhere, we need the line to lead the team, especially early, so we can get off on the right foot.”

Grant Hopple

Right tackle Brandon Vaughn (sr., 6-2, 210), center Carter Flory (jr., 6-2, 230) and left guard Lucas Lohman (jr., 5-10, 225) all got starts last year, and Patrick Demory (sr., 6-4, 235) and Avery Kuhns (jr., 6-0, 240) are vying for the left tackle position — both got playing time a year ago.

Nathaniel Stroman (jr., 5-10, 215) should start at right guard and Serick Vessah (jr., 6-3, 260) will see time at guard or tackle.

“This may be the biggest line I’ve had at Chambersburg,” Luther said, “at least for average. Kuhns had a great year in the weight room and I expect good things from him. We’re still trying to piece together the best combo.”

There is also experience at the H-back position, as both James Lilley (sr., 6-4, 210) and Grant Hopple (sr., 6-1, 220) played there last year and Shea Makosy (jr., 6-0, 220), a transfer from Linganore, Md., was a starter for his team last spring. Last year, Lilley made six catches for 68 yards and Hopple caught five for 27 yards.

At wide receiver, Malachi Scott brings some game experience. Scott (sr., 5-9, 150) snared two balls last year for 78 yards and one touchdown. He will be joined by seniors Paul Hance (6-1, 170) and Isaiah Brumfield (6-2, 185), junior Nick Swartz (5-11, 180) and sophomore Rhiageon Parker (5-9, 165).

The question of No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 running back are still up for grabs.

Malachi Scott

“We started camp with a four-person battle for quarterback (Riley Harmon, Jermere Jones, Bryce Folmar and Evan Zullinger),” Luther said, “and out of the scrimmage (vs. Hershey), Jones (so., 6-3, 175) and Folmar (jr., 5-7, 160) have pulled ahead. Friday, both will play and we’ll see if either can take the reigns.

“Jones is a sophomore and is tall and talented, and Folmar is a great leader. But they’re both inexperienced. We need them to mange the game and not make mistakes.”

At running back, three juniors are competing for carries — Rashawn Williams (5-6, 145), Bryce Flenory (6-0, 175) and Elijah Owens (5-11, 200), and Hopple could get some carries, too.

Luther said, “We’ve had three or four years of having really good backs, and we hope one of them steps up. The good thing is, they’re all juniors. If we can get them in space, they can do some damage.”

Chambersburg will continue to line up in a 3-5-3 defense.

The experience will come from Hopple at inside linebacker, where he was one of the team’s top tacklers a year ago, Lilley at outside linebacker (he started at end last year), Brumfield at inside linebacker and Scott, who had an interception at cornerback last year.

Vessah and Kuhns will split time at nose guard, and Vaughn, Flory and Demory will get most of the time at end. Other outside backers include Swartz, Hance and Brax Makosy (jr., 5-10, 160), while Shea Makosy, Lohman, Owens and sophomore Dom Barbagallo (6-0, 180), who has impressed the staff.

Lucas Lohman

Joining Scott at corner will be Curtis Bryant (jr., 5-11, 145), with Parker backing them up. Folmar will play free safety, helped by Flenory.

Junior Teegan Humelsine (5-7, 170) will handle all of the kicking duties, including punts, kickoffs and place kicking, while Flenory, Parker and Scott will take care of returns on punts and kickoffs.

The Trojans, who went 2-4 in an abbreviated schedule last fall, hit the road to open the season at Greencastle, and then at Spring-Ford, a District 1 6A school, on Sept. 3. The home opener is against Red Lion on Sept. 10 before the rugged Mid Penn Commonwealth schedule kicks in.

“I don’t know much about Spring-Ford, other than I think they lost in the first round of playoffs,” Luther said. “They also beat Cumberland Valley by a touchdown (the Trojans also beat CV). It should be a good, competitive game for us.”

Luther is just happy to be back in some form of normalcy this year, but he’s holding his breath.

“It feels more like normal; like pre-COVID,” he said. “We got a scrimmage in and have had regular practices, and we’re getting ready to play on Friday. But, still, in the back of your mind, you know things could change quickly.”