New Alpena High football coach Aaron Sims admits he’s approaching his first season with a cautious optimism.

That means no bold predictions of playoff berths or declarations of victories over certain opponents. What it does mean however is working hard every day and being competitive on Friday nights and Sims is excited to get started.

“I’m excited to see the kids develop and grow and see where we can take this thing in the first year,” Sims said. “I’m excited to give the seniors their best year ever and that’s been something we’ve talked about as definitely a goal in mind.”

Alpena has seen more than its fair share of change in recent seasons, including five coaches in five seasons and a handful of victories against a string of frustrating ones. But with Sims in charge of the program and a nearly new staff of assistants, the Wildcats seem ready to write a new chapter in program history; one that they ultimately hope is a successful one.

But for now, Sims is focused on day by day, practice by practice improvement. While this year’s team, especially the seniors, has responded enthusiastically to Sims and his teachings, the Wildcats are going through changes and will likely need some time before the program gets to the consistent competitive level the coaching staff and players are looking for.

“I think it’s a big piece (this first year), but I think it’s a matter of going out and doing our stuff day to day and keep hammering home what we’re aiming to execute,” Sims said. “We know that there’s no magic pill (to get) to where we want to go, so it’s day by day, rep by rep, practice by practice.”

To that end, Sims and his staff have thinned out the offensive playbook and are focused on mastering a set number of plays as players get better tuned in to the new system-the Wing-T offense.

At quarterback, the Wildcats have a returner in junior Lars MacArthur and a newcomer in junior Nathan Chojnacki. MacArthur started all nine games for the Wildcats last season, throwing for 1,271 yards and eight touchdowns against six interceptions.

In the backfield, Alpena could take a running back by committee approach as more than a half dozen players could see touches. This approach worked well for Sims at Hesperia last season as the Panthers spread the wealth around in the backfield and five different players gained at least 500 yards.

“It was a blessed situation where we had lots of backs that year and I think we’re really close to having that same situation,” Sims said. “There’s never going to be shortage of athletes here. We definitely have some guys that can get yards no matter who’s in.”

Senior Wade Roznowski is Alpena’s leading returner, having rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Players joining him in the backfield include juniors Alex Arch, sophomore Logan Guthrie and seniors Jacob Barlow and Josh Lucas at halfback. Juniors Tim Taylor and Isaac Jore and sophomore Zac Suszek are in the mix at fullback.

At receiver, Alpena’s quarterback could have a pair of big targets in senior tight ends Trevor Roznowski and Barrett Jones who are 6-foot, 250 pounds and 5-foot-10, 198 pounds respectively. In Alpena’s new offense, the Wildcats will likely be more reliant on the run game, but Roznowski and Jones could catch a few passes as well.

Arch is Alpena’s main returning receiver from last year and caught 39 passes for 507 yards and five touchdowns.

Alpena’s offensive and defensive lines will likely see a rotation of players and Sims is a firm believer in the importance of line play. That means coming off the ball physical, identifying the ball carrier, quarterback or receiver and stopping him.

Alpena’s returning lineman include juniors Ian Smith and Jorge Flores and senior Nick Adamiak. Trevor Roznowski could see time there as well.

At linebacker, Jones is one of Alpena’s main returners and Arch, Jore, Taylor and seniors Bailey Marquardt and Jacob O’Brien are in the mix there too.

Chojnacki, Guthrie and Marquardt are among those players who could see time in the defensive backfield.

Alpena opens the season tonight at home against Escanaba and Sims says the Wildcats’ focus is on the Eskymos. He knows the Wildcats are in store for an always challenging Big North Conference schedule, but for now the focus remains on the immediate future.

“I know they’re (Big North teams are) going to be well prepared and well disciplined, so obviously every game is going to be a tough game. There’s not going to be any pushovers and we’ve just got to take it week to week,” Sims said. “Our focus is on (Escanaba) and that’s the only thing.”