Last season the Westgate Tigers rode a late-season wave all the way to the Class 5A semifinals.

The Tigers, who finished the regular season last year on a two game losing streak to finish 5-5, made consecutive trips to the Lake Charles-area for the first two playoff games, pulling off wins over Sulphur and Barbe before stunning Dutchtown at home in the quarterfinals to earn a date with Destrehan in the semifinals.

The eventual state-champion Wildcats brought the season to an end in a 56-7 rout but the loss didn’t diminish what Westgate had accomplished.

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“It was a good experience for us,” said WHS coach Brian Fine, who starts his second year as head coach at the school. “You make a deep run and come up one game short of the Dome. But we lost 24 seniors off that team.

“Those players are gone and you have to replace them and we have a lot of people lining up for the first time this year. So we’re going to go through some growing pains.”

To make another deep playoff run this year, the Tigers are going to have to replace four offensive lineman, a tight end, a wide receiver, three defensive linemen, a linebacker and two in the defensive secondary.

“Last year was one of those years where we had a large, talented senior group and now they are gone,” said Fine.

“You just have to rebuild with the young kids that are coming up behind them.

“The only thing is that they haven’t played a lot at this level and there is an experience factor there that will come.

“We’ve got a tough non-district schedule that will help us get ready for district play.”

Perhaps the biggest loss for Westgate this year is the seven linemen from the offensive and defensive lines.

“I think the biggest loss is out defensive front seven,” said Fine. “We only have two of those guys back and they’re hard to replace. When you factor in the experience to all the things we do defensively, and the caliber of players that were there, that’s tough.

“While we did lose players on the offensive line, the ones coming in have a chance to be solid. But right now, I still want to see more of our defensive front seven.”

But even with the losses, the Tigers will not make any changes in the offense or defense.

“We’re still going to run the same scheme,” said Fine. “It’s just that we’re not going to be able to do it at the same level that we’ve been doing it at a year ago. We’re not to that point yet.

“It’s going to take time and whether or not we’ll get there, I don’t know.”

Returning for Fine on offense is quarterback Deon Anthony, whose touchdown run against Sulphur led the upset of Tors and whose last second pass to Lellande Davis led to the upset of Barbe.

Anthony completed 84 of 160 passes last year for 1,179 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for 884 yards and 12 scores.

“He always give you a chance,” said Fine. “But there is no doubt that he is going to have to play at a high level week in and week out.”

Also back is Willie Ware (138 carries, 665 yards, 6 TDs) at running back and D’Amate Ledet, the only returning starter on the line.

“D’Amate will be back and that’s good to have,” said Fine. “What we do offensively is not complicated, it’s a matter of executing and doing it at a high level.”

Defensively, Fine needs to replace starters but he has liked what he has seen so far.

“We’ve got Torrance (Benjamin) and Seth (Stansbury) back,” said Fine.

“We’ve got Jamichael Alexander, who’s looked good so far, sophomore Lawrence Davis at one linebacker and I like what I’ve seen out of him.

“Tony Panyanouvang, Datrin Turner and Derek Delahoussaye all look good but it’s a matter of how far they will come.

“I think that we’re on the same page, but can we get to the point where we play at that high level