During the past decade, Staley has established itself as one of the most consistent high school football programs in the Kansas City metro area.

It hasn’t happened by accident. The Falcons, who have never experienced a losing season in team history, continue to find success using a winning formula.

“The faces change each and every year, but the process remains the same,” said Phil Lite, who has been part of every one of Staley’s 10 winning campaigns since 2008 and now enters his second season as head coach. “We always focus on us. We believe the process and everything we put in, the plan and prep. If we do those things, we’ll be successful.”

But here’s the thing: there will be a lot of familiar faces on the field for the Falcons in 2017. Staley has 14 returning starters – six on offense and eight on defense - in the fold from a team that posted a 10-3 overall record and advanced all the way to the Missouri Class 5 state semifinals last year.

Leading the way will be senior tight end/defensive end Zach Elam, who’s receiving NCAA Division I scholarship offers in two different sports. An intimidating 6-foot-5, 225-pounder, Elam stands as a two-time state wrestling champion, recent Fargo national wrestling champ, and all-state football award winner.

“What a great kid,” Lite said of his team leader. “You hear coaches talk about that ‘it factor,’ and he has it. He leads by his actions. Zach’s a tenacious blocker and has great hands, and he’s a phenomenal pass rusher, too. He’s the only kid on our team that will play both ways (on offense and defense). He’s the most sought-after college recruit on our team.”

Senior quarterback John Raybourn (6-foot-3, 185 pounds) returns under center to run the Falcons’ pistol power spread offense. The dual-threat signal caller completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,405 yards and 15 touchdowns last season while also rushing for 484 yards and five scores. His favorite target, senior Rod Criss (6-3, 180), is also back after hauling in 40 receptions for 850 yards and five touchdowns last season. Criss, who has the ability to make extraordinary plays look ordinary and will likely break the team’ career receiving yardage record this season, is attracting some D-I looks or might even have the opportunity to pursue a baseball career.

The big question mark for the Falcons is the running game. How will Staley replace 2016 Simone Award winner Julian Ross, who rushed for 2,257 yards and scored 41 total touchdowns and is continuing his football career at Ohio University? And who will be blocking up front with only one returning starter – senior Trevor Blankenship – back?

Seniors Isaiah Hall, Aaron Keast and Sam Collins and junior Jaden Moss could all be part of the solution in the backfield. Hall, who rushed for nearly 300 yards in spot duty last season, returns with the most experience among the running backs. As for the offensive line, senior Dan Mangold (6-1, 250), juniors Dan O’Neill (6-1, 250), Jason Simcoe (6-4, 270) and Jackson Pfender (6-5, 275), and sophomore Kevin Boswell (6-2, 270) provide the Falcons with good size in the trenches and will be counted on to replace four spots vacated by graduation.

A team that has been built on defense since Lite’s arrival, Staley will once again be stout on that side of the football. Although the Falcons lost inside linebackers and leading tacklers Eli Ross (Northwest Missouri State) and Hunter Heyne (Lincoln University), who will continue their careers at the D-II level, they have almost every other starter returning.

It all starts up on the ball where the Falcons will have senior ends Tyler Miller (6-5, 230) and Elam bookending the defensive front. Sophomore nose tackle James Gore (6-0, 290) returns in the middle, while junior Jordan Owens and sophomores Nick Wright and Zach Bartoski will help clog up the point of attack. Seniors Joe Cantrell, John Frank Sciortino, Robby Blanchard and Dom Raybourn and junior Parker Heyne are expected to be active from their linebacker spots.

Senior Isaiah Russell returns at one of the cornerback spots. The rest of defensive backfield is loaded with talent courtesy of senior Wyatt Larson and juniors Quinten Arello, Landon Donalson and Jake Wilson.

“Anything short of getting back to the semifinals will be disappointing for us,” Lite admitted. “We have unfinished business.

“… The core of our team is back. I love the way these kids compete. They show a lot of grit and perseverance. You have to have a little bit luck and stay healthy. Those are things that are key to anyone’s season, but we feel like we have some pretty good talent on both sides of the ball.”

> Staley's 2017 Football Schedule