Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable, says an African proverb.

Much like wood, the 2012 Auburn Riverside football team has found strength in unity.

For this team, unity begins up front with a returning core of lineman, from senior Joe Miles (6 feet 5 inches, 270 pounds) to juniors Shaun Meehan (6-3, 280), Larkin Williams (5-10, 290) and senior Skyler Harris (6-0, 200), who has switched to the backfield as the team’s starting fullback.

“Our O-line and D-line are key to our success as a team,” said head coach Bob Morgan. “They are the guys who have the most experience. In a lot of our skills positions, we’re going to be counting on younger players to fill those shoes, so we’re going to be counting on these guys to be the leaders of the team and use their experience to help us be successful.”

Last season the Ravens just missed out on the postseason, finishing sixth in the South Puget Sound League North 4A with a 3-5 league record, 4-6 overall.

Although the team showed it could succeed at times during the 2011 campaign – notably a 30-23 win over district rival Auburn – team chemistry was an issue, said senior Joe Miles.

“Last year we had some rocky moments in the season,” said Miles, a returning all-SPSL first-team lineman and one of the this year’s captains. “We just want to have a better team chemistry this season and get the team to play together.”

So far, Miles, Meehan, Harris and Williams have been laying that foundation.

“We’ve been working a lot harder at team chemistry,” Miles added. “It may be corny, but we’re family, it’s just there. And we’ve been lifting together and spending a lot of time together, just getting that team chemistry.”

“I feel like we all feed off each other, it’s just contagious,” Meehan added. “You see that in any football team: once somebody is pumped up, it gets everybody pumped up.”

The key to success, however, will be to couple that chemistry with on-field talent and leadership. Morgan says there’s lots of that around and it starts with Miles.

“Joe is a quick kid, he’s got great feet,” Morgan said. “He’s big and just one of those kids that is a great kid on the field and just flips a switch on the field and gets that nasty attitude you need on the field. Both Meehan and Larkin started last year as well, but Joe is that senior O-lineman that keeps everybody doing what they’re supposed to be doing. They’ve all got experience from starting last year, but Joe, being the senior, is expecting a lot out of the team.”

Meehan and Williams agree that Miles’ leadership has keyed their maturation.

“Joe kind of helps fill in the areas where we’re weak, because we’re not as experienced as him,” Meehan said. “When we don’t know what is going on, Joe helps us out.”

“He pushes us during practice,” Williams added.

This season the Ravens also expect to benefit from Harris’ switch from lineman to fullback, where his blocking skills will be crucial.

“Last year I played line at 210,” Harris said. “Then I played lacrosse and dropped 20 pounds. Coach sent me a text saying I was going to play in the backfield, so I just started getting ready, knowing I had to switch. I’m excited. I’ve always wanted to carry the ball.”

“He’s an athletic kid and a hard hitter,” Morgan said. “He’s playing that fullback position, and some people call that the sixth O-lineman. He’s going to get the ball a little bit, but for the most part he’s a blocking guy.”

Morgan said that no matter how the team does during the season, up to this point he is just pleased with the players’ attitudes.

“There are absolutely no bad attitudes on the team,” he said. “They’re good kids. They do the right thing. In fact, I just got word that none of our kids are academically ineligible to play. We’ve always had at least one that slacked off on grades. It’s just a good group of kids.”

ALSO: Last season the Auburn Trojans missed out on the postseason for the first time in eight years, finishing sixth in the SPSL North 4A with a 3-5 league record, 4-6 overall. This year senior tight end and defensive end Kevin Shelton (6-3, 243) looks to provide leadership for the Trojans. The team expects to pound the ball on the ground, with senior running back Darnell Hagans (5-5, 160) blazing the trail behind senior offensive lineman Karorii White (6-2,315) and Cayman Tinsley (6-1, 260). Junior Brier Atkinson (5-11, 165) will get the nod at quarterback. On defense the Trojans look  to senior linebackers DeMontra McNealy (6-3, 235), Seth Mizoguchi (5-10, 170) and senior defensive backs Hagans and T.J. Muao (6-2, 180) to keep opposing offenses under wraps… The Auburn Mountainview Lions made history last season, earning their first ever trip to the postseason with a third-place finish in the SPSL 3A and a 6-4 overall record. Third year starting senior quarterback Domenic Rockey (6-2, 185), who had more than 2,100 passing yards last season, is back to guide the team’s spread offense. Rockey will have ample targets at wide receiver with seniors Devin Bryant (5-9, 170) and JJ Lacey (6-4, 165), as well as junior Joey Cassano (5-9, 170) all back. Defensively, the team is looking to senior linebacker Nicholas Aumua (6-3, 240) to guide a squad that returns just three starters.