SALEM When Salem began summer football practice under new head coach Mike Kopachy, many were optimistic about the future. Most knew his pedigree coming from Western Reserve, but few realistically expected him to turn around a Quaker team that went 0-10 last year so quick.

What transpired over the next few months is a story that gave, not only the community of Salem, but all of the Mahoning Valley, a reason to stand up and cheer for the Quakers.

United under the leadership of nine seniors and a boatload of talented underclassmen, the 2009 Salem Quaker football team began a history making journey.

Seniors Dillon Rhodes, Ben Eisel, Randall Baker, Mike Brown, Sam Schuster, Justin Adams, Pete Anderson, Matt Taylor and Anthony Fast all hand a hand in bringing this team together as a team and a brotherhood.

"It's really a great feeling," Kopachy said. "To know that these guys came together from a team that hadn't had much recent success to accomplish what they did, the growth is pretty amazing."

On Aug. 28, the new look Salem Quakers took the field at Reilly Stadium against the Girard Indians, a team that was made up of mostly the same athletes that defeated the Quakers 47-12 the previous season.

That night, the public saw the first glimpes of what would become history. Although Salem fell to the Indians that night, a lot of positives that night. The team began to believe in what they were capable of, and names that were known just around town like Ben Eisel and Trent Toothman, began to become known to a wider audience via television highlight reels and internet message boards.

"I remember telling the guys after the Girard game that I knew we could be something special and could win a lot of games."

The next two weeks Salem took years of frustration out on local rivals United and West Branch before being humbled by eventual league champion Hubbard.

However that loss to Hubbard may have served as the biggest turning point in the season.

"We were coming off an emotional high and then suffered that let down," Kopachy said. "At that point we had a choice, to come together or fall

apart. Then the next week against Liberty we came together. The defense stepped up and we had a last minute touchdown drive to win and that propelled us into that second half."

The win against Liberty accomplished many things for the Quakers. It gave them a win against a premier area power, it was their first conference win since joining the All-American Conference and it showed that Salem was more then an offensive show.

In virtually shutting down Liberty, Salem went from a team that was known for it's offensive weapons to a complete team with standout defensive players and the league began to take notice of players like Matt Taylor, Mike Brown and Mike King.

After a string of victories, for the first time whispers of the word "playoffs" began being heard around town and it culminated with one of the biggest wins, and biggest plays in school history. Trailing late to Lakeview, echos of Salem's so-close-but-so-far-away past began reemerging. Then when Toothman lofted a touchdown pass through the rain to Zach Penick with 29 seconds to go, the team went from being a good story, to being history making.

Salem took a three hour drive to Granville to play their first ever playoff game, a trip they would've gladly went to Europe for, and they didn't let their dream season end. Eisel knocked in a game-tieing field goal as time ran out and the Quakers went on to take the win in the overtime period.

"To get in the playoffs is one thing, to advance is another," Kopachy said. "That game had a little bit of everything. It was one of the greatest games I've ever been apart of."

If the 2009 season was a movie, their match-up with Steubenville was Rocky Balboa meeting the undisputed champion Apollo Creed. For the first half, Salem had the better of one of the best teams in the state.

"That feeling after running off the field up 10-6 and seeing a standing room only crowd on their feet cheering was one I'll never forget," Kopachy said. "I hope our guys remember that feeling and want to relive it and take the next step."

As in the original Rocky, Creed got the best of Balboa in the end. But in Rocky 2, Rocky came back and took Creed down, and the 2010 Quakers are already gearing up for another run.

"Next season will be a lot different," Kopachy said. "There will be higher expectations and a target on our back, buy these guys are already hungry to get going."

Eight offensive starters and nine defensive starters return from a team that finished one of the 16 best in Division III out of the 120 that started.

"We'll know more about who we are going into the season and that will be a huge plus," Kopachy said. "Our goals will be the same, league title and playoffs, but we want to take it higher."

The 2009 season was a dream run for the Quakers, but the 2010 season will be one where Salem looks to finish what they started and take the next step towards being one of Ohio's elite.