Senior Marshall Klontz is quite aware of the burden of tradition that comes with playing football for the Auburn Trojans.

“Everybody knows that we haven’t lost on Troy Field for the last, I think it’s five years,” said the Trojans’ starting quarterback. “Everybody knows that and nobody wants to be the class to bring that down.”

It might not be something the team talks about, but every player who straps on that gold helmet and runs out onto the turf at Auburn Memorial Stadium has one thing on their mind – winning.

“We really take it very serious, every football game,” said senior running back Chris Young. “We try and keep that streak alive.”

“Our kids know what to expect from Auburn football,” coach Gordon Elliott said. “They know the tradition around here. They know that they are in a program where we expect to win and do well. And that helps. We don’t talk a lot about it, but the things we do talk about are just part of what we do. They know what they have to do.”

Last season the Auburn Trojans kept the streak alive, fielding a rushing juggernaut that ran the table in the South Puget Sound League North Division.

Over 12 games – nine regular season and three postseason games – the Trojans ran all over their opponents, averaging more than 380 yards on the ground, and outscoring their foes by an average of more than 21 points.

The Trojans took home the North title and won two playoff games before losing 38-2 to eventual state 4A champion Skyline and finishing with an 11-1 record.

This year, expect more of the same from the Trojans.

Although workhorse and leading rusher Jeff Gouveia was lost to graduation, Auburn returns a strong core of runners from last year, including Young who rushed for 1,158 yards and eight touchdowns.

Also back will be juniors Austen Embody, who rushed for 604 yards, and Alphonse Wade, who chipped in with 204 yards on the ground.

“We lost a couple of kids, but we’ve got kids who had playing experience last year at all of our backfield positions,” Elliott said.

“We spread it around a lot, but Chris gained a 1,000 yards last year so he should be a guy who is in that category again,” he added. “He played halfback last year, but we’ve moved him to fullback this year, which gets a few more carries.”

The run might be the Trojans’ bread and butter, but the team also will look to find success in the air with Klontz, who started two games last season under center. Klontz will look to hook up with senior tight ends Richie Sanchez and Estafano Pena.

“With our (offensive) set, we need the two tight ends,” Elliott said. “But we’ve got a couple of seniors in there, so we should be all right. We have a lot of kids who rotate in and out at those positions, so we’ve got a lot of varsity experience there.

“We’ve got a couple of juniors pushing them (Sanchez and Pena) right now though, so we’ll see how the tight end thing works out,” Elliott added. “That’s a pretty big part of our offense.”

Klontz, who put in a lot of hours over the summer working on his arm, hopes the Trojans will air it out more frequently this season.

“Our strength is always our running game,” Klontz said. “But this year our passing game should develop more. I hope it gets used more. But our running game is always our main asset.”

Regardless of whether the team takes to the air, or continues to punish opponents with its bruising running game, another strength for the Trojans this season should be along the line.

“They’re so huge,” Young said.

The team will look to senior Dan Duran (6-feet, 240 pounds) to lead a group that includes juniors Danny Shelton (6-2, 320), Nick Conlan (6-0, 235) and Keila Suka (5-10, 255), as well as sophomore Cory English (6-3, 270)

“We have good size and good strength,” Elliott said. “The kids worked hard in the summer, so that should be a benefit.”

With two tough games kicking off Auburn’s schedule, Federal Way (7 p.m. opener on Sept. 3, Auburn Memorial Stadium) and Kentwood, the Trojans should find out quickly what the team is made of.

“We’re progressing, we’ve got a lot of work to do yet, but you always do at this time of year,” Elliott said. “But the guys are working hard, and we’ve got enough experienced returners who know what we’re doing, so we’re pretty far along at this point.

“We’ve got two early tests early. We’ve got Federal Way in the first week and Kentwood next,” Elliott continued. “So we’re going to know after the second week what kind of a team we are.”

Added Klontz: “I think it’s good, it gets us ready early. … We’re not going through lesser teams to get to the good teams.”

“We take every game the same, whether it’s Skyline we’re playing or Federal Way and Kentwood,” Young said. “We’ll really know where we’re at after that first two weeks and then work on it from there.”

Elliott added that the team’s goals remain the same as every season, regardless of the opponents they face.

“Our basic goals are to be the best team that we can be, win the league championship, go to the playoffs and win a state championship,” he said. “Those are our goals every year.”

“Our goals, one through four, are the Taylor Trophy against Kent-Meridian, the Fugate Trophy between us and Auburn Riverside,” Klontz said. “Then an SPSL championship and a state championship.”

“I just want to go further than we did last year,” Young said.

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AUBURN TROJANS SCHEDULE

Sept. 3 – Federal Way at Auburn

Sept. 11 – Auburn at Kentwood

Sept. 18 – Kent-Meridian at Auburn

Sept. 24 – Auburn at Jefferson

Oct. 1 – Auburn at Kentridge

Oct. 8 – Kentlake at Auburn

Oct. 16 – Decatur at Auburn (nonleague)

Oct. 23 – Auburn at Tahoma

Oct. 30 – Auburn Riverside at Auburn

All games kick off at 7 p.m.