By Eric Trent

For Peninsula Daily News

JOYCE — The Crescent Loggers have every reason to be excited about the 2016 season, despite posting a 3-7 record a year ago.

Crescent returns seven starters on both sides of the ball, having lost just one senior — Luke Leonard — from last year’s team.

Youth and inexperience was a big factor in the the Loggers sub-.500 mark last year. Crescent went 0-5 in the 1B Northwest division, relying mostly on underclassmen to carry them, while yielding 274 points and only scoring 86.

Now, those underclassmen are a year older, with an extra year of experience. With six seniors and nine juniors, this year’s group of Loggers is built to end their playoff drought.

Junior KC Spencer returns at quarterback after taking over that spot against Quilcene in 2015, in which the Loggers nearly upset one of the best Rangers’ teams in school history before falling 32-24.

The Crescent coaches were convinced.

“It was a close game,” Brian Shimko, Crescent’s head coach said.

“I think we should have had that game. We changed up our quarterback. It seemed to work.”

Assistant coach Kelly Flanagan had praise for Spencer.

“He adapts well, thinks on the fly,” Flanagan said.

“His biggest asset is he’s a quick learner.”

“He’s just one of those smart athletes. He can throw the ball, run the ball.”

Spencer is perhaps even more talented on defense. An all-league, honorable mention selection at defensive back in 2015, Spencer snatched 10 interceptions — including four in one game, tied for second most in Class 1B state history.

“He could have had six [that game],” Flanagan said. “He’s got good ball skills.”

Returning at running back is freshman phenom Eric Emery, a speedster who scored seven touchdowns last season as an eighth-grader.

“He’s a stud running back,” Flanagan said.

“He’s right behind Clallam Bay’s Clayton Willis.”

Punishing defenders

Defensively, Crescent brings back two bruisers in linebacker McCabe Story, and defensive lineman Wyatt McNeece.

Story racked up 73 tackles last season, including 33 solo, along with five sacks.

“You want to watch a football player?” Flanagan asked.

“That’s a football player. He’s a monster on defense.”

McNeece posted 51 tackles, six sacks, forced three fumbles and stopped five extra-point attempts.

“Wyatt has a great character,” Flanagan said.

“He leads by example. Really quick feet for a big guy.

“We expect big things out of Wyatt this year.”

Another key piece to the lines is senior Neil Peppard, who converted from quarterback to help solidify a weak line.

“He will do anything for the team,” Shimko said.

“He bought in 100 percent.”

Peppard’s looking to make the most of his final season in blue and yellow.

“I’m just really hoping to make it a memorable year for myself and my whole team,” Peppard said.

“Win some games, have fun, and leave it all on the field.”

With few changes among the starters, Crescent also will have few changes to their offense, planning to run the same varied offensive scheme.

“We’ve got some new stuff we’re going to try,” Shimko said.

“But pretty much we’re going to put the big guys on the front line and see what happens.”

Defensively, the Loggers plan to stick with a 4-4 defense, mixed with a 2-5-1.

The main challenges Crescent will face is competing in the treacherous 1B Northwest division, which contains perennial powerhouses Neah Bay and Lummi.

“We play in the hardest league in the state,” Shimko said.

“There’s athletes out here. It’s just a tough league.”

But facing some of the top teams in the state doesn’t seem to phase the Loggers.

“We prepare the same for every team,” Spencer said.

“Just because they’re a high-level team doesn’t change the way we go into the game.”

Peppard added, “We just have to remember that every morning they get up, just like us.

“They’re playing the same game, they’re practicing just like us. The only things we can do is work hard, right now, when it counts.”

One thing Shimko hopes to do in order to stem the tide is getting Crescent youth involved in football earlier on.

“My goal is, in the summertime, try to get as many kids to come out,” Shimko said.

“Even in the sixth, seventh grade, just to condition, have fun with us, learn a little bit about football.

“I just want them to learn the sport.

“Understand it, so when they are freshman they can contribute.”

Shimko is trying to install a winners mentality in his current roster, and build comradery and chemistry.

“One of the things we did as a team building thing at the end of the year is I loaded all these guys up in vans, and went to the state championship game,” he said.

This summer, they also competed in a 7-on-7 competition with schools from Neah Bay to North Kitsap.

“My goal for the team this year is to make the playoffs,” Shimko said.

“Then we’ll worry about the rest.

“We’ve got the team to do it.

And Shimko is careful not to look too far ahead. He’s got his eyes squarely on their first opponent, an away game against Tacoma Baptist on Saturday, Sept. 3.

“First game,” Shimko said.“That’s all I’m looking towards. “Anything past that, I don’t care. One game at a time.”

Crescent capsule

•Offense: Varied

•Defense: 4-4 and 2-5-1

•Contributors: OL/LB Neil Peppard, TE/LB McCabe Story, OL/DL Wyatt McNeese, QB/DB KC Spencer, RB/DB Eric Emery, Noah Leonard.

•Key newcomers: Robert Cox, Parker Hill.

•Expected team strength: Line play

•Question mark: Defense. Need to improve open-field tackling.

•Player they’ll miss the most: Luke Leonard.

•Game to watch: Coach Shimko said he didn’t have any games circled. He prefers to take it one game at a time.

Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Crescent’s Neil Peppard, 14, leads the way for ball carrier McCabe Story during a game with Clallam Bay last season. The two seniors will be counted on for leadership this season.

Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Crescent’s Eric Emery, left, blocks for quarterback KC Spencer during a game against Clallam Bay last season.