By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

NEW WATERFORD

With just two starters returning on offense, it doesn’t take long for most teams to start thinking about next season.

Not Crestview, where turnover hasn’t been a problem in Paul Cusick’s 15 seasons as head coach. Since 2000, the Rebels have won or shared nine league crowns and missed the playoffs just three times.

Last year, the Rebels had two returning starters on defense. Despite losing to South Range in Week 4 (the Rebels’ first Inter Tri-County League Tier One loss in four seasons), Crestview rebounded with six regular-season wins and two more in the postseason before losing to Akron Manchester in the Division V Region 15 final.

How many other teams can return two defensive starters and remain alive in Week 13?

Like last year, Cusick feels he has another young team,

“This is almost a flip-flop — I think we had little more [back] on offense and only two on defense,” Cusick said. “We started a ton of underclassmen on defense.”

Seven are returning, including middle linebacker Derek Kozlowski.

“We have a lot of younger kids coming up on offense and they are still learning, but they are starting to get things to click,” Kozlowski said. “It all will come together once the season starts.”

Cuscik said the loss to South Range “was a good wake-up call for our guys. [After that], they knew they weren’t where they needed to be.

“They really, really took that loss to heart and [started] doing all the little extra stuff in practice that we needed,” Cusick said. “We did grow up.”

OFFENSE

Graduation took its toll. Among those who have moved on were quarterback Collin Gilbert (1,904 yards rushing, 1,522 yards passing, 22 touchdowns), running back Trevor Cope (1,070 yards, 11 touchdowns) and tight end Josh McDade (40 receptions, 830 yards, 12 touchdowns).

This season’s returning starters are guard Nate Stelts and split end Evan Beachler.

“We’ve got guys working hard,” Stelts said. “As long as you’ve got that, it’s never a big deal.”

Cusick said senior Jesse Best and junior Spencer DeSalvo are competing for quarterback.

“Right now, Jesse probably has the inside track,” Cusick said. “Spencer is probably going to start somewhere in the backfield.”

Joining Stelts up front will be Jacob Henderson at center and Jarred Jones and Zach Chuey at tackle. Ben Basinger, Tyler Hall and Mason Crawford are guards.

DEFENSE

Henderson, Jones, Davis and Jordan Murphy bring experience to the defensive line. Kozlowski and Cody Mackall return as inside linebackers while Zach Marr and DeSalvo will anchor the secondary.

Because of their tradition, Kozlowski said the Rebels can’t afford letdowns.

“Every team is always out to get us,” the senior linebacker said. “They sometimes compare it to [their] Super Bowl because we win a lot and it’s a big deal [to beat us].

“So they look at us as a big step up in their program win so we have to be sharp every week because every team is going to give us their best.”

OUTLOOK

Asked if winning the league title has a higher priority because South Range is the defending champion, Stelts said, “I’d say so, especially since we didn’t win last year. It’s something we’ve been focused on a lot.”

This year, the Raiders and Rebels meet in Week 5. Because of growing pains, Cusick wouldn’t mind if that game came later.

“But that’s the way it falls,” Cusick said. “You just have to play your league schedule as it rotates.”

Stelts doesn’t mind.

“[Week 5] is about the time you start to mesh and gel as a team,” the senior lineman said.