Could this be the year?

For the past 32 years Lowell Scearcy stayed behind the scenes as an assistant football coach and defensive coordinator at Central Lakes College.

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This year, however, Scearcy has been thrust into the forefront and will call the shots for the Raiders as head coach in place of Dennis Eastman, who is on a year-long sabbatical. Scearcy is the longest-tenured football coach in Minnesota Community College Conference history.

Coach Lowell Scearcy takes over with eight returning starters.

Scearcy takes over a program that returns just eight players from a team that finished 2-7 last year and was 1-3 in Southern Division play. But, of those eight players, seven are starters and bring experience with them.

The Raiders open their season 3 p.m. Saturday at Rainy River College in International Falls, a team that went winless last year. Even though the Raiders haven't had a winning season since 1998, Scearcy is cautiously optimistic.

Raiders football

Head coach: Lowell Scearcy, first year

Assistant coaches: Jim Gogolin (defensive coordinator), Jim Strohmeier (offensive coordinator), Greg Medeck (linebackers and defensive backs)

2004 results: 2-7 overall, 1-3 Southern Division

Coming Sept. 1: Raiders golf preview

Coach Lowell Scearcy takes over with eight returning starters.

Wide receiver Lynn Chheang expects to see more passes.

"My expectations are always high but it's hard to put wins and losses on it because the league changes so much," he said. "Basically, it's a freshmen league where two-thirds to three-fourths of teams will be made up of freshmen.

"There's several new coaches in the league too. So you really have no idea what to expect. A team can be on the bottom one year and on top the next."

The defense, led by 6-foot-1, 230-pound lineman Paul Fox and 6-5, 300-pound lineman Skyler Johnson, is where Scearcy believes the Raiders will be the strongest. A talented linebacking corps, with 5-11, 235-pound sophomore Chris Ezebunna and 6-0, 245-pound freshman Zach Nelson leading the charge, should help the defense shine.

"Paul is in really good shape and is very quick, we're looking for a big year from him," Scearcy said. "Skyler is the biggest guy on the team. Ledarius Murphy is playing the nose and is very quick. I'm very optimistic about our defensive line.

"The linebackers are very important. Izzy can play just about anywhere and Zach Nelson will be our middle linebacker. He's a big body and is a tough guy."

Offensively, the Raiders will try to get the ball to sophomore Lynn Chheang, a speedy and dangerous wide receiver who was named to the All-Southern Division and All-Region 13 teams.

Wide receiver Lynn Chheang expects to see more passes.

"We want to get Lynn more touches this year," Scearcy said. "We don't have a 'Randy ratio' like the Vikings had but we want to get him the ball more than we did last year. Alex (Kunesh) is also a steady receiver for us and tight end Wyatt (Carr) is well-schooled in the fundamentals of football."

Karson Pike (6-1, 200), a quarterback from Golden, Colo., will start behind center and Scearcy will take advantage of his athleticism as the Raiders plan to use a more run-orientated offense. Scearcy has seven running backs vying for playing time.

"Offense always takes a little bit longer to get started," said Scearcy. "We have some good people in the skill positions. We'd like to run the football. I don't think I've seen a consistent winning team that couldn't run the football. We hope to run the football and hope to have a nice mix with the passing."

Raiders roster

Sophomores

Wyatt Carr (TE) Verndale

Lynn Chheang (WR) Blooming Prairie

Chris Ezebunna (LB) Baker, La.

Paul Fox (DL) Pequot Lakes

Skyler Johnson (DL) Golden, Colo.

Alex Kunesh (WR) Onamia

Oliver Nathan (QB) Becker

Karson Pike (QB) Golden, Colo.

Cody Wilking (DB) Mankato

Freshmen

Roy Banks (RB) Jackson, Miss.

Jacob Bartholemy (DB) Fairbanks, Alaska

Donovan Bates (LB) White Bear Lake

Derren Bestel (DB) Cottage Grove

Adam Bistram (LB) Grantsburg, Wis.

Jakari Blake (WR) San Diego

Christian Bullard (DB) Rio Rancho, N.M.

Daryl Calhoun (WR) Middletown, Ohio

Bob Cooper (DL) Isle

Josh Cornelius (DB/P) Orr

Steve Dalquist (RB) Pillager

Kyle Dobyns (WR) Golden, Colo.

Nick Edwards (P/K) Brainerd

Thomas Hair (WR) Tampa, Fla.

Thomas Holt (LB) Browerville

Dan Hurlburt (RB) North Pole, Alaska

James Hurlburt (LB) North Pole, Alaska

Brady Klooster (DB) Little Falls

Jacob Kramer (WR) Eden Valley-Watkins

Eric Lagerstrom (DL) Isle

Jason Larson (OL) Brainerd

Glen Leith (DB) Bloomington

Nathan Liddell (RB) Peoria, Ill.

Tyler Matz (OL) Sibley East

Jake Minnig (LB) Forest Lake

Ledarius Murphy (DL) Miami

Zach Nelson (LB) Andover

Christopher Nolan (DB) Osseo

Brian Roos (TE) Paynesville

Reggie Ross (RB) Brooklyn Park

Tyrone Ross (OL) San Diego

Brandon Schladweiler (RB) Plum City, Wis.

Lucas Schmidt (OL) Menahga

Nick Sisco (WR) San Diego

Matt Taylor (DB) San Diego

Ryan Theis (LB) Rockford

Chris Wall (RB) San Diego

Raheem White (OL) Staples

Greg Wippler (LB) Little Falls

Josh Wiskus (OL) Little Falls

TROY GUNDERSON can be reached at troy.gunderson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5865.

Schedule

AUGUST

27 at Rainy River, 3 p.m.

SEPTEMBER

3 ITASCA, 1:30 p.m.

10 Hibbing at St. Cloud State, 6 p.m.

17 NORTHLAND, 1:30 p.m.

24 at Mesabi, 1:30 p.m.

OCTOBER

1 at Ridgewater, 1:30 p.m.

8 MINNESOTA WEST, 2:30 p.m.

15 at Fergus Falls, 1:30 p.m.

29 ROCHESTER, 1:30 p.m.

NOVEMBER

5 State semifinals, TBA

12 State semifinals, TBA