To truly understand what coach Beau Carmon and his players at Port Clinton have accomplished the past three high school football seasons — 24-10 overall record, two playoff appearances, one conference title — some historical perspective is needed.

In the 20 seasons (1994-2013) that preceded this three-year upswing, the Redskins were 39-161 overall and 22-118 in Sandusky Conference Bay action. There were no SBC championships or postseason appearances in school history.

That two-decade stretch of no winning seasons included five 0-10 records and five 1-9 finishes. Eight years Port Clinton did not win a conference game.

RELATED: The Blade’s 2017 high school football preview

So, when Carmon guided the Redskins into their first playoff game in 2015, and to their first postseason victory last year after grabbing an SBC Bay Division title share, it was time for the city along Lake Erie’s north coast to celebrate.

But the Port Clinton football team didn’t pause long to reflect, and Carmon has the Redskins looking toward their next challenge, which will be a tough one. 

They must try to contend for a Bay Division title in the newly expanded and realigned SBC, with starters back at just seven of 22 positions.

The new three-tiered Sandusky Bay Conference has big, medium, and small-school divisions (Lake, Bay, and River, respectively) ready to kick off the 2017 season.

In the Lake Division’s football chase will be former SBC Bay Division teams Clyde and Sandusky Perkins joined by four members of the now defunct Northern Ohio League (Bellevue, Norwalk, Sandusky, and Tiffin Columbian).

Port Clinton, Huron, Milan Edison, Oak Harbor, and Vermilion will remain in the Bay Division, and will be joined by former NOL member Shelby.

Fremont St. Joseph, Lakota, Margaretta, Sandusky St. Mary, and Tiffin Calvert will remain in the River Division, to be joined by former NOL member Willard.

Beginning with the 2018 football season, the River Division will add two current members of the Toledo Area Athletic Conference — Danbury and Gibsonburg.

Port Clinton (10-2 overall, 5-1 SBC Bay) has 16 seniors on its 52-player roster for Carmon, who begins his fifth season with the Redskins. Of the 13 letter winners, just four starters return on offense, and three on defense.

The biggest offensive loss to graduation was the dynamic trio of quarterback Joey Brenner, and backs Emerson Lowe and Donte McClure.

Back to lead the way are seniors Zach Murphy (5-foot-11, 315 pounds), at center, Demetrius Curley (6-0, 165), at cornerback, Kyle Fitzpatrick (6-0, 170), who has moved from receiver to quarterback, and Tony Nesbitt (6-0, 185), who will be at running back and linebacker. 

They get experienced help from juniors Gunar Zink (6-4, 190), at receiver and defensive end, and massive Morgan Mallory (6-4, 330), at offensive tackle.

The Redskins, who utilize a spread offense and 4-3 defense, have a large and experienced offensive line, and a quick defensive line. 

Carmon’s chief concerns are an overall lack of speed and experience.

“We will look to move forward as a program despite graduating arguably the most talented senior class to play at Port Clinton,” Carmon said. “Championship football is now the standard at Port Clinton. We expect the seniors and underclassmen to embrace the challenge of continuing the tradition that has been re-established here.”

Milan Edison, which shared the Bay title with Port Clinton in 2016, is expected to battle Shelby as the top contenders this season. Shelby (11-2, 5-1 NOL) was the Northern Ohio League runner-up last year.

Port Clinton’s Redskins have a tall order in competing with those two teams, but should match up well with the remainder of the division, a group that includes Huron, Oak Harbor, and Vermilion.

Oak Harbor (5-5, 2-4) is looking to return to the postseason for the first time since 2007, which was the final season in the tenure of highly-successful longtime head coach Gary Quisno, whose 2006 team (13-1, 7-0 SBC) reached the Division IV state semifinals. Quisno’s 1999 Rockets (12-2, 6-1) also advanced to the D-IV state semis.

Mike May, in his 10th season guiding the team (44-46 overall), has 18 seniors and a total of 18 letter winners on his 58-player roster, including five offensive and four defensive starters returning to execute the Rockets’ Wing-T offense and 4-4 defense.

Back to lead Oak Harbor are seniors Hunter Lacer (6-2, 255, OL-DL), Garrett Duty (5-8, 155, RB-DB), Aaron Lee (6-0, 230, OL-LB), and A.J. Showalter (6-2, 265, OL-DL), and junior Cole Roob (5-10, 245, OL-DL).

May is pleased with his senior leadership, the team’s chemistry, and commitment level. His top concern is developing depth at several positions.

“We have outstanding leadership from our 18 seniors,” May said. “We have a heavily invested football team due to the work the players put in during the offseason.”

The Rockets had three straight solid seasons in the SBC (5-2 conference record 2010-12), which were May’s last winning seasons (7-3, 6-4, and 7-3) overall. This Oak Harbor team aims to return to that level, and jump into a contender’s role this season.

In the SBC’s River Division, defending champion Tiffin Calvert (6-4, 4-0 SBC River) might be a safe bet to repeat that division crown after having outscored its four River foes 206-53. The Senecas’ only division game closer than 42 points was their 40-32 win over runner-up Margaretta (5-5, 3-1).

River Division newcomer Willard (1-9, 0-6 NOL) was outscored 434-118 in its 10 games in 2016, but the Crimson Flashes recorded their only win in their opener, 31-24 over Margaretta.

Fremont St. Joseph (4-6, 2-2) looks to jump into contention in the River Division with 24 of its 32 players from 2016 back this season for second-year head coach Brian Spicer. A total of 19 of those Crimson Streaks returnees were letter winners, and 11 are seniors.

Senior quarterback Spencer Harrison (6-3, 180) set school records with 213 completions and 2,555 passing yards in 2016, including a single-game mark of 484 passing yards. He is on pace to become St. Joe’s career passing yardage leaders.

A key target (Zach Militello, 70 catches, 1,091 yards) has graduated, but Harrison has returning senior receiver Chris Morrisette (53 catches) as a top option through the air. Senior running back Ross Snyder (5-9, 195) rushed for more than 600 yards last year, and has 2,100-plus yards and 23 TDs in his career.

The offensive line returns three starters with senior Jacob Darr (5-11, 210), and juniors Noah Price (6-3, 245) and Matt McFarland (5-11, 230), as anchors.

St. Joseph returns seven defensive starters, a group led by Price and Darr up front, and by senior Mason Bickley (5-9, 180, 65 tackles) at linebacker. The Streaks’ secondary includes senior returnees Morrisette, Dylan Filliater (5-9, 145), David Spicer (5-10, 185), and Logan Black (6-0,155).

“Noah Price was all-league on both sides of the ball last year as a sophomore, and looks to be bigger and faster,” coach Spicer said of his top two-way player. “All his talents will be needed to anchor a defense that needs to improve in stopping opposing offenses.”

Lakota (2-8, 0-4) tries to break the cycle of an unsuccessful football program with first-year coach Mike Lento, the Raiders’ fourth head coach in four seasons.

Over the past 20 years, Lakota, which has never qualified for the state playoffs, has gone 60-140 overall with only two winning seasons in that time (7-3 in 2006 and 6-4 in 2007). The Raiders’ most recent league title came in 1979, when they shared a Suburban Lakes League championship with Gibsonburg.

This season, the Raiders have 13 seniors on a 37-player roster, including 12 letter winners and eight starters back on offense and defense.

Heading the list of returnees are seniors Tyler Gabel (6-2, 175, QB-LB), Levi Myers (6-0, 170, WR-LB), Jordan White (5-11, 175), Lucas Streacker (6-0, 175, WR-DE-PK), Colton Radar (5-11, 166, WR-DB), Noah Koester (5-10, 251, OL-DL), Logan Stone (6-3, 220, OL-DL), and Thomas Shipley (5-10, 200, OL-DL).

Lento sees good senior leadership heading into the 2017 season, and believes he has some good athletes on both sides of the ball. A trouble area might be the fact that the players will be adjusting to a new coaching staff and scheme terminology for the fourth straight year.

“We are looking to compete week in and week out this year,” Lento said. “We have had a great offseason, and the players are buying into the program with accountability and commitment. We will continue to work together in building a new tradition at Lakota.”

McComb must reload

As he enters the 20th season of a superb career as head football coach at McComb, Kris Alge is at one of those competitive crossroads.

Alge (173-53 career record) and his Panthers are still riding high after back-to-back Blanchard Valley Conference titles and Division VII state semifinal playoff runs.

They now must contemplate a potential drop-off after graduating starters at 14 of 22 positions.

McComb (12-2, 8-0 BVC) has earned the reputation of perennial state small-school power with 15 playoff appearances in the past 19 years under Alge, a stretch that had also included six BVC championships.

Currently riding a streak of seven straight playoff appearances — including three trips to the state semis in the past five seasons (13-1, 9-0 in 2012) — the Panthers will need to beat the odds to continue that string with just eight seniors and a total of seven letter winners on the roster.

Back to lead that quest are seniors Cam Morris (quarterback-cornerback), Kheaghan Loe (running back-defensive end), Clay Santos (running back-safety), Cory Swisher (RB-linebacker), and Justin Wasson (tight end-LB), and junior Tanner Schroeder (receiver-defensive back-kicker).

Alge sees speed and talent at the skill positions as strengths for the Panthers, and a lack of depth on the front lines as a possible trouble area as McComb tries to keep its spread offense and 3-4 defense clicking.

“The last two years have been really special to make it to the final four two years in a row, and now three out of the last five years,” Alge said. “This year, seniors know they need to step in and perform on Friday night.

“We lost a talented group, and a lot of seniors, but this year’s players don’t dwell on that. We have low numbers overall, but the 11 we put on the field should be very competitive.”

The Panthers will be battling for BVC supremacy this season with projected contenders Leipsic (7-4, 6-2), perennial power Liberty-Benton (6-4, 5-3), Van Buren (7-3, 6-2), and Hopewell-Loudon (5-5, 4-4).

Liberty-Benton appears to have its program reloaded for another strong season after two years without a BVC title or a playoff appearance after going 9-1, 8-0 (BVC) in 2013 and 12-1, 8-0 in 2014 to cap a four-year stretch that included four postseason trips and three conference championships.

From 2003 — when the Eagles earned their first playoff berth — through 2014, L-B had an overall record of 123-23, including a 96-10 mark in BVC play.

The Eagles reached the postseason 10 times in those 12 years, with a Division V state runner-up finish in 2008 (14-1 record), state semifinal runs in 2006 and 2012, and regional final advancements in 2007 and 2014.

Much of this has been accomplished under the guidance of 11th-year head coach Tim Nichols (94-23 record), who this season has 15 seniors on a 71-player roster. There are 14 letter winners back, and starters return to seven positions on offense and five on defense. The Eagles will use a multiple-set offense and a 3-4 defense.

Back to lead L-B’s title quest are seniors Austin May (6-3, 194, QB-DB), A.J. Dobbins (5-11, 203, OL-LB), Grant Vermilya (6-3, 265, OL-DL), Conor Greer (5-11, 181, RB-DB), Justin Risner (5-11, 157, WR-DB), and junior Eli Heaster (6-3, 174, WR-DE-PK).

May, Dobbins, and Heaster were each named first team All-BVC. May had 1,490 yards and 13 TDs passing, and rushed for 930 yards and 15 TDs.

Nichols is confident in his team’s personnel at the skill positions on offense, and is concerned with its inexperience on the interior lines along with developing depth overall.

“The season’s success will hinge on the leadership of the seniors and how they are able to handle adversity,” Nichols said. “We will need some underclassmen to step up and compete for starting positions.”

After making the first two playoff appearances in school history in 2014 (9-3, 5-0) and 2015 (9-4, 5-0), Van Buren narrowly missed out on a third straight postseason appearance last season.

Before this recent three-year upswing, the Knights’s last prior winning season came back in 1996 (7-3, 6-3).

Keeping the positive momentum rolling will be the first order of business for first-year Van Buren head coach J.T. Bates, who inherits a 43-player roster that includes only seven seniors and 10 returning letter winners. Starters are back at five offensive positions on offense and six on defense.

In employing his pro-set offense and 4-4 defense, Bates will rely heavily on the experience of seniors Jacob Leal (RB-DB), Khail Fasone (FB-LB), Cody Leonard (TE-LB), Matthew Iliff (6-4, 230, OL-LB), Clay Noblit (6-3, 195, OL-DE), and Nick Beitzel (WR-FS), and junior Bryce Smith (WR-DB).

Leal rushed for 1,002 yards in 2016.

Bates views the offensive backfield and line as well as the overall defense as strong suits. But he also sees overall inexperience and a need to develop depth quickly.

“If we stay healthy, we will be a very good football team,” Bates said. “Our players have worked their tails off all summer and during camp, and they are hungry to get back to the postseason.”

North Baltimore (5-5, 4-4) appears poised and well-equipped to join the group of contenders near the top of the BVC under second-year head coach Jeff Weber, who has 13 seniors on a 32-player roster, with starters back at eight offensive and nine defensive positions.

Key to operating the Tigers’ spread offense and 4-3 defense will be the contributions of seniors Chase Naugle (WR-SS), David Patterson (WR-LB), and Kole Wymer (RB-FS), junior Brady Rader (QB), and sophomore Levi Gazarek (6-4, 190, WR-DB).

Rader passed for 2,748 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2016, with help from targets Patterson (35 catches, 630 yards, 8 TDs) and Naugle (40 catches, 606 yards, 8 TDs).

The Tigers should be solid at the skill positions, but must improve on both lines to maximize their potential.

“Our season will be decided by the O-line and D-line,” Weber said. “If we can run the ball and stop the run, we will have a good year. For our defense, it comes down to tackling. The other big issue for us is we have to stay healthy. We don’t have a lot of depth.”

Arcadia (0-10, 0-8) has gone 4-6, 3-7, 2-8, 1-9, and 0-10 since making the only playoff appearance in school history in 2011 (7-4, 6-3), so the primary focus of second-year head coach Ethan Percer is reversing that trend.

That task will be easier said than done with only 22 players on the Redskins’ roster. Arcadia has just seven seniors and nine total letter winners back, with six starters back on each side of the ball.

Percer’s Wing-T offense and multiple-front defense will count on the performance of seniors Trevor Brubaker (RB-LB) and Brayden George (5-11, 215, OL-DL), junior John Hill (6-4, 295, OL-DL), and sophomores Tristain Martinez (RB-DB) and Hayden Rader (WR-DB).

The Redskins have a core of promising young linemen, but if they are to improve on last year’s output, they must stay healthy and develop depth.

“This year is going to be fun to watch with all of our young players,” Percer said. “I can’t wait to see these young men give it all they have on Friday nights. Some key factors will be minimizing mistakes offensively and defensively, staying healthy, and making sure to wrap up when we tackle. The goal for our team is to win four or five games, but take it one week at a time.”

Holgate looks to improve

A fresh start and a bright outlook are what the Holgate Tigers take into the 2017 high school football season after struggling through their fourth winless (0-10) season in the past 12 years.

With one of the smallest enrollments of any school with a football program in Ohio, Holgate is seemingly always battling uphill battles to compete in the tough Green Meadows Conference.

First-year head coach Tony Plott will begin his tenure with 12 seniors on a 35-player roster, including 14 letter winners and eight starters returning on both sides of the ball to help execute the Tigers’ shotgun spread/​wishbone offense and 4-3 defense.

Plott will count on leadership from seniors Clay Waisner (6-3, 205, RB-DE), Brendan Clark (6-3, 290, OT-DT), and Louie Gustwiler (5-10, 160, QB-DB), and junior Tallon Meyer (6-0, 190, FB-LB).

Plott views the offensive and defensive lines as strong areas, and sees the most work needed on the special-teams units. “We have quite a few new faces that came out for football in the junior class,” Plott said. “Some of them will be seeing significant playing time on Friday nights. “If we can expedite the learning curve with these athletes, and continue to get improvement from our returning lettermen, we could have a real interesting season.”

Contact Steve Junga at sjunga@theblade.com, 419-724-6461 or on Twitter @JungaBlade.

First Published August 23, 2017, 3:30 p.m.