The term rebuilding year is an ugly one, implying a season is already over before it even began.

A ready-made excuse.

But the Flashes (3-8, 3-7 Region 4-1A) made serious strides on the field and laid a foundation for future success with a team that had only three seniors and plenty of youngsters who gained valuable experience.

With the exception of center Sage Lewis — who moved to fullback in the 21-20 win over Mount Olive and rushed for 25 yards and a score — the Flashes’ line will return intact.

Quarterbacks sophomore Connor Smith and freshman Will Pierce will return next year. While Smith is more of a shifty option runner, Pierce has more of the prototypical passer size — he stands 6-foot-1 — and he alternated snaps with Smith down the stretch.

While the Flashes lose leading rusher Elliott Bexley (120 carries, 549 yards, six scores) and multipurpose weapon Forrest Logue (65 rushing yards, one TD, one receiving score), they will bring back junior running backs Barrett Teller (61 carries, 341 yards, two scores) and Douglas Busari, who scored in two of the Flashes’ last three games. Another playmaker who will have a bigger role next season is freshman wide receiver and kick return threat DeMichael Harris, who averaged nearly 16 yards per return and brought back a kickoff for a score.

Blake Hudson, who handles the kicking and punting chores, showed Friday against Mount Olive why his return is vital to St. Al’s hopes next season. With the game tied 7-7, the punt snap to Hudson went over his head. Rather than boot it out of the end zone for a safety to prevent a TD, Hudson got off a spectacular 30-yard punt on the run with two Mount Olive defenders on his back at the 1-yard line. The Pirates were flagged for roughing the kicker and St. Al advanced into Pirate territory, cashing in 12 plays later with a Bexley rushing score.

It was a 65-yard swing and shifted the momentum into St. Al’s favor.

“I just figured punting is just switching the field, trying to get the best field position for your defense,” Hudson said. “It turned it completely around, got us back on offense and led to points. A win like this boosts our confidence for next year and we’ve got a lot of talent coming through. We’ll have a pretty good season next year.”

Defensively, the Flashes made their biggest improvement, giving up 27 points per game vs. 29 in 2011. With the exception of linebackers Lewis and Bexley and Logue, who played safety, eight starters will be back in 2013.

Speaking of seniors, the St. Al triumvirate went out in style in the season finale win over Mount Olive. All three scored rushing scores and all played key roles in the win.

Logue made the winning interception on the two-point conversion in addition to scoring a rushing TD.

“I already knew the route and they had been running that spread pattern to one side of the line,” Logue said. “I saw the guy rolling out, I saw his eyes and I just broke on the ball. It meant a lot to me, to all of the seniors, to all of the team. They really put their hearts out there. Everybody picked their heads up, played hard and never gave up.”

St. Al coach B.J. Smithhart was proud of the leadership of his seniors, coming up big when needed most.

“It was three seniors who made big plays on Senior Night,” St. Al coach B.J. Smithhart said. “I feel really good for them and I’m glad to end on a high note. They played huge roles and did a great job.”

Bexley rushed for 118 yards on 25 carries with one score and even kicked an extra point. In practice the week before, Bexley worked on his kicking for his lone opportunity and cashed in on what was the game’s winning margin.

“I told him (Coach Smithhart) I could kick a 35 (yard field goal) and I missed a PAT (in practice). I begged him for one more shot and I proved it out there in the game,” Bexley said. “It was a good kick.”