Photo by Claudia Loeber/Lewis & Clark Athletics – Cruz Montana in action for the Pioneers last season.

Former Eureka Logger Cruz Montana appears to have the pieces in place for a big season at Lewis & Clark as he continues to thrive at the collegiate level.

Entering his senior season with the Division-III program, the Pioneers quarterback is ninth all-time in team history with 4,138 yards passing and eighth all-time in total yards with 4,345.

If he can put together another 2,000 yard passing season he will move into third all-time in school history in passing yards.

He also needs just nine touchdowns to reach 50 for his college career.

And the good news for the 2019 Eureka graduate is the offense is set up to thrive again this year.

The Pioneers return their entire starting offensive line as well as the majority of their playmakers from the past two seasons.

As a junior, Montana completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,026 yards and 18 touchdowns in nine games, while throwing just six interceptions, and he had a QB rating of 149.46.

He also scored five rushing touchdowns and received an all-conference honorable mention for the second straight season.

The Pioneers open the new season at the University of Puget Sound on Saturday at 1 p.m.

They finished 2022 with a record of 4-5, including a 2-5 mark in the Northwest Conference.