Prep Football, 2010

Peninsula Football 2010

Peninsula Football 2010 Peninsula Daily news 2 FriDay, sePtember 3, 2010

Roughriders just want to have funNew coach and new attitude giving PA hope By Matt SchuBertPeninsula Daily news

PORT ANGELES — Football just might be fun again for the Port Angeles Roughriders.

A year after hitting rock bottom with the first 0-10 season in school history, the Riders are climbing Mount Angeles, flipping truck tires and singing the school fight song after practices.

The latter is a bit of a work in progress.

Although, it’s likely one of the more minor road-blocks in Tom Wahl’s first year as head coach.

“We’re trying to learn it,” Wahl said. “It’s amazing how many people don’t know the damn thing.”

Perhaps that’s because the Riders have had few things to celebrate the past few years at Civic Field.

A once-proud program finished off its worst decade in school history — 29-67 overall — after last season’s winless year under head coach Dick Abrams. chriS tucker/Peninsula Daily news

Keenan Walker of Port Angeles, center, hands the ball off to teammate Cody Sullivan.

Projected Starters

Offense (Spread Pistol)

Off. Coordinator: Bob WithrowLT — Raven Hopkins (Sr.) 6-1, 200LG — Jack Harmon (Sr.) 5-9, 157C — Lukas Cox (Sr.) 5-9, 210RG — David Woods (Sr.) 6-0, 215RT — Jesse Hansen (Sr.) 6-1, 206*WR — Kyler Morgan (Sr.) 6-3, 166WR — Kenny Sewell (Sr.) 5-8, 160*WR — Cody Sullivan (Sr.) 6-0, 176*WR — Ian Ward (Sr.) 6-3, 174*FB — Nathan Cristion (Sr.) 5-10, 194*QB — Keenen Walker (Jr.) 6-0, 201K — Max Bukovnik (Jr.) 5-10, 139

Defense (4-4 Base)

Def. Coordinator: Vic ReykdalDE — Raven Hopkins (Sr.) 6-1, 200DT — Jesse Hansen (Sr.) 6-1, 206*DT — Nick Ioffrida (Jr.) 5-10, 176DE — Colby Adamich (Sr.) 6-1, 188OLB — Eli Fiscalini (Jr.) 6-0, 193MLB — Troy Martin (Sr.) 6-1, 213*MLB — Nathan Cristion (Sr.) 5-10, 194*OLB — Cody Sullivan (Sr.) 6-0, 176*CB — Rickie Porter (Sr.) 6-2, 182*S — Colin Wheeler (Sr.) 6-4, 192*CB — Skyler Gray (Jr.) 5-10, 147P — Cody Sullivan (Sr.) 6-0, 176*

Last year: 0-10 overall (0-7 in league)* Returning starter

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Abrams resigned his post a few months later after one year at the helm, forcing the school district to look for its seventh head football coach since 2000 and third in the past three seasons.

In Wahl, a Port Angeles football assistant since 1999, administrators found a familiar face and a mea-sure of stability.

Now lagging student interest in the program — the Riders did not complete a junior varsity schedule in 2008 or ’09 due to low turn-out — is headed in the opposite direction with 77 athletes out for this fall.

That includes 18 seniors.

“Our class has just seemed to stay together,” senior fullback/linebacker Nathan Cristion said. “We’ve all known these coaches for a long time, so that might have helped, too.

“It’s nice not having to bond with new coaches.”

As long as those turnout numbers remain steady, the Riders will be able to hold onto all three teams for the first time since 2007.

That’s a step in the right direction for a program sorely in need of one follow-ing three lost seasons with a 4-26 cumulative record.

“We’re trying to rekindle

some enthusiasm in the community for football,” Wahl said.

“There’s a lot of kids who should be here who aren’t, but we’ll do just fine with the people we have. We’re definitely dealing with the doldrums.

“Obviously, winning is huge [for turning that around]. But besides that, we focused on tradition, focused on pride and just trying to rekindle those things.”

The singing of the Rider fight song is just part of Wahl’s effort to do that.

Building team unity

Wahl, his seniors and several assistants climbed Mount Angeles during camp to help build unity.

He also devised a unique system of accountability that punishes team rules offenders: the dreaded “workout wheel.”

Players spin the wheel — divided into sections for separate workouts — after practice for each offense.

Whatever the spinner lands on, he must perform it immediately under the watchful eyes of Wahl.

Sometimes, that means flipping a truck tire up and down the west end of Port

Angeles’ practice field.“You’ve just got to change

the attitude,” said senior wide receiver Ian Ward, the drum major for each fight song rendition. “Everyone is a big part in that.

“We’ve just got to keep together, feed off of each

other’s energy and see what we can make of it. I expect big things. I’m not sure exactly what I’m expecting, but I expect a definite change from last year.”

Change is coming.

Riders: Eighteen seniors outContinueD From 2

chriS tucker/Peninsula Daily news

Zach Ennis of Port Angeles, right, participates in a tackling drill.

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Port AngelesVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 3 at Chief Sealth 7 p.m.Sept. 10 Forks 7 p.m.Sept. 17 *at Bremerton 7 p.m.Sept. 24 *at Kingston 7 p.m.Oct. 1 *Olympic 7 p.m.Oct. 8 *North Mason 7 p.m.Oct. 15 *at North Kitsap 7 p.m.Oct. 22 **Klahowya 7 p.m.Oct. 29 *Sequim 7 p.m.Nov. 2 at pigtail game TBA

* 2A/3A Olympic League game**Homecoming gameHome games in bold.

“Our class has just seemed to stay together. We’ve all known these coaches for a long time, so that might have helped, too. It’s nice not having to bond with new coaches.”

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Riders: Pistol offense blend of two systemsContinueD From 3


The Port Angeles High School offense practices various plays during preseason drills.

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Peninsula Daily news

Port Angeles dropped down into Class 2A and joined the newly-constituted Olympic League as its sec-ond-largest school.

The Riders also reverted back to a spread attack after recent failed experiments with the Wing T.

The four wide receiver pistol offense is a blend of the Wing-T and the spread attack Wahl ran as the fresh-man team offensive coordi-nator.

“I think they are genu-inely excited to get to this spread,” Wahl said. “It kind of opens the game up a little more. With the wrist bands [that allow for a no-huddle offense]. . . it’s fun.

“It’s fun for the audience, and it’s fun for the players to put the ball up in the air and do some of that stuff where they’ve got a little bit more control.”

Quarterback Keenen Walker and his receivers worked on the attack during a summer 7-on-7 passing league that included league foes North Kitsap, Kingston and Sequim.

And while it is far from refined, it’s not unfamiliar either.

Walker said the team is more prepared heading into this season, thanks to the passing league and several other summer workouts organized by Wahl.

“We’ve had more time [this offseason],” said Walker, who started several games under center last fall. “We’ve been practicing a lot longer, and we’ve had a lot more summer preparation. We’ve come into camp pretty ready.

“We’re a little bigger and a little stronger now and just more focused on football.”

Walker’s older brother, Stefan, torched defenses while operating a spread attack for the Riders in 2006;

the only year Port Angeles reached the playoffs from 2000-09.

But this won’t be the same pass-heavy offense.

Offensive coordinator Bob Withrow plans to run the ball often, using Cristion and speedy slot receivers Kenny Sewell and Cody Sullivan.

When Keenen does throw it, he’ll have big receivers Ward (6-foot-3) and Kyler Morgan (6-3) to target on the outside in addition to Sewell and Sullivan in the slot.

“I think they are genuinely excited to get to this spread [offense]. It kind of opens the game up a little more. With the wrist bands [that allow for a no-huddle offense]. . . it’s fun.”

tom WahlPort Angeles coach

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RidersContinueD From 4

The Riders have five seniors on an undersized offensive line (David Woods is the biggest at 215 pounds), one a returning starter.

That lack of size is com-mon to assistant Vic Reykdal’s 4-4 defense as well.

Not a single starter tops more than 206 pounds.

In a new league, with a new coach and a new atti-tude, the Riders aren’t really thinking about 2009, Wahl said.

“There’s no drag from the past,” he said. “We haven’t really talked about the past at all. We’re just moving forward.

“Our objective is to win league and then see what happens after that. If we don’t have that as an objec-tive, then I feel like we’re grossly underestimating our ability.”


Port Angeles head coach Tom Wahl watches the team during a preseason practice.

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By Matt SchuBertPeninsula Daily news

SEQUIM — The beef is gone, as are most of the Sequim Wolves’ biggest playmakers from 2009.

Erik Wiker’s expecta-tions? Those remain in the same spot they’ve always been for Sequim’s success-ful head coach: sky high.

“We’ve lost people before,” said Wiker, who enters his seventh season with a 53-14 record that includes five league titles and four trips to the state tournament.

“This is what I tell my kids: Since my 8-year-old has been 1, we’ve lost one league game. [Outgoing linebacker] Clancy Catelli didn’t play in every one of those games. [Graduated left tackle] Thomas Gal-lagher didn’t play in every one of those games.

“If we drop down one notch and everybody went up one notch, can’t we still beat everybody? That’s my theory.”

That supposition will certainly be tested in the newly formed Class 2A/3A Olympic League this fall.

Four of five starters on Sequim’s bulky offensive line — highlighted by All-State left tackle Gallagher — have moved on from last year’s Nisqually/Olympic League champions and 2A state quarter-finalists.

The team’s top runner, Travis Decker, graduated as well after handing over the Wolves’ coveted No. 25 jer-sey to another rusher.

And each of the team’s top three receivers — including Peninsula athlete of the year John Textor — won’t be around to catch passes from quarterback Drew Rickerson, either.

That’s a whole lot of turnover to make up for, even for a program that’s firmly established itself as the Peninsula’s most consis-tent winner since 2004.

Longstanding tradition

Senior captain Isaac Yamamoto sounded confi-dent in his team’s ability to keep that tradition going.

“I remember my fresh-man year we had a shirt that said on the back, ‘Tra-dition never graduates,’” said Yamamoto, who will don No. 25 as Sequim’s lead running back.

“As a senior I want to go out with a bang and I want to keep that tradition going.

“So definitely, expecta-tions are high.

“With determination and hard work, I think we’re going to achieve that goal.”

There is reason for hope in the Dungeness Valley, outside of recent history.

Sequim returns its two leading playmakers on defense in Yamamoto and junior defensive end Frank Catelli, as well as three other starters.

Yamamoto was an All-Peninsula linebacker with a team-high 103 tackles last season, while Catelli regis-tered a school record 10 sacks and had 59 tackles.

Projected Starters

Offense (Spread Pistol)

Off. Coordinator: Erik WikerLT — Jacob Cooper (Jr.) 6-1, 245LG — Jack Clark (Sr.) 6-0, 210C — Brendan Carpenter (Jr.) 5-11, 215RG — Preston McFarlen (Sr.) 6-0, 180*RT — Chris Dahll (Sr.) 6-2, 265WR — Nick Ramirez (Jr.) 5-8, 155WR — Chase Bigger (Sr.) 5-11, 165TE — Frank Cattelli (Jr.) 6-2, 210WR — Joey Hall (Sr.) 5-11, 175*RB — Isaac Yamamoto (Sr.) 5-9, 185*QB — Drew Rickerson (Sr.) 6-2, 180*K — Mitch Koonz (So.) 5-10, 150

Defense (4-4 Base)

Def. Coordinator: Matt AshleyDE — Clay Charley (Jr.) 6-0, 225DT — Josh McElrath (Jr.) 5-8, 185DT — Chris Dahll (Sr.) 6-2, 265DE — Frank Cattelli (Jr.) 6-2, 210*OLB — Kahn Mills (Sr.) 6-2, 160MLB — Isaac Yamamoto (Sr.) 5-9, 185*MLB — Preston McFarlen (Sr.) 6-0, 180*OLB — Chase Bigger (Sr.) 5-11, 165CB — Tyler Forshaw (Jr.) 5-8, 155*S — Joey Hall (Sr.) 5-11, 175*CB — Drew Rickerson (Sr.) 6-2, 180P — Drew Rickerson (Sr.) 6-2, 180*

Last year: 10-2 overall (7-0 in league)* Returning starter

Sequim won’t be backing downYoung, small Wolves still aim for league title


Sequim coach Erik Wiker talks heart-to-heart with one of his players during practice.

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SequimVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent TimeSept. 3 at Forks 7 p.m.Sept. 11 Meridian 5 p.m.Sept. 17 *Klahowya 7 p.m.Sept. 24 *at Bremerton 7 p.m.Oct. 1 *at North Mason 7 p.m.Oct. 7 *at Kingston 7 p.m.Oct. 15 *Olympic 7 p.m.Oct. 22 *North Kitsap 7 p.m.Oct. 29 *at Port Angeles 7 p.m.Nov. 5 2A Districts TBA

* 2A/3A Olympic League gameHome games in bold.

Wolves: Shooting for the topContinueD From 6

Rickerson also comes back with one year under his belt in Sequim’s wide-open spread offense.

The junior signal caller was an efficient passer for the Wolves through 11 games last season, having completed nearly 60 per-

cent (143-of-241) of his passes for 1,794 yards, 22 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

Raw receivers

Of course, he’ll be target-ing inexperienced receivers (not a single starter caught more than five passes in

’09) led by Catelli, Joey Hall and Nick Ramirez.

“We’re clicking real well,” said Rickerson, who was in a 7-on-7 passing league with the group this sum-mer.

“They know what they are doing and I know what they are doing.

“In retrospect, it doesn’t

really matter who’s out there, because they are run-ning the same routes and everything, so it works just like last year.”

Whether the almost com-pletely retooled offensive line can protect Rickerson could be another matter.


Sequim returning quarterback Drew Rickerson gets ready to pass the ball during preseason practice. Rickerson returns for his second year at leading the Wolves.

turn to WolveS/8

“[The receivers] know what they are doing and I know what they are doing. In retrospect, it doesn’t really matter who’s out there, because they are running the same routes and everything, so it works just like last year.”

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“I would say [the line] will be the concern, but they’ve bonded and done well,” said Wiker, a former lineman himself for the University of Idaho. “I think now we can get away with a smaller line and a less experienced line with this offense, too.

“We’re not going to be like three years ago, [when we were] ground-and-pound and in-your-face.

“We’ve always had good lines.

“We’re going to make them a good line.”

One lineman returns

Preston McFarlen is the lone holdover up front.

He will switch from cen-ter to right guard this sea-son, with senior Chris Dahll (260 pounds) and junior Jacob Cooper (245) the big-gest of the bunch at left and right tackle, respectively.

“We lost a lot, but we also have kids that are going to step up and do their job,” McFarlen said.

“Last year, if you think about it, the starting offen-sive line in the Senior Night game played a quarter. This offense we have now played the rest of the game.”

“All our linemen were in [offseason workouts] every single day, our whole start-ing five, working on speed, agility, lifting weights.

“Everybody’s bench, everybody’s squat and power clean, and all jumped at least 50 pounds all the way across the line this summer.”

Wiker said he might spell Rickerson at quarter-back from time to time with Catelli.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound multi-sport Catelli gives Sequim a different look with his ability to throw deep and run over tacklers, using above-average size and strength.

Those attributes also serve him well on defense, where he presents a major problem for opposing left tackles at defensive end.

Wolves: O-line gets retooledContinueD From 7


Sequim linemen jostle for position during a preseason practice earlier this summer. The Wolves must replace four starters on the offensive line.

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Athletic junior Clay Charley will line up on the other end of the Wolves’ 4-4 defense, giving them a for-midable pass rush.

And in Yamamoto, they have a middle linebacker with the ability to go side-line to sideline.

“He understands offenses, reads them, watches film,” Wiker said of Yamamoto.

“He is the best linebacker I’ve ever taught by far.”

The Wolves enter a new era in the 2A/3A Olympic League.

No longer is Sequim one of the bigger kids on the block, with former 3A teams Olympic, North Kitsap and

Port Angeles now in the mix (as well as 3A Bremerton).

Still, Wiker envisions a season much like 2007.

That year Sequim came in inexperienced but man-aged to win a league title before narrowly losing a 2A first-round playoff game at second-ranked Tumwater.

“We could have lost five more games that year, but we happened to win them,” Wiker said, recalling the ’07 team’s numerous nail-biting victories.

“I think it could be a year like that, which within two minutes of playing time could be 5-4, or the other ways around [at 8-3 and league champions].

“We were a bit lucky, but hard work pays off, too.”


Sequim wide receiver Joey Hall catches the ball during a preseason practice earlier this summer.

Wolves: Enter a new league

ContinueD From 8

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Projected Starters

Offense (Spread Gun)

Off. Coordinator: Butch MarxLT — Justin Boland (Sr.) 6-2, 225LG — Zander Krach (Jr.) 5-8, 170C — Zac Olson (Sr.) 6-1, 205*RG — Marko Herr (Sr.) 5-11, 185RT — Justin Powers (Sr.) 5-9, 245WR — Conakry Coggins (Sr.) 5-11, 165WR — Matt Juran (Sr.) 6-3, 180WR — Austin Graham (Jr.) 6-0, 170WR — Robert Ristick (Sr.) 6-2, 170FB — Mel Thorton (So.) 5-10, 165QB — Kyle Kelly (So.) 6-0, 160K — Kody Whipple (Sr.) 5-10, 185

Defense (4-4 Base)

Def. Coordinator: Tom WebsterDE — Matt Juran (Sr.) 6-3, 180*DT — Justin Powers (Sr.) 5-9, 245DT — Justin Boland (Sr.) 6-2, 225DE — Zac Olson (Sr.) 6-1, 205*OLB — Luke Noeldechen (Sr.) 5-10, 170MLB — Marko Herr (Sr.) 5-11, 185MLB — Austin Graham (Jr.) 6-0, 170OLB — Mel Thorton (So.) 5-10, 165CB — Kyle Kelly (So.) 6-0, 160S — Conakry Coggins (Sr.) 5-11, 165CB — Robert Ristick (Sr.) 6-2, 170P — Kyle Kelly (So.) 6-0, 160

Last year: 7-4 (5-2 in Nisqually League)* Returning starter

Redskins expect to build on traditionPT players are youthful but they are determinedBy Matt SchuBertPeninsula Daily news

PORT TOWNSEND — Tom Webster doesn’t like to use the “R” word.

But if there were ever a time to describe a football program as “rebuilding,” it would have to be the 2010 Port Townsend Redskins.

Never mind the fact that Webster took over the team from two-year coach Brian O’Hara during the offsea-son, or that the Redskins were without a junior var-sity or eighth grade program last fall (the latter, actually, for the past two).

The biggest indicator lies where it always does in these sort of circumstances: with a possible 34-man ros-ter as green as the Memorial Field turf in early October.

Still, don’t expect Web-ster to concede anything.

“From year to year things change,” said Webster, the Redskins’ defensive coordi-nator the past four years.

“Our seniors and some of our younger kids that have played in our program are really stepping up. This is their time to shine.”

So few of them got that chance last fall.

The Redskins rode a senior-loaded roster to their second straight winning sea-son under O’Hara.

After winning a three-way playoff against Orting and Vashon Island, Port Townsend reached the pre-liminary state playoffs for the first time since 2005.

Yet all of the key pieces from that team left the pro-gram following its season-ending loss to Meridian.

Port Townsend returns just two starters, one of whom played in just 2½ games before suffering a season-ending injury.

Gone is prolific starting quarterback Eric Thomas, his favorite receivers and all the linemen that allowed the Redskins to average nearly 28 points per game during the regular season.

And gone is everyone — save for Matt Juran — from a defense that caused 44 turnovers and limited teams to 12 points or less in six games last season.

“You graduate kids every year. Everybody graduated kids,” Webster said. “These seniors have been in our program either playing junior varsity or varsity.

“These guys sat behind a group of very talented play-ers last year, and now they are ready to go into prime time.

“They’ve practiced well, they’ve learned and they are ready to go.”

There is some continuity with Webster at the helm.

The longtime assistant has been a fixture in Port

Townsend athletics ever since he arrived on campus in 2006, serving the football, basketball and baseball pro-grams each year.

He hasn’t tinkered all that much with any of the

Redskins’ schemes either. Port Townsend will still

run the same multi-front defense Webster employed last fall. The shotgun spread offense also remains.

So for many of the team’s

returning players, it’s almost business as usual.

dave logan/For Peninsula Daily news

Port Townsend receiver Conakry Coggins catches pass in front of cornerback Kyle Kelly.

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Port TownsendVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 3 at Coupeville 6:30 p.m.Sept. 10 at Charles Wright 7 p.m.Sept. 17 *at Vashon Island 7 p.m.Sept. 24 *Lakeside 7 p.m.Sept. 30 *at Cedar Park 6 p.m.Oct. 8 *at Life Christian 7 p.m.Oct. 15 **Cascade Christian 7 p.m.Oct. 22 *at Orting 7 p.m.Oct. 29 *Chimacum 7 p.m.

*Nisqually League game**Homecoming gameHome games in bold.

Redskins: Offensive line greenContinueD From 10

“Web has coached me ever since I was a freshman in all three sports, so it’s not much of a change at all,” Juran said. “He’s a good head coach.

“I like how he runs prac-tices and stuff. I don’t know what he’s doing, but this year it seems like the team is coming together more.

“Everyone is getting along, more so than in previ-ous years.”

The Redskins will be young at the most critical position in offensive coordi-nator Butch Marx’s spread gun: quarterback.

Sophomore Kyle Kelly takes the reins under center, following in the footsteps of Thomas, who actually started his varsity career as a freshman.

Kelly saw limited action in 2009, attempting just seven passes as a backup.

He’ll surely throw the ball a lot more this season, although he’ll likely be more of a run option than Thomas, a pocket passer who aver-aged 36 pass attempts per game as a senior.

Kelly will have some older, if not experienced,

receivers to throw to, high-lighted by seniors Juran, Robert Ristick and Conakry Coggins.

While that group had just four receptions among it in 2009, it does have a couple of big targets in Juran (6-foot-3) and Ristik (6-2) and a certified burner in Coggins (the Peninsula’s second-fastest 100-yard dash runner last spring).

Fullback Mel Thorton should give the Redskins some speed out of the back-field as well.

Perhaps the biggest ques-tion is whether the team’s overhauled offensive line — lone returner Zac Olson played just 2½ games before injuring his knee — can make it work up front.

“I say that we’re going to be fine,” said Thorton, who will also start at linebacker.

“Even though it’s like a group of young guys, every-one is fighting for spots, so everyone is working really hard.”

Webster said his defense will be just as adaptive as it has been in the past, throw-ing out four-, five- and six-man fronts depending upon the opposing offense.

That might mean a steep

learning curve at first, given that Juran is the lone return-ing player to start more than three games on defense last year.

He actually led the Red-skins in tackles per game last year with 83 in seven regular season games. He had a game-high 11 tackles in the Redskins’ 30-0 victory over Chimacum.

Everything after Juran, however, strictly will be wait and see.

“We have good athletes here,” Olson said. “A lot of the younger guys have been stepping up a lot.

“Kyle Kelly and Mel Thorton, they’ll do really well this year. [Junior] Aus-tin Graham . . . he’s going to have a great season. [Juran] had a great season last year filling in my place.

“So I’m expecting a lot of good plays and some wins out of us.”

The schedule does Port Townsend few favors.

Starting with tonight’s game at Coupeville, the Red-skins will be on the road in each of its first three games.

In fact, the Redskins get only three dates at Memo-rial Field all season, one coming against Quimper

Peninsula rival Chimacum.That’s obviously a diffi-

cult road, especially for a team in Port Townsend’s position.

“A winning record would be a giant success for us,” Thorton said. “It’s so many different new people at so many different, new posi-tions. That’s why I think it would be a success if we got a winning record.

“We have to rebuild our offense and defense.”

There it is, that dreaded “R” word.


Sophomore Kyle Kelly takes over quarterback duties for Port Townsend.

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FORKS — Andrew Peterson sure has a knack for timing.

Entering his second stint as Forks Spartans’ head coach, Peterson ran into many of the same hurdles that awaited him back in 2001.

Just like then, he replaces a winning coach — Terry Jensen in ’01 and Ron Hurn now — with a whole lot of youth and a roster purged of many of its key contributors.

Only this time around, the former NFL lineman had less than two weeks to figure out a plan of how to deal with it.

“It’s not ideal by any means,” said Peterson, who got the job after Hurn resigned in early August because of scheduling issues with his new job. “I’ve been swimming up stream since I found out.”

Forks garnered some momentum after posting back-to-back winning sea-sons in 2008-09 for the first time since Jensen’s depar-ture.

The Spartans reached the state playoffs in 2008, finishing 9-2 overall, then followed that up with a 5-4 showing in ’09.

With seven starters on each side of the ball gradu-ating last spring — includ-ing four of five offensive linemen — 2010 figured to be in for a bit of a rebuilding year.

That appears to be even more the case now given

Forks’ last-second coaching hire, young roster (only six seniors) and imposing schedule that includes a pair of Class 2A opponents (Sequim and Port Angeles) and a strengthened SWL-Evergreen Division.

The latter included the addition of former 2As Elma and Hoquiam, who replace Toledo and Winlock in the

Evergreen.“It is a true rebuilding

situation,” said Peterson, who assisted Hurn the past three seasons. “We’re young, we’re inexperienced and the difficulty of our schedule is extremely difficult.

“I just want us to be able to go in there and compete week in week out. I’m not going to [say] I want this many wins or this many losses. Right now it’s going to be more, ‘How do we come out and respond?’”

So far, the response has been pretty good.

Forks had 49 players out for the first week of camp, including 24 freshmen and 14 sophomores. That’s just one less than last year.

Projected Starters

Offense (Power I)

Off. Coordinator: Andrew PetersonLT — Kieth Deckard (Sr.) 5-9, 215LG — Jalen DePew (Jr.) 6-2, 240*C — Garrid Larson (Jr.) 5-10, 180RG — Cody Parker (Jr.) 5-10, 160RT — Nate Brock (So.) 6-0, 195TE — Frank Noles (Sr.) 5-11, 170WR — Alexis Ayala (Jr.) 5-9, 155*WR — Jonah Penn (Jr.) 5-10, 155FB — Cameron Leons (Jr.) 5-10, 170RB — Luke Brown (Sr.) 5-11, 175*QB — Brian Santman (Sr.) 6-0, 175*K — Alexis Ayala (Jr.) 5-9, 155*

Defense (3-5 Base)

Def. Coordinator: Mike MarshallDE — Jalen DePew (Jr.) 6-2, 240DE — Nate Brock (So.) 6-0, 195NT — Cody Parker (Jr.) 5-10, 160OLB — Frank Noles (Sr.) 5-11, 170*ILB — Cameron Leons (Jr.) 5-10, 170MLB — Garrid Larson (Jr.) 5-10, 180ILB — Martin Contreras (Sr.) 5-8, 155OLB — Luke Brown (Sr.) 5-11, 175*CB — Tyler Penn (Jr.) 5-10, 155S — Alexis Ayala (Jr.) 5-9, 155*CB — Brian Santman (Sr.) 6-0, 175*P — Brady Castellano (Jr.) 6-3, 185*Last year: 5-4 overall (4-3 in SWL Evergreen)

* Returning starter

Youthful Spartans look to competeCoaching change at last minute doesn’t help Forks

lonnie archiBald/For Peninsula Daily news

New Forks coach Andrew Peterson demonstrates moves for his players during preseason practice.

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ForksVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 3 Sequim 7 p.m.Sept. 10 at Port Angeles 7 p.m.Sept. 17 *at Hoquiam 7 p.m.Sept. 24 *Rochester 7 p.m.Oct. 1 *Onalaska 7 p.m.Oct. 8 *at Montesano 7 p.m.Oct. 15 **Rainier 7 p.m.Oct. 22 *at Tenino 7 p.m.Oct. 29 *Elma 7 p.m.

* SWL Evergreen Division game**Homecoming gameHome games in bold.

A renewed focus on con-ditioning at camp also sent a message about exactly what Peterson expects out of them.

“We have high expecta-tions, and we expect [the players] to respond to that,” Peterson said. “If they do, they do, and if they don’t, they’re not going to be on the field.

“I’m a no-nonsense type of coach and that’s my phi-losophy, and one thing we will be is, we’ll hopefully, be tough.”

While the Spartans are dealing with numerous losses, none are quite as major as Peterson’s first go-around on the West End.

That team lost an All-State running back (WSU scholarship athlete Pat Ben-nett) and 16 other seniors, then finished 2-7.

Peterson resigned after losing his high school teach-ing job that year, and Forks went through four more coaches before coming back to him this summer.

Now, Peterson at least has the luxury of several skill position players com-ing back into the fold.

On offense, that includes an experienced quarterback in second-year starter Brian

Santman, and last year’s leading rusher in tailback Luke Brown.

Wide receiver Alexis Ayala and fullback Cam-eron Leons also have signifi-cant varsity experience.

The biggest holes to fill, quite literally, are on the offensive line.

That unit lost four of five starters, with big left guard Jalen DePew (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) the only player coming back with any expe-rience whatsoever.

“With how young our offensive line is, we’ll see if we can manhandle people,” said Peterson, whose line includes three juniors and one sophomore.

Luckily, that happens to be Peterson’s specialty as a former offensive lineman with the University of Wash-

ington and NFL Carolina Panthers for one season.

Although, Peterson’s knowledge isn’t exactly lim-ited to trenches, according to Santman.

“He knows exactly what he’s talking about on every position, not just the line,” Santman said. “He knows quarterback and wide receiver. . . he knows what he’s talking about.

“With the younger play-ers [Peterson’s NFL experi-ence] is kind of a bigger deal. When you’re older, it’s not so much that he was in the NFL, it’s that he has all of the knowledge that comes with it.”

Peterson doesn’t plan to make too many changes to the Power I formation offense that Hurn ran the past three seasons.

The run-centric attack has been Forks’ way even since Jensen took over the program in the mid-1980s.

Opponents should expect a full dose of the run game with Brown, Forks’ leading rusher last fall with 538 yards and eight touchdowns in seven games.

It’s the defensive side of the ball that will see the big-gest changes this fall.

Defensive coordinator Mike Marshall will line up his unit in a 3-5 base align-ment, a switch from the 4-4 the team has run for years.

The switch was made to

utilize what Peterson sees as a glut of multi-faceted athletes able to make plays in the run game and drop back into coverage.

Among the linebackers expected to make plays are Brown, Leons and senior Frank Noles.

“That’s where our per-sonnel is,” Peterson said. “I’ve got one defensive line-man that’s got starting experience, and the rest of them are so untested, but I’ve got a lot of skilled guys.

“It’s just the best person-nel decision for us that we have, for now and for lon-

gevity.”Noles, for one, is a

believer in the system.“I feel like the defense is

going to score a lot of points for us this year,” he said. “We have a lot of aggressive players on our team.

“Cameron Leons isn’t afraid to come up and hit. Luke Brown isn’t afraid to come up and hit.”

Hitting has always been a Forks trademark, dating back to Jensen.

The winning tradition he started, however, didn’t return until Hurn (18-12 overall) took over.

Spartans: Rebuilding year for young ForksContinueD From 12


The Forks Spartans participate in kickoff drills during preseason practice.

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CHIMACUM — The Chimacum Cowboys won’t sneak up on anyone this fall.

As the rest of the Nisqually League found out in year one of the Shawn Meacham era, these Cow-boys can hit more than just baseballs.

After posting the pro-gram’s first .500 season in more than a decade last fall, Chimacum took the first step toward shedding its reputation as strictly a base-ball school.

With several key ele-ments back from last year’s team, it’s time to go one fur-ther, senior captain Devin Manix said.

“I played on that [2008] team when we were 1-9 and not very good,” said Manix, last year’s leading rusher with 469 yards and six touchdowns. “Coming from that to just a totally differ-ent program where we went 5-5, it’s only a start.

“We were the redeem team last year. We brought a little bit of redemption, but it’s not over. All that tells me is we’ve got to keep working. We can’t just let that be enough.”

Of course, that was more than enough in 2009.

After posting a 5-25 record from 2006-08, the Cowboys had lost all the momentum from their Class 1A state playoff appearance in 2005 (a 5-6 season).

Being able to simply be competitive last fall made Meacham’s first year a rous-ing success.

Now the ex-Chimacum Middle School coach has his team practicing with Baden leather footballs, the same ones used at state. And

that’s not a coincidence.“That’s the ball we’re

using exclusively just as a reminder that that’s the goal this year,” said Mea-cham, whose team finished fifth in the Nisqually.

“We’ve got an atmosphere where we’re trying to bring the best out of the kids dur-ing practice.

“They know what it takes to win, and we’re seeing it out here [at practice]. They are working hard and they are practicing hard. The attitude is really good, and there’s a lot of positive lead-ership.”

Chimacum brings back 13 seniors on its 32-man roster.

Almost all those seniors return with a year of start-

ing experience under Mea-cham, who coached many of the same athletes at the middle school.

Thus, all of the schemes introduced to the Cowboys’ playbook last fall are noth-ing new.

“I was reading an article about [second-year UW foot-ball coach] Steve Sarkisian, who thought his team was light years away from where they were last year. I really reflected upon that,” Mea-cham said.

“We aren’t doing as much teaching this year as we were last year. We are more into the refine mode and adding to what we want to do based on our experience last year.

“We kind of understand how certain teams attack our offense, and so now we’re adding more things to counteract that.

“Hopefully, a little change in scheme this year and kids understanding the con-cepts a lot better than they did at this point last year should translate into some better play.”

Veteran quarterback

Among the returning starters is senior quarter-back Mason Moug.

Given the freedom to throw more in Meacham’s flexbone veer offense last fall, the 6-foot-3 signal caller completed 65-of-128 passes

for 798 yards and four touchdowns.

Moug will likely get the chance to air it out even more this season. Meacham even hinted at employing a shotgun spread attack on occasion.

“I feel like we’ve got a good grasp on what we need to run, what we need to do to be successful, really,” Moug said.

“Last year was kind of more just getting into the new offense with the new coaches. This year we know what to expect. Hopefully, [we’ll] spread the ball around and get it moving.”

Senior wide receivers Derek Toepper and Dylan Brown-Bishop, both 6-foot-

1, give Moug a pair of big targets to throw to.

He’ll also have some experienced runners in junior Austin McConnell, last year’s second-leading rusher with 415 yards on 66 carries, and Manix.

The big question mark will be whether the Cow-boys’ green offensive line can make it all work.

Only two starters from last year return up front.

Although, one of those returners happens to be sophomore Daryl Settlemire, a 215-pound weight-room warrior who Meacham said has the potential to play at the next level.

Projected Starters

Offense (Flexbone veer)

Off. Coordinator: Shawn MeachamLT — Daryl Settlemire (So.) 6-0, 215*LG — Seth Ham (So.) 6-0, 210C — Jordan Cossell (Sr.) 5-10, 180RG — Joe Modispacher (Jr.) 6-0, 240*RT — Boone Garten (Sr.) 6-0, 260WR — Derek Toepper (Sr.) 6-1, 180*WR — Dylan Brown-Bishop (Sr.) 6-1, 190QB — Mason Moug (Sr.) 6-3, 180*RB — Devin Manix (Sr.) 6-1, 190*RB — Austin McConnell (Fr.) 6-0, 200*FB — Daryn Settlemire (Sr.) 5-10, 190K — Dylan Brown-Bishop (Sr.) 6-1, 190*

Defense (4-4 Base)

Def. Coordinator: Dan DankertDE — Austin Johnson (Sr.) 6-2, 200DT — Austen Maples (Jr.) 6-0, 250DT — Joe Modispacher (Jr.) 6-0, 240*DE — Boone Garten (Sr.) 6-0, 260OLB — Devin Manix (Sr.) 6-1, 190*MLB — Daryl Settlemire (So.) 6-0, 215*MLB — Daryn Settlemire (Sr.) 5-10, 190*OLB — Austin McConnell (Jr.) 6-0, 200*CB — Derek Toepper (Sr.) 6-1, 180*S — Dylan Brown-Bishop (Sr.) 6-1, 190*CB — Mason Moug (Sr.) 6-3, 180P — Dylan Brown-Bishop (Sr.) 6-1, 190*

Last year: 5-5 (3-4 in Nisqually League)* Returning starter

Cowboys ready for another step upVeteran QB, talented lineman lead Chimacum


Returning quarterback Mason Moug expects to help lead the Chimacum Cowboys back to the playoffs this season.

turn to coWBoyS/15


ChimacumVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 3 at Kingston 7 p.m.Sept. 9 Klahowya 7 p.m.Sept. 18 *at Cascade Christian 7 p.m.Sept. 24 *at Orting 7 p.m.Oct. 1 *Life Christian 7 p.m.Oct. 8 Vashon Island 7 p.m.Oct. 15 *at Charles Wright 7 p.m.Oct. 22 *Cedar Park 7 p.m.Oct. 29 *at Port Townsend 7 p.m.

* Nisqually League gameHome games in bold.

“It’s ridiculous to think that he’s just a sophomore,” Moug said. “He was just liv-ing in the weight room [this summer]. Every time I was in there he was just in there for hours.”

Added Toepper, “He’s just a beast. We’re doing line-backer drills and he’s kill-ing kids, like 18-year-olds. He’s just destroying them.”

That’s good news for the Cowboys defense, since Set-tlemire figures to be a key contributor at middle line-backer. He will make the switch to that position from the defensive line.

His brother, senior Daryn Settlemire, will line up at

the other middle linebacker position after playing safety last fall, while Manix and McConnell will take the outside linebacker spots.

Those three were the Cowboys’ second-, third- and fourth-leading tacklers in defensive coordinator Dan Dankert’s scheme last year.

Toepper (cornerback) and Brown-Bishop (safety) give Dankert some experi-ence and athleticism in the secondary as well.

But outside of junior defensive tackle Joe Modis-pacher, the entire defensive line is new.

“Defensively, we’re going to have some kids in new positions this year, and they

are going to have to step up,” Meacham said. “They certainly like to hit, so I’m not worried about that.

“It’s just whether or not they understand how to play the position.”

The Cowboys will cer-tainly be tested early.

They open the season with a pair of Class 2A teams — at Kingston tonight and at home against Klahowya on Sept. 9 — in their nonleague schedule.

After that are games at traditional Nisqually League powers Cascade Christian and Orting.

“After the first game peo-ple are going to see that we mean business,” Toepper said, “that we’re going to go

out there and kick some butt.”


Chimacum players participate in wind drills during preseason practice.

Cowboys: Ready for next stepContinueD From 14

“Defensively, we’re going to have some kids in new positions this year, and they are going to have to step up. They certainly like to hit, so I’m not worried about that. It’s just whether or not they understand how to play the position.”

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By Brad laBriePeninsula Daily news

NEAH BAY — Those Neah Bay Red Devils just can’t be kept down.

Despite losing eight seniors to graduation, the defending North Olympic League champions are reloading for the new North-west Football League.

“I think we’re going to be OK,” coach Tony McCaulley said in his normal under-stated way.

Starting his third year as the Neah Bay coach, McCaulley — a Clallam Bay graduate — hopes to add more victories to his outstanding 20-5 two-year record.

The other three B-8 North Olympic Peninsula coaches are picking the Red Devils to be one of the teams to beat in league along with traditional state power Lummi.

One of the reasons why McCaulley feels confident is that he has his entire back-field back.

That includes two all-North Olympic League and All-Peninsula players, junior running back Titus Pascua and senior quarter-back Drexler Doherty, who received his postseason honors as a defensive back.

Standout senior running back Evan Bowechop, who received all-league honors, also returns.

Not a bad trio to have in the backfield even though Doherty, who McCaulley says is one of the top quar-terbacks in league, might be moved to a starting receiver spot.

“Drexler has so many skills that we are just try-ing to find the best place to get the most out of him,” McCaulley said.

“We’re not sure about the quarterback spot right

now,” McCaulley said. “We’re trying to work a freshman into the quarterback posi-tion.”

Greene to step up

That freshman would be Dane Greene, who played backup quarterback and tailback as an eighth

grader.Greene threw a touch-

down pass in the Tacoma Dome during the state play-offs, McCaulley said.

“Dane has good speed but he’s pretty raw as a freshman,” the coach added.

Neah Bay reloads with youth


Neah Bay receiver Drexler Doherty (22) finds a hole during scrimmage. Cody Cummings in on defense.

Doherty leads talented and veteran group

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Neah BayVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent TimeSept. 3 at Lummi 7:30 p.m.Sept. 11 *at Evergreen Lutheran 1 p.m.Sept. 17 *Crescent 7 p.m.Sept. 24 *at Muckleshoot 7 p.m.Oct. 8 *Lopez 7 p.m.Oct. 15 *at Highland Christian 7 p.m.Oct. 23 *at Quilcene 1 p.m.Oct. 29 *Lummi 7 p.m.Nov. 5 *Clallam Bay 7 p.m.

* Northwest Football League gameHome games in bold.

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JOYCE — The Crescent Loggers lost nine seniors from last year’s B-8 football playoff team.

They have one senior and one junior returning. The senior has only one year of experience and the junior is coming off major knee surgery.

Half the team are new-comers and they’re all small physically. Only 15 players were practicing the first two weeks of workouts.

Easy pickings for the rest of the new Northwest Football League, right?

Wrong.“We fully expect to make

the playoffs,” fifth-year coach Tim Rooney said.

“Every year that we field a team we expect to make the playoffs. If we don’t make the playoffs, we will be disappointed.”

These Loggers are reloading.

“We don’t rebuild,” Rooney said.

A good reason for the confidence is third-year starting quarterback Joey Barnes, who is only a sopho-more.

“Joey is like having another coach on the field,” Rooney said. “We think alike.”

Overall, like all the other North Olympic Peninsula B teams, numbers are down for the Loggers.

The past two years Cres-cent has been averaging 20 to 25 players.

But the lower numbers and the lack of seniors, again a problem all area B teams have this season, don’t make Rooney worry.

“We have a really good group of kids,” he said.

“They have really good attitudes, they are working really hard and they are eager to learn. It makes practice nice.”

Because the team is so young, Rooney and his coaches are feeding them a lot of fundamentals.

Eight players return from last year while seven are newcomers.

More players

Rooney is expecting to pick up three or four more players once school starts, including a couple of for-eign-exchange students.

The lone returning senior is second-year player Andrew Trerise, a tight end and tackle on offense and a defensive end on the other side of the ball.

The only returning junior is third-year athlete Austen Hutto, a running back and linebacker who is coming off major knee surgery.

“We will find out in a couple of weeks whether he

can go or not,” Rooney said.The backbone of this

team, though, is the large sophomore class, which is led by Barnes, who has taken the Loggers to the playoffs for the past two years.

This is a team that will have to be reckoned with for the next three years.

“This should be an inter-esting year, an exciting year,” Rooney said.

“The kids have big hearts and they are competitive.”

Other sophomores to watch are running back and linebacker Eric Larson and tight end, running back, backup quarterback and “probably linebacker” Beau Bamer.

Again, according to Rooney, the whole focus of Crescent is making the playoffs.

“Just because we’re down in numbers doesn’t mean we can’t compete with the other teams,” he said.

“Our new kids are up for the challenge.”

A plus is that this is one of the hardest-hitting teams that Rooney has coached.

“The kids are hard-nosed players,” he said. “They’re not afraid to hit. It will be interesting to get out there and smack some heads.”

Quickness should over-come a lack of team size.

“We definitely have team speed,” Rooney said.

It’s playoffs or bust for young CrescentLoggers always aim for the top of conference


Joey Barnes leads the Crescent Loggers during drills. Barnes is beginning his third year as the starting quarterback even though he is only a sophomore.

turn to loggerS/20

Achievement and success

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Daily news

CrescentVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 11 Clallam Bay 1 p.m.Sept. 17 *at Neah Bay 7 p.m.Sept. 25 *Lummi 2 p.m.Oct. 2 *Highland Christian 1 p.m.Oct. 8 at Easton 7 p.m.Oct. 23 *Evergreen Lutheran 1 p.m.Oct. 29 *at Muckleshoot 7 p.m.Nov. 6 *at Quilcene 1 p.m.




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CLALLAM BAY — It can only get better for the Clallam Bay Bruins.

Once a dominant pres-ence in B-8 football on the North Olympic Peninsula, the Bruins have fallen on hard times with only one win in the past two years because of low numbers.

That could change soon as another Ritter steps up to turn things around.

First-year coach Cal Rit-ter, the nephew of iconic longtime Clallam Bay ath-letic director and football coach Andy Ritter, already is seeing better numbers for 2010.

Currently there are 16 to 17 players out, which is similar to the other B pro-grams on the Peninsula.

“That’s quite a jump on the numbers we have had the past two years,” Cal Rit-ter said.

“We have quite a few kids right now.”

Ritter, though, knows it will take a couple of years for the Bruins to get where they want to be.

With only one senior on the team, and another who may join the squad later, the youthful Bruins proba-bly will take a few lumps from the more established programs this year.

On the other hand, Rit-ter feels good about his players, and there’s always the possibility they can sur-prise someone.

“We’re hoping to get the program back,” he said. “We’re building right now, and we hope to keep these young guys interested in the years to come.”

Ritter already is sur-prised how quickly his team

is jelling despite having no real senior leadership.

“They’re working well together,” he said. “They are pretty darn positive and they are encouraging each other.”

It also helps that Ritter, who played for his uncle at Clallam Bay and graduated in 1992, has his sidekick to help, Moose Parker.

Parker has been an assistant coach in the Bru-ins’ football program for the past 20 years, and he has helped Cal Ritter coach youth football, basketball and baseball teams.

“He’s real knowledgeable and my go-to guy,” Ritter said about Parker.

“He’s also very good with the kids. We help each other out right now. We’re a pretty good combination. We work well together.”

Clallam Bay is domi-nated by youth with seven combined eighth graders and freshmen but only five combined in the sophomore, junior and senior classes.

Ritter hopes to pick up at least a couple of more players when school starts.

He especially hopes to pick up senior running back Luke Wonderly, who has a couple of years experience but was on vacation during the first week of practice.

The Ritter tradition con-tinues as two young Ritters will be starters on the var

sity team.Sophomore Austin Rit-

ter, Cal’s nephew, will start at quarterback while Cal’s son, freshman Calvin Rit-ter, will start at center.

Clallam Bay rebuilding team

lonnie archiBald (2)/For Peninsula Daily news

First-year Clallam Bay coach Cal Ritter gives pointers to his team during preseason practice.

Young Bruins learning ropes in tough league

turn to BruinS/20

Clallam BayVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 11 *at Crescent 1 p.m.Sept. 17 Bye Sept. 24 Bye Oct. 1 *at Lummi 7 p.m.Oct. 8 *Highland Christian 7 p.m.Oct. 16 *at Evergreen Lutheran 1 p.m.Oct. 22 *Muckleshoot 7 p.m.Oct. 29 *Quilcene 7 p.m.Nov. 5 *at Neah Bay 7 p.m.


Clallam Bay quarterback Austin Ritter looks to pass while running back Matt Moore offers protection.

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Quilcene head coach Alan Reimann conducts a cutting drill at a preseason camp.


QUILCENE — A year playing junior varsity ball could have been a blessing in disguise for the Quilcene Rangers.

Struggling with partici-pation numbers, the Rang-ers went 4-3 last season playing JV only as a B-11 program.

They dropped down to B-8 this year and are hop-ing to get their swagger back by playing varsity games that count in the new Northwest Football League.

They could become a fac-tor sooner rather than later

with improved numbers, three-sport standout Bran-don Bancroft as the quar-terback, some experienced players and several talented younger players.

“We are cautiously opti-mistic,” third-year coach Alan Reimann said.

“We’re definitely opti-mistic but we know we have a long way to go.”

Quilcene will be working a lot on fundamentals in preseason practice in order to build a good foundation for the season ahead, Rei-mann said.

Reimann knows the Rangers will need those fundamentals when they face the solid programs in the Northwest Football League.

The new eight-team league will include Quil-cene’s old North Olympic Peninsula rivals Neah Bay, Clallam Bay and Crescent as well as Evergreen

Lutheran, Muckleshoot, Lummi and Highland Christian.

Lopez was supposed to be a member of the league but opted out about a week into the preseason.

The Rangers lost about eight seniors from last year’s team but Reimann feels good about the return-ing players.

“We’re going to be OK,” he said. “We’re going to eight-man football and we have some really good seniors coming back.

“I feel good about the tal-ent and experience we have.”

Reimann expects to have between 18 to 22 players this season, and 15 are back from last year.

“We actually have four to five seniors and they are great, great leaders.

“They mean a whole lot for our team. We’re leaning on these guys to show the

young guys the correct way to do things.”

That senior leadership and experience starts with Bancroft, the quarterback who also plays basketball and baseball.

This will be his third year on the varsity after playing as a freshman but missing his sophomore sea-son.

Bancroft also plays safety on defense.

Other top players com-ing back are Jake Murray, a three-year starter who plays center and defensive end; and three-year starter C.J. Schreier, a running back and linebacker.

Schreier is part of a potent backfield that includes sophomore Edgar Perez, who was putting up big yardage numbers last year before he broke an ankle in the third game.

Rangers are on way backNumbers are up as team drops to B-8

turn to rangerS/20

QuilceneVarsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 10 *at Highland Christian 7 p.m.Sept. 18 *Evergreen Lutheran 1 p.m.Oct. 2 Bye Oct. 15 *at Lummi 7 p.m.Oct. 23 *Neah Bay 1 p.m.Oct. 29 *at Clallam Bay 7 p.m.Nov. 6 *Crescent 1 p.m.


Phone the sports desk at 360-417-3525 (in-

clude your phone num-ber in case we need to get more info) or e-mail:

sports@peninsula dailynews.com


Got sports news or a score?

“We’re going to be OK. We’re going to eight-man football and we have some really good seniors coming back. I feel good about the talent and experience we have.”

alaN reimaNNQuilcene head coach

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Good Luck, Rangers!Family Restaurant/Lounge


Doherty, meanwhile, will be doing lots of things for the Red Devils on the offen-sive side of the ball.

“He can throw the ball really well, he runs well and he also can catch the ball really well,” McCaulley said.

If Greene works out at quarterback, that will give Neah Bay an added receiv-ing threat with Doherty.

The Red Devils will be solid in the line again with returning linemen Tyler McCaulley, Tony’s son, and Zeke Greene, a freshman who also will play defensive end.

Seventeen players are out for Neah Bay football, and only three of them haven’t played for McCaul-ley before.

“We have a good mix of seniors and younger play-ers,” he said.

Five starters are back including Drexler, Bowechop, Pascua, Tyler McCaulley and Zeke Greene. Greene was a starter on defense only.

Right now the Red Dev-ils are down in participa-tion after having numbers in the upper 20s the past two years.

“Losing that big senior class [eight players] really hurts,” McCaulley said. “We lost eight but only gained three.”

The coach is hoping to pick up three or four more players once school starts.

McCaulley is picking Lummi and Crescent as the teams to beat in league.

“Lummi always is a real battle and Crescent always

seems to reload with some-thing,” McCaulley said.

“I don’t know about the other teams in the new league. Right now I don’t know what will happen.”

Northwest Football League will be made up of

North Olympic Peninsula teams Neah Bay, Clallam Bay, Crescent and Quil-cene.

Other teams include Muckleshoot, Evergreen Lutheran, Lummi and Highland Christian.

Lopez was supposed to be part of that mix but can-celled its season during the first week of practice.

The Red Devils open the season Sept. 3 at power-house Lummi.

“That will be a good test for us right away,” McCaul-ley said.

Red Devils: A veteran groupContinueD From 16


Neah Bay head coach Tony McCaulley directs his players during practice.

The coach is picking Neah Bay and Lummi as the teams to beat in the Northwest Football League.

“We expect to compete

with those teams but they do have the track record,” Rooney said.

Crescent opens the sea-son at home against long-time rival Clallam Bay on Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.

Loggers: YouthContinueD From 17

Freshman Matt Mohr will play running back while the lone current senior on the team, John Teachout, is a running back who transferred from Forks.

Junior Cody Pollitte will

play receiver and defensive end. Pollitte played two years ago as freshman, missed his sophomore sea-son but is back as an upper-classman.

Like most B teams, Clal-lam Bay does not feature good size but does have good

speed.Right now the Bruins

just want to get competitive again.

“We will do our best,” Ritter said. “We preach team work. It will take a couple of years to build.”

Ritter is picking Neah

Bay, Lummi and Crescent as the teams to beat.

“Lummi and Neah Bay are always tough and Cres-cent has good coaching,” he said.

The Bruins open the 2010 season at Crescent in Joyce on Sept. 11.

Bruins: Rebuilding from groundContinueD From 18

“Edgar had some huge numbers,” Reimann said. “He was doing good.”

Both Perez and Schreier have similar running styles. They are about 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds each, and they are both quick.

“They’re both really fast, shifty runners,” Reimann said. “They have good field vision.”

The two runners are just part of the quickness on the team.

“We have good speed in the skill positions,” Rei-mann said.

One of those speedy play-ers is sophomore Kolby Schreier, C.J.’s younger brother.

The brothers make quite the pair. At a football camp this summer, C.J. was named the top running back of the camp and Kolby was chosen as the top receiver.

“Kolby is extremely quick,” Reimann said. “He also has great hands and he runs great routes.”

“The two brothers set the tone for work ethic.”

The Rangers also have a solid offensive line thanks to the work of line coach Joe Whitsett, who is the girls basketball head coach in the winter.

“We’re not big on the line but our technique is really sound, thanks to Joe’s coaching,” Reimann said.

“That’s a plus for us.”That said, the coaching

staff is a little unsure at this point who will be on the line because two linemen’s families are moving and

they’re not sure if they will continue to live in the school district after their moves.

Suarez anchors line

Anchoring the line is senior Fuastino Suarez, who has been on the team two years. He did not play as a freshman.

Suarez is only 5-8, short for a lineman, but he weighs in at 240 pounds.

“He is very strong and very quick,” Reimann said.

The Rangers are going into the 2010 season excited because they know all of the games will count and they have a shot at the playoffs.

“Last year our goal was just to have a winning record,” Reimann said.

“The kids have a lot more to play for this year and our goals reflect that.”

Reimann didn’t want to say what this year’s goals are.

This season Reimann is expecting Neah Bay, Lummi and Crescent to give the Rangers their biggest chal-lenges.

“Neah Bay has been very solid and Lummi always is solid in eight-man,” Rei-mann said.

“Crescent has been good the last couple of years. These teams are the stan-dard where we want to be.”

Quilcene opens the sea-son in a nonleague game against Highland Christian in Arlington on Sept. 10.

The Rangers’ first home game is Sept. 18 against Evergreen Lutheran at 1 p.m.

Rangers: FastContinueD From 19

“Lummi always is a real battle and Crescent always seems to reload with something. I don’t know about the other teams in the new league. Right now I don’t know what will happen.”

toNy mCCaulleyNeah Bay coach on top teams in league


Sequim, Neah Bay to battle for titles


Here’s some predictions for each of the leagues North Olympic Peninsula high school football teams com-pete in this fall:

3A/2A Olympic League

1. North Kitsap (2A) — The Vikings had 90 athletes turn out this season. Few are better than transfer and for-mer Port Townsend Redskin Zane Minder (RB/LB).

2. Sequim (2A) — The Wolves lost a lot up front, but no program on the Peninsula has won more consistently than Erik Wiker’s (53-14 in six years).

3. Kingston (2A) — For-mer Riders head coach Dan Novick will face his old team for the first time when the Buccaneers host Port Ange-les on Sept. 24. Novick’s Bucs have won two games in three seasons.

4. Bremerton (3A) — The Knights have a big back in 215-pound Kyle Kennedy, and four seniors blocking for him. That should be enough to produce the Knights’ sec-ond winning season since 1993.

5. Port Angeles (2A) — First-year coach Tom Wahl brings back the spread offense in an attempt to end a 12-game losing streak and a three-year playoff drought.

6. North Mason (2A) — The Bulldogs lost All-State left tackle John Fullington but bring back speed and skill, highlighted by 6-foot-2, 195-pound burner Tevin Wil-liams at RB and CB.

7. Olympic (2A) — The Trojans go to the spread offense after losing All-State running back Larry Dixon . . . and 27 other seniors.

8. Klahowya (2A) - The Eagles will run the spread option after a dreadful ’09 campaign that saw them lose by an average margin of 48-7.

1A Nisqually League

1. Cascade Christian — The Cougars return tal-ented quarterback Kyle Stennes and leading rusher Tyler Walrath from last year’s 1A runner-up team.

2. Orting — All the key players from the Cardinals’ second-place squad are going, but Orting reloads as good as any in the Nisqually.

3. Vashon Island — The once-wayward Pirates (2-38 from 2004-07) have qualified for the postseason two years in a row.

4. Chimacum — If Year One of the Shawn Meacham era was about redemption, this one is about making the playoffs.

5. Cedar Park Chris-tian — It was feast (26.5 point differential in wins) or famine (38.7 in losses) for the 4-6 Eagles last year.

6. Charles Wright — The Tarriers will need a new quarterback to lead their quirky A-11 offense with the departure of Brandon White.

7. Port Townsend — The Redskins put together back-to-back winning sea-sons the past two seasons but lost just about every major contributor that helped them do that.

8. Life Christian — Last season’s 0-10 campaign was

a hard fall for a program that averaged eight wins in its previous five seasons. The Eagles will now co-opt a team with Seattle Christian.

1A SWL Evergreen Division

1. Montesano — This is the Bulldogs’ league until someone else takes it. They have won 26 straight league games under former Forks coach Terry Jensen.

2. Elma — Getting beat up in the loaded 2A Ever-green League for four years (10-29) humbled one of Southwest Washington’s more consistent winners since the mid-1990s.

3. Onalaska — All-everything quarterback Dal-ton Ritchey is back for the Loggers, who are trying to make the 1A playoffs for the second year in a row.

4. Rochester — The Warriors were 3-6 last year but finished the season out strong with three wins in their last four games.

5. Hoquiam — The Griz-zlies drop down to 1A but lose many key athletes from a team that finished 4-5 and tied for fourth in the 2A Evergreen.

6. Forks — The Spar-tans have some experience at the skill positions. If their offensive line holds up, this ranking might be a little low.

7. Rainier — The Moun-taineers have some real climbing to do after finishing sixth in the Evergreen last year.

8. Tenino — The Bea-

vers are 2-16 since reaching the state playoffs in 2007. They were 0-9 in ’09.

Northwest Football League (8-man)1. Neah Bay — The

Pacific Coast League cham-pions return their leading rusher (Titus Pascua) and passer (Drexler Doherty) after falling one game short of the 1B title game.

2. Lummi — Jim San-dusky’s Blackhawks have reached the 1B champion-ship twice in the last five years.

3. Quilcene — A move down to eight-man football could be just what the doctor ordered for a program that had to field a junior varsity team only last year.

4. Crescent — The Log-gers have reached the post-season each of the last two years. Even with several faces gone, they could make it three.

5. Evergreen Lutheran — The former 2B school drops to 8-man after failing to win more than one game the last two seasons.

3. Highland Christian — The Knights are still look-ing for their first winning season since the school’s name change in 2007.

7. Clallam Bay — The Bruins are still rebuilding after an winless campaign in 2009.

8. Muckleshoot — Rebuilding? How about “constructing.” This is the first year Muckleshoot fields a football team.

PA, Rangers, Cowboys will be improved in ’10

League Predictions


Crescent fifth-year coach Tim Rooney talks to his team during a preseason practice. The Loggers expect to challenge for a playoff spot in the Northwest Football League.

Olympic League: Top four 2A teams qualify for 2A state preliminary playoff crossover games against Seamount and SPSL teams.

Nisqually League: Champion receives an automatic 1A state berth. Second through fourth place qualify for state preliminary cross-over game against Northwest Dis-trict.

SWL Evergreen Division: Cham-pion gets automatic 1A state berth and plays Trico champion for seed-ing. Evergreen second and third place teams played Trico second and third place teams in loser-out, winner-to-state games.

Northwest Football League: Top four qualify for state preliminary playoffs.

League playoff qualifications


By John MarShallthe assoCiateD Press

PHOENIX — The Pac-10’s football coaches went on a look-at-us road show to the East Coast in July, hit-ting Times Square, ringing the opening bell at NAS-DAQ and visiting ESPN’s headquarters before land-ing back on the floor of the Rose Bowl for a media meet and greet.

Now it’s time to see if their teams can live up to the hype.

In what may be its final official year as the Pac-10 — next year’s addition of Utah and likely Colorado, too, will make 12 teams — the conference is as deep and talented as it’s been for quite some time.

There may not be a legit-imate national-title con-tender and Southern Cali-fornia has a two-year bowl ban because of the Reggie Bush fiasco, but the Pac-10 has eight or nine teams that can contend for the confer-ence title.

“There is a lot of parity in this conference, there is no doubt about it,” California coach Jeff Tedford said.

“Last year we had five teams with the same record. Very difficult to go through this conference unscathed. Very competitive. There is firepower on offense and a lot of great defenses.”

Oregon is the favorite, by a slight margin.

The Ducks are the defending conference cham-pions after going 8-1 — 10-3 overall — and are coming off their first Rose Bowl since 1994.

Oregon is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, has a no-huddle offense

that makes defenders’ heads spin and is chock-full of con-fidence after knocking USC off the conference throne for the first time since 2001.

Still, it wasn’t a quiet offseason for the Ducks.

The big blow was the loss of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, who was dismissed from the team after a second run-in with the law.

That leaves senior Nate Costa and sophomore Dar-ron Thomas in a battle that will likely last until just before the season starts.

Running back LaMichael James, who set the Pac-10 freshman record with 1,546 yards rushing last season, was suspended for the sea-son opener against New Mexico after an altercation with his ex-girlfriend that led to a guilty plea on a harassment charge.

Two other players were dismissed from the team and two more were sus-pended for brushes with the law.

“We’re just moving for-ward, looking at a new sea-son,” defensive tackle Bran-don Bair said. “It’s just like we graduated the guys that are gone.”

USC made the Ducks’ offseason seem manage-able.

The Trojans, coming off a lackluster 5-4 conference season, were rocked by the loss of coach Pete Carroll, who left for the Seattle Sea-hawks, then were hit with heavy sanctions that included a two-year bowl ban after the NCAA ruled Bush and basketball player O.J. Mayo received improper benefits.

The sanctions allowed players to transfer without having to take a year off and many did leave, leaving new coach Lane Kiffin with just

70 scholarship players — 15 below the NCAA’s limit — at the start of training camp.

“The only way we’re going to be able to express ourselves is to win 13 games,” tailback Allen Brad-ford said.

“We know it’s going to be difficult this year.”

Following is capsules of the teams:

Oregon DucksKey players: QBs Nate

Costa and Derron Thomas, RB LaMichael James, DE Kenny Rowe, MLB Casey Matthews. Returning start-ers: 9 offense, 8 defense.

Notes: Costa was slated to start two seasons ago before an injury and Thomas has drawn some compari-sons to former Ducks QB Dennis Dixon, so the loss of Masoli might not slow Ore-gon’s potent offense much at all.

Had nine games of more than 200 yards rushing last season including 391 vs. USC.

Offensive line returns intact.

Rowe had 11½ sacks last season.

USC TrojansKey players: QB Matt

Barkley, WR Ronald John-son, DT Jurrell Casey, MLB Chris Galippo. Returning starters: 5 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: Coach Lane Kif-fin draws lots of attention for what he says and how he acts, but he was 7-6 in his only season at Tennessee, with close loses to Alabama and Florida.

Barkley started as a freshman and had an up-and-down season with 15 TD passes and 14 intercep-tions.

Trojans start season at Hawaii, which allowed them opportunity to play 13-game regular season.

Arizona WildcatsKey players: QB Nick

Foles, RB Nic Grigsby, DE Ricky Elmore. Returning starters: 8 offense, 4 defense.

Notes: New QB coach Frank Scelfo tutored even-tual first-round draft picks Patrick Ramsey and J.P. Losman at Tulane.

Wildcats finished a solid season with a thud, getting beaten 33-0 by Nebraska in Holiday Bowl.

Defensive coordinator Mark Stoops, head coach Mike’s brother, left for Flor-ida.

Cal Golden BearsKey players: RB Shane

Vereen, LB Mike Mohamed, TE Anthony Miller. Return-ing starters: 8 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: QB Kevin Riley has had a mixed career at Cal, but he’s a senior now and the Bears need him to find the consistency that has eluded him.

Vereen led team with 952 yards rushing last year, filling in for first-round draft pick Jahvid Best.

New defensive coordina-tor Clancy Pendergast was in NFL for last 15 years.

Stanford CardinalKey players: QB

Andrew Luck, G David DeCastro, WR Chris Owusu, NT Sione Fua, LB Shayne Skov. Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense.

Notes: Luck, projected as a possible first-round draft pick, takes over the reins after Doak Walker Award winner Toby Gerhart moved on to the NFL.

Coach Jim Harbaugh has been mentioned as a possible candidate for NFL and big-name colleges but has so far stuck with Stan-ford.

The Cardinal are coming off their first bowl appear-ance since 2001.

UW HuskiesKey players: QB Jake

Locker, RB Chris Polk, WR Jermaine Kearse, LB Mason Foster, S Nate Williams. Returning starters: 9 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: An accurate drop-back passer, Locker is a Heisman Trophy front-run-ner and the likely No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NFL draft.

Polk became the first freshman in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards (1,113) and caught 25 passes.

The Huskies went from 0-12 in 2008 to 5-7 in their first season under Steve Sarkisian and expect to make another jump this season behind Locker.

Oregon State Beavers

Key players: RB Jac-quizz Rodgers, WR James Rodgers, DT Stephen Paea, LB Dwight Roberson, CB James Dockery. Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense.

Notes: Jacquizz Rodgers was third in the nation with 21 rushing TDs, while his brother, James, led the Pac-10 with 179.1 all-purpose yards per game.

The Beavers must find a replacement for QB Sean Canfield, who graduated. Sophomore Ryan Katz and Peter Lalich, a transfer from Virginia, will fight it out.

Oregon State finished tied for second in the Pac-10 last season, just missing its first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1965 with a loss to rival Oregon.

UCLA BruinsKey players: QB Kevin

Prince, WR Nelson Rosario, WR Taylor Embree, LB Akeem Ayers, S Rahim Moore, DE Datone Jones, K Kai Forbath. Returning starters: 7 offense, 5 defense.

Notes: The Bruins are making steady progress under coach Rick Neuheisel, winning seven games last season and four the year before, and have had two stellar recruiting classes.

Forbath has made 37 straight FGs inside 50 yards.

Moore led the NCAA with 10 INTs in 2009.

ASU Sun DevilsKey players: WR Kerry

Taylor, WR Aaron Pflugrad, LB Vontaze Burfict, DT Lawrence Guy, K Thomas Weber. Returning starters: 3 offense, 4 defense.

Notes: Coach Dennis Erickson, who could be on the hot seat after two of the worst seasons in program history, has made big changes with the offense, bringing in new coordinator Noel Mazzone and switch-ing to a no-huddle, four-wide set.

The QB battle between Michigan transfer Steven Threet and Brock Osweiler will likely last until just before the season starts.

WSU CougarsKey players: QB Jeff

Tuel, DE Kevin Kooymanm, DE Travis Long, WR Jared Karstetter, LB Alex Hoff-man-Ellis, P Reid Forrest. Returning starters: 8 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: Any turnaround for the Cougars will have to start on defense. Washing-ton State ranked last in total defense last season, allowing nearly 1,000 more yards than the next closest Pac-10 team.

Washington State has won just two games the past three seasons and coach Paul Wulff’s job could be in danger if there isn’t improve-ment this year.

Tuel won the starting job in a close battle with junior Marshall Lobbestael, who will still get snaps during the season.

Huskies are in the mix for crown

Pac-10 expecting season of parityPreview


Carroll tries to rebuild Seahawks

By gregg Bellthe assoCiateD Press

SEATTLE — Bring on “the meat grinder.”

Pete Carroll had it his way at Southern Califor-nia.

Talented recruits, LA glamour and amazing results: seven Pac-10 titles; two national champion-ships; and a 97-19 record from 2000-09.

At USC “Win Forever” wasn’t just his book title, it was the coach’s way of life.

He was, as Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke says, “the ‘King of L.A.”’

Yet Leiweke and $30-plus million got Carroll off his throne and back to the NFL for the first time since 1999.

Carroll’s return is about to begin in Seattle, where he has sweeping powers to rescue Seahawks, who have gone 9-23 the last two sea-sons.

“People say, ‘Gosh, why would you do that when you win all the time in college football, and here, you’re going into the meat grinder of the NFL?’ ” Carroll said, his words rolling, as usual.

“I’m ready. I couldn’t be more prepared for it. I couldn’t be more excited about it.

“I hope we can do things better than it’s ever been done before around here. I love setting our sights so far out, setting our standards so high, that maybe it doesn’t even seem feasible.”

Right now, it does not.His Seahawks begin the

season Sept. 12 against NFC West-rival San Fran-cisco still trying to recover from two rough years.

Quarterback Matt Has-selbeck is coming back from

his two worst, most injury-filled seasons.

He turns 35 in Septem-ber and is in the final year of his contract. Carroll pre-served the three-time Pro Bowler this preseason by limiting his practice repeti-tions.

Yet the key to whether Hasselbeck can play all 16 games for the first time since 2007 — Seattle’s last playoff season — and whether he’ll have a sup-porting running game with former Jets All-Pro Leon Washington, who is healthy again, lies with a shaky offensive line.

Carroll and his new side-kick, general manager John Schneider, drafted Russell Okung sixth overall and guaranteed him more than $29 million to replace retired All-Pro Walter Jones at left tackle.

But Okung sprained his ankle in the second pre-season game.

He could begin the sea-son either unavailable or having played just four pre-season series in first-year coordinator Jeremy Bates’ new offense of zone run blocking and revamped pass protection.

Irascible new line coach Alex Gibbs added former Broncos guard Ben Hamil-ton to help Okung on the left side, but Hamilton’s biggest impact so far has been tripping Okung on the first play of Saturday’s exhi-bition game and causing the sprained ankle.

Center Chris Spencer has struggled for years; the 2005 first-round pick was demoted to right guard at the end of last season.

The right side has sec-ond-year guard Max Unger, who finished last season as

Seattle’s center, and incon-sistent tackle Sean Lock-lear.

Tackle Chester Pitts arrived as a free agent from Houston but has yet to practice following microf-racture knee surgery.

“We’ll go as far as they take us. It’s up to those guys to take us to victories,” Bates said of his blockers.

“They don’t get any rec-ognition except when they let up a sack or a penalty so you don’t hear about those guys. But they’re the key to our success this year.”

Uh-oh.The situation is only

slightly better on the defen-sive line.

Former Pro Bowl pass rusher Patrick Kerney retired and Lawrence Jack-

son, a 2008 first-round pick from Carroll’s Trojans, was traded despite being the team’s returning leader in sacks.

Chris Clemons, acquired from Philadelphia to be a bigger pass rusher than the traded Darryl Tapp, has been a preseason star.

The other end is 6-foot-4, 335-plus pound Red Bry-ant, a seldom-used former tackle who may be the league’s biggest end, fitting Carroll’s desire for a huge run stopper outside.

But the Seahawks may again have to rely on blitz-ing from linebackers or backs to pressure passers.

Doing that recently exposed a secondary that was 30th in the league in pass defense in 2009.

That backfield now has 36-year-old Lawyer Milloy — an ’09 backup who played for Carroll in New England more than a decade ago — and 21-year-old rookie Earl Thomas starting as safe-ties.

“When you look at this team and when Pete looks at it, it’s not a one-year turnaround,” Leiweke admits.

“But I think Pete is one of those guys that can ignite a spark unlike anyone else.”

Just like at USC, Carroll is enlivening meetings with surprise guests and prac-tices with thumping music.

He’s throwing passes and running through drills. His daily command to “Always compete!” has

spawned more than 125 transactions since he arrived in January.

He’s turned over half the roster and promises more churn.

“I have always loved the NFL so much,” he says.

The league didn’t love him back the first time.

He was done after a 6-10 season in 1994 leading the Jets, and gone from New England, basically for not being Bill Parcells, after coaching there from 1997-99.

“I think the Seahawks have benefited from the facts of what I’ve been through, what I’ve gone through.”

The true test of that is about to start.

USC savior hired to get Seattle a Super victory

the assoCiateD Press

Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn gets sacked by Seattle rookie Dexter Davis, causing a fumble in the second half of preseason game Aug. 21 in Seattle. The Seahawks recovered.


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