Showing posts with label Tahoma Bears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tahoma Bears. Show all posts

Thursday, June 21, 2012

2012 All-Unknown Team Offense


      I would like to start this post off by letting everyone know that just because you know a player I have listed, it doesn't mean that they are "known" to the average reader. The purpose of this is to give players the exposure they deserve. I will be posting a link to a video for each player and if possible a quote from that players coach. When available, I will post stats from the player. The page I like most for stats is statewidestats.com. You can also follow them on Twitter @statewidestats. If you see any mistakes here or are a coach that would like to comment on one of these players, be sure to email me at Ringerland@gmail.com. Even if you are an opposing coach that wants to say something about a player, I will post it.

     This was a very tough list to bring together and I left of a lot of quality players. At the bottom of the page you will see an 'Honorable Mention' section. In that section you can click on links to videos of players that I feel deserve recognition, but were some of my last cuts. The players name/school is the link.

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QB: Ryan Fassler, Prosser Mustangs (6'0" 170 lbs)
166 Completions - 255 Attempts - 10 INTs - 2374 Yards - 27TDs
2011 - 1st Team CWAC - Quarterback
Click For Ryan Fassler Highlight Video 

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
I'm sure I am not the first and doubt I'll be the last to compare Ryan Fassler to Kellen Moore, but I am going to do it anyway. During Moore's senior season at Prosser, he was listed at 6'0" and 176 lbs, while most scouting services had him as the fourth best quarterback behind three guys I am sure most of you have never heard of. As of right now, most scouting services do not even Ryan listed. Being fourth this season would put you behind some pretty good names like Max Browne, Sefo Liufau and Kolney Cassell. Ryan is also an accomplished baseball pitcher and you can see it in his play at quarterback. He has good arm strength and is very accurate. With big time target Danny Raap returning at WR, I look for Fassler to get close to 3,000 yards this season.

RB: Daniel Watts, Cedar Park Christian Eagles (5'10" 185 lbs)
191 Carries - 1574 Yards - 11 TDs
2011 Nisqually League Offensive MVP
2010 Nisqually League Honorable Mention RB
Click For Daniel Watts Highlight Video

Quote From Cedar Park Christian Head Coach, Todd Parmenter:
"I would describe Daniel as a very smart player who understands how to use his blockers, he is patient and uses his speed when it's time. He is strong and fast and a hard player to bring down, speed to run outside, but strength and power to run up the middle. Watch for a big year could be over 2000 yards rushing."

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
It is hard to argue with a coach that sees a player on a daily basis and I am not about to start now. Watching Daniel's film you will see exactly what coach Parmenter said about him. Sometimes you watch a player and it is obvious from the start that he gets it. That is how I feel with Daniel. He runs a reported 4.60 40 yard dash, which doesn't exactly catch the eye, but his vision and natural instincts make it seem like he is much faster. I really like this kid. I will hopefully seem him play September 28th when the Eagles host Charles Wright Academy.

RB: Ralph Kinne, Shelton High Climbers (5'11'' 200 lbs)
192 Carries - 1,308 Yards - 18 TDs
20 Kick Returns - 870 Yards - 3 TDs
2011 Honorable Mention Narrows League 4A RB
Click Here For Ralph Kinne Highlight Video

Quote From Shelton Head Coach, Matt Hinkle:
"Ralph Kinne is one of our team leaders. He had a fine junior season and is preparing himself for an impressive senior year."

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
Fearless! Just watch his highlight video. This is the type of kid any team in the state would want. He explodes through the hole with a ton of speed and doesn't think twice about it. Might be able to get close to the 2,000 yard mark this season. I love kids that runs through tackles and Ralph does just that. He is not afraid of contact and has such great balance it almost seems like he was never even hit. All of this also adds up to Ralph being one of the better return men in the state. Last season he averaged 43.5 yards per kick return! If I was his coach, Ralph would touch the ball 25+ times a game!

WR: Jake Hoffman, North Central Indians (6'0" 170 lbs)
2010 Receiving Stats: 61 Receptions - 816 Yards - 8 TDs
2010 1st Team All-GSL Wide Receiver
2011 Rushing Stats as QB: 127 Carries - 682 Yards - 9 TDs
2011 GSL All-Purpose
2011 Honorable Mention All-GSL Quarterback
Click For Jake Hoffman Highlight Video

Quote From North Central Head Coach, Brian Gardner:
"Jake is a very smart, talented football player. His versatility allows us to play him at several different positions. He has great speed and hands. Jake is a football junkie who loves to play the game." 

 HSFootballWA Thoughts:
 First off, I will give credit where credit is due. The Twitter account for Mt. Spokane Football (@MtSpoFootball) turned my eyes to Jake last week. I did a bunch of research and watched a few videos and was sold. As some might say, I am drinking the Jake Hoffman Kool-Aid! This kid can flat out play! Last season as a Jr he played QB, but I have him projected as a WR at the next level. If you watch one highlight video in this posting, make it his. He does EVERYTHING! He reminds me a lot of former Juanita High School/Cornell University and current Minnesota Viking WR, Bryan Walters. Started as a WR but was switched to QB to get the ball in his hands more. Was always overlooked because of his size, but you just knew the kid had what it takes. This is a kid that deserves a shot at the next level.

WR: Ryan Turman, Interlake Saints (5'10" 185 lbs) 
Click Here For Ryan Turman Highlight Video

Quote From Interlake Head Coach, Jason Rimkus:
"Ryan is a good high school player with a lot of potential.  He certainly has the skill set and attitude to be successful.  Ryan is a veteran player with 2 years of starting experience under his belt.  We are really excited to see what he has in store for his senior year.

For those that have never heard of or seen Ryan play - he is a great deep threat and has a tremendous pair of hands.  He has no fear when running routes over the middle and his understanding of coverages has
allowed him to better adjust his routes to get himself open.  My favorite part about Ryan's game has recently developed - blocking. For many young WR they only think about and take pride in their
ability to catch or run routes.  After last season's success on the ground at Interlake, Ryan has seen the value in a WR who is prideful in blocking for their teammates."

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
*See Kamana Adriano

WR: Kamana Adriano, Interlake Saints (5'10" 170 lbs)
2010 2nd Team All KingCo 3A/2A Wide Receiver
2011 1st Team All KingCo 3A/2A Punter
Click Here For Kamana Adriano Highlight Video

Quote From Interlake Head Coach, Jason Rimkus:
"Kamana is the best WR I've coached.  He will have a few college offers by the end of the season.  We are blessed to have Kamana on one end and Ryan on the other...Batman and Robin"

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
I tried to stay away from multiple players on the same team, but really I couldn't have Ryan without Kamana and vice versa. I think coach Rimkus hit the nail on the head with his 'Batman and Robin' reference. These two bring a lot of the same qualities to the position. Both are fast, have good hands and great vision. Having both players lining up on the field together will be a nightmare for opposing coaching staffs. The Interlake Saints have had some great offensive skill players in the last eight to ten years from Thomas Brooks-Fletcher in the mid-2000's to Jordan Todd this past season. I can imagine one of these two, if not both, will continue what seems to be a tradition of great offense. I would not be surprised to see both finishing the 2012 season with well over 1,000 all-purpose yards. They ARE that good.

Note: The highlight video for Kamana Adriano is from the 2010 season when he played WR. Since he is being moved back there, I decided to go with that video.

TE: Dylan Judson, Monroe Bearcats (6'3" 210 lbs)
10 Catches - 169 Yards - 4 TDs
56.5 Tackles - 6 Sacks - 2 FR 
2011 1st Team TE 4A Wesco North
2011 Honorable Mention LB 4A Wesco North
Click Here For Dylan Judson Highlight Video

Quote From Monroe Coach, Richard Abrams:
"Dylan is a very versatile player for us.  He was 1st Team All League last year for us as a junior at TE, and also is a huge contributor for us on the defensive side of the ball playing both inside LB and DE.  He also worked out of the backfield for us as an H back.  He is a leader for us on and off the field, and exemplifies all the good qualities that a coach could want in a player."

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
Don't let his numbers fool you, Dylan can play. I look more at the 16.9 ypc more than the 10 catches. At 6'3", Dylan is a good target and shows good hands. If given the chance to catch more passes, he wouldn't drop many. He is one of the better blocking TEs in the state and appears to almost take pride in finishing his block. I hope they can find a way to get him the ball more so he can show off his abilities.

OL: Dallas Hayes, Tahoma Bears (6'3" 290 lbs)
2011 Honorable Mention SPSL 4A North
Click Here For Dallas Hayes Highlight Video 

Quote From Tahoma Head Coach, Tony Davis:
"Great kid. He’s close to 6-3 and about 290 right now. he will be a three year starter. He’s a three sport athlete – wrestling and track. He competed at the state track in the shot put and discus and was in the post season as a wrestler as well. he’s a solid student and is getting a lot of attention this spring as the colleges make their visits. He was at the WSU camp last weekend and from what I hear did well. He is primed for a great senior year!"

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
The kid is a mauler. He explodes off the line and stays with his man all the way through the whistle. Possibly the best run blocking lineman in the state. He is relentless and an absolute joy to watch! I first noticed Dallas last season after pancakes on back-to-back plays. Dallas is my kind of player. A guy that isn't satisfied unless he finishes 10+ yards down field with his opponent on his back. This is a kid that deserves a shot at the next level.

OL: Jake Volk, Issaquah Eagles (6'1'' 250 lbs)
2011 2nd Team 4A KingCo Crest Division Center
Click Here For Jake Volk Highlight Video

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
Jake Volk is a very interesting prospect. Slightly undersized, but you would never know it by his play. He has a great first step that allows him to setup his block very well. He is great at getting his hips into position to wall off the defender and open the hole. He is another one of those kids that just has it.

OL: Mathew Cox, Capital Cougars (6'6" 235 lbs)
2010 Honorable Mention All-Narrows League Defensive Line
2011 2nd Team All-Narrows League 3A Offensive Line
2011 1st Team All-Narrows League 3A Defensive Line
Click Here For Mathew Cox Highlight Video

Quote From Capital Head Coach, John Johnson: 

"Mat is a very determined young man that gives you every ounce of effort. He will once again be a two-way starter for Capital and continues to lead his team by being a great example both on and off the field." 

HSFootballWA Thoughts: 
Last season when I saw Capital play Mat was a kid that stood out on both sides of the ball. He needs to add weight, but his frame is definitely ready to add on. Most people view Mat as a DE at the next level, but I think he is best suited for LT. He has a little bit of nastiness to him on the defensive side that I would really like to see on the offensive side as well. He seems content with just making a block instead of finishing his block and punishing the defender. I love kids with potential and I think Mathew has plenty. This could be a big year for him on both sides of the ball.

OL: Dayne Herron, Oak Harbor Wildcats (6'4'' 275 lbs)

Click Here For Dayne Herron Highlight Video

Quote From Oak Harbor Head Coach, Jay Turner:
"Dayne is an extremely big and physical player who is surprisingly very agile for his size. He continues to improve everyday and is very motivated to have a great senior year."

HSFootballWA Thoughts:
First word that comes to mind with Dayne is "Potential". The sky is the limit with this kid. Watching his video you will see that he is still raw. Needs to work on a few things. One thing I have found while corresponding with Dayne, he knows what he needs. Earlier this week I picked out one play in his highlight video and asked what he would change. Not only did he give me what I wanted, but even pointed out something I missed. This is a kid that wants to get better and will not stop until he is. I think his coach hits the nail on the head when talking about his agility. His ability to get to the next level and catch a LB or DB is as good as anyone. So much potential here it is almost ridiculous!


OL: Bennett Muasau, Mountain View Thunder (5'10" 295)
2011 1st Team Offensive Line 3A GSHL
2011 2nd Team Offensive Line GSHLFootball.com

Click Here For Bennett Muasau Highlight Video


Quote From Mountain View Head Coach, Adam Mathieson:

"Bennett is a truly terrific football player. He has great leverage, incredible strength and is surprisingly agile. He has the ability to dominate the line of scrimmage on either side of the football."


HSFootballWA Thoughts:
I am going to use the term 'Wrecking Ball' to describe Bennett Muasau. Watching his video you will see a little bit of everything. He is surprisingly agile and shows it off in a few plays where he chases LBs/DBs 10+ yards down field and eliminates them from the play. He has a little nastiness to him that is evident throughout the seven minute video as one defender after another ends up on their back. Bennett does a very good job of playing his angles making sure the ball carrier always has a clear path.


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Honorable Mentions:


QB: Matt Stuart, Lindbergh Eagles
RB: Ramsey Davis, Washington Patriots
WR: Danny Raap, Prosser Mustangs
OL: Kyle Gleed, Decatur Golden Gators
OL: Chandler Streuli, Enumclaw Hornets (2014)










Tuesday, October 4, 2011

This week in the SPSL 4A North, October 4th, 2011...

Standings:

Team, SPSL Record, Overall Record.

Kentlake, 5-0, 5-0.
Kentwood, 3-1, 4-1.
Jefferson, 3-2, 3-2.
Auburn Riverside, 3-2, 2-2.
Kentridge, 2-2, 2-3.
Tahoma, 2-2, 2-3.
Auburn, 2-3, 2-3.
Kent-Meridian, 1-3, 1-4.
Mount Rainier, 0-5, 0-5.

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Team Capsules:

It was homecoming at French Field in Kent when the Kentlake Falcons played host to the Tahoma Bears. The 7th ranked Falcons trailed at the half but managed to pull out a 42-33 victory to stay undefeated. This week might be the biggest game of the year as the Falcons "travel" to French Field to play the Kentwood Conquerors. Last week the Conks beat Auburn 24-17 and continued a string of good play since their week two loss to Jefferson. Having seen both teams play, I expect this to be a very fast game and most of it to be on the ground. For Kentlake they must get Tanner Lucas going between the tackles and find a way to get Austin Pernell in open space where he can make some people miss. If Kentwood is going to win, they will need to be tough up front on defense and get the running game going with Matt Hubbard and Chance Kalua-Fuimaono. This should be a VERY good game.

The Jefferson Raiders are the most surprising team in the SPSL North with wins over Kent-Meridian, Kentwood and Auburn. Last season the the Raiders finished with three wins and with four games still to play this season it would appear as though they will surpass that. Last week they beat Kent-Meridian 42-30, but did give up an concerning 224 yards on the ground. This week they play host to the Auburn Riverside Ravens who have won three of their last four games. Last week the Ravens dismantled a struggling Mount Rainier team 57-14. In their two losses the Ravens have a combined 13 points, while on average scoring just over 47 points per game in their 3 wins. This could be a very good game as well.

The Kentridge Chargers have been through some ups and downs in the first five weeks. They started the season with losses to Auburn and Kentlake before winning back to back games against Kent-Meridian and Auburn Riverside. Last week they lost their non-league game to the Rogers Rams of the SPSL South. This week they travel to Mount Rainier in a game they should win. The final three games are all tough games as they are home vs Jefferson, travel to Tahoma and finish with a home game against Kentwood.

Inconsistency seems to be the name of the game for the Tahoma Bears. When they are playing well they have one of the more balanced offenses in the SPSL with Beau Riggs, Damon Funk and Zach Browne running the ball while Shane Nelson is looking for Jason Smith down field for the pass. They have good size on both sides of the line but sometimes have hard times controlling the line of scrimmage. The finaly four weeks of the season bring games the Bears should be able to win. This week they host Ken-Meridian in a game they should win by double digits.

A three game losing streak has put the Auburn Trojans in unfamiliar territory. The next two weeks don't get much easier as they are home vs Curtis in a non-league game before heading to French Field to play Kentlake. A five game losing streak would be almost fatal for the Trojans.

At 1-4, the Kent-Meridian Royals are now in spoiler mode. They finish the season with games against Tahoma, Kentwood, Auburn and Kentlake. A win against any of those teams will be a huge boost for a team looking to finish the season strong.

The Mount Rainier Rams have lost 20 straight games, dating back to a 31-10 win over Foster on September 24th of 2009. This week they play host to Kentridge, before traveling to play Spanaway Lake in a non-league contest they have a legitimate shot at winning. If they are unable to get a win this will be the second straight winless season in Des Moines.

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This Weeks Schedule:

Auburn Riverside vs. Jefferson, Federal Way Memorial Stadium, 7pm Thursday.
Curtis @ Auburn, non-league, 7pm Friday.
Kentlake vs. Kentwood, French Field, 7pm Friday.
Kent-Meridian @ Tahoma, 7pm Friday.
Kentridge vs. Mount Rainier, Highline Memorial Stadium, 7pm Friday.

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I can be followed on twitter @HSFootballWA. Please share this blog with anyone you know that enjoys high school football.

Monday, September 19, 2011

This week in the SPSL 4A North, September 19th, 2011...

Friday night the Jefferson Raiders topped the Auburn Trojans 8-7, meaning with a win on Saturday the Kentlake Falcons would take sole posession of first place in the SPSL 4A North Division. The Falcons would not only win, but they would do so convincing fashion over Mt. Rainer 55-0.

This week the Kentlake Falcons will travel to Federal Way Memorial Stadium to take on the Jefferson Raiders. I hope to do a preview of this game, although I will not be attending. The Falcons are 3-0 and have outscored opponents 134-29 to this point. They have big wins over Auburn Riverside and Mr Rainer and an eight point win over Kentridge. Jefferson will enter the game 2-1 with a loss to Tahoma in week one followed by wins at home vs Kentwood and at Auburn. If Jefferson is for real, this could be a HUGE game.

The the middle of the pack in the SPSL has some very good teams. Kentwood, Auburn and Auburn Riverside are all 2-1 with Kentridge and Tahoma at 1-2.

This week the Kentwood Conquerors play their non-leauge game at home vs Puyallup (2-1). The Conks pounded Mt. Rainer, lost to Jefferson and held off Tahoma. The running game is what gets the Conks going. They really have a three headed monster with Matt Hubbard, Chance Kalua-Fuimaono and Dane Manio. Manio is the QB and doesn't run much, but is a capable runner.

The next two weeks are big for the Auburn Trojans as they travel to Tahoma before coming home to face off against Kentwood. After that they will play their non-league game at home vs the Curtis Vikings (2-1) before traveling to Kentlake. The Trojans were held to just 7 points last week against Jefferson. The key for Auburn in their running game. Next week I hope to preview the game against Kentwood.

The Auburn Riverside Ravens will head to French Field this week to take on the Kentridge Chargers. Both teams are coming off wins, Riverside over Beamer and Kentridge over Kent-Meridian. Should Kentridge lose it was almost certainly end their chance at a North Division Title. Auburn Riverside started the season with a big loss at Kentlake. If the Ravens can get a win this week they could easily move to 3-1 as they play Mt. Rainer the following week.

The Tahoma Bears are an interesting team. I personally think they are one of the better 1-2 teams in the state. They didn't start very well against Kentwood, but were clearly the better team in the second half. They are the only team to knock off Jefferson so far. This week they are home vs Auburn before heading to play at Kentlake. The Bears are only 1-1 in league play as their first loss of the season was to South Kitsap. Should they get a win out of the next two weeks they could have a good shot at the playoffs as they finish the season with four game against teams with three combined wins.

The SPSL North has two teams that have yet to win a game, those two teams meet this week when the Kent-Meridian Royals travel to take on the Mt. Rainer Rams. One team will get a league win and the other will be looking at the possibility of a winless season.

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I hope to begin doing a weekly look at the SPSL North. The stats for my blog clearly show that I need to be giving the SPSL more time. In just barely over 24 hours the post I made from the Tahoma/Kentwood game became my most viewed post. Hours after that the week 2 look at the SPSL surpassed it.

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Please help by following me on twitter @HSFootballWA

Friday, September 16, 2011

Kentwood holds on to beat Tahoma...


French Field, September 16th, 2011.

While it may not have been the prettiest win in the history of Kentwood football, I dont think you will hear many complaints out of Covington after last weeks loss to Jefferson. The Conquerors were not perfect, especially in the second half, but didn't have to be in their 24-17 win over the Tahoma Bears on Thursday night at French Field.

The game that was a story of two halves would begin with Kentwood (2-1) recieving the games first possession. After moving the ball to about midfield they would give up two sacks and be forced the punt. Tahoma (1-2) wouldn't be able gain a first down though as Kentwood would come up with the first of many defensive stops, this one on fourth and one. The Conks would get the ball on the Tahoma 49 yardline and five plays later Senior, Matt Hubbard would keep the ball on a read play and rush 30 yards for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

The Bears would get the ball back and after getting a first down they looked as though they were going to be setting up for another fourth down when the referees would call a Kentwood defender for a personal foul on a hit to the head of the Tahoma reciever. Personally I thought the hit was clean, but I am all for erroring on the side of caution. It wouldn't matter though as four plays later the Bears would turn the ball over on another fourth down attempt.

The Conks would get a great pass and catch from Dane Manio to Jonathan Ohashi for 17 yards down to the Tahoma 16. On third and one from the seven Hubbard would score again but it would be brought back on a holding call. The Conks would settle for a 34 yard Field Goal from Junior, Mitchell Cox.

Tahoma again would get the ball and not be able to move, this time going three and out. The first quarter would end with a Tahoma punt returned by Conks Senior, Jesse Lovato eight yards to his own 35.

Kentwood's first drive of the second quarter would go 65 yards on just five plays, capped off by a 44 yard run by Chance Kalua-Fuimaono. This touchdown would put Kentwood ahead 17-0 as the Conquerors were seemingly in cruise control.

With just over a minute to play Tahoma would get the ball at midfield after a Kentwood punt. The Bears would march 6 plays, all through the air, down to the Kentwood one yardline where with four seconds to play before the half, the Kentwood defense would stop running back Reau Riggs for no gain. Even though they couldn't get in the endzone, you could see the Bears beginning to build some momentum.

The third quarter for Tahoma was a momentum builder for although they would not get on the scoreboard. The Bears defense would keep them in the game as Kentwood would have two possessions in the third quarter, both three and outs.

The first play of the fourth quarter would finally get Tahoma on the board when Kicker, David Stoecker would hit from 26 yards out.

Kentwood would once again go three and out giving the Bears the ball on their own 43 following the punt. On second down Bears Quarterback, Shane Nelson would find DeShon Williams for a 23 yard gain, moving the ball into Kentwood territory. After four straight running plays, Nelson would find Senior, Jason Smith on a 19 yard fade for the Tahoma touchdown. That score would bring the Bears within seven points with 7:43 to play. The momemtum was all in favor of the Bears.

Kentwood would start the drive on their own 30 and after a penalty, runs of four and one, it was quickly third and ten. This time the Conks would convert when Dane Manio hit Jarrett Retz with a 16 yard pass down the sideline. The Tahoma Defense would stay tough though and force another third and ten. This time the Conks would give the ball to Matt Hubbard who would rumble for 11 yards and another first down. Kentwood would be continue to hand the ball off and three plays later Kalua-Fuimaono would sprint in untouched from 22 yards out widening the lead to 24-10 with just under four minutes to play.

Starting on their own 35 after the kickoff went out of bounds, the Bears would begin to attack through the air. The drive would go 65 yards in 12 plays finishing when Shane Nelson found DeShon William who would dive into the endzone.

That touchdown would bring the score to 24-17 with 1:33 to play, but Kentwood would recover the onside kick. Kentwood would hand the ball to Kalua-Fuimaono twice to get a first down before lining up in the victory formation and taking a knee.

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Random Notes:

- Kentwood Junior, Mitchell Cox might be the best OL/ILB that is a Kicker in the state. The Conks do not have a kicker listed on the roster and unless I am wrong, Cox does the kicking duties.

- Kentwood might have the best gameday program in the state. They have a section with profiles of the Senior players. I would like to share a few of my favorites... Matt Hubbard, "Plans After HS: 4 year college, travel the world and marry Kim Kardashian."... Quincey Davidson who is 6'1" and 315 lbs, "You might not know... I like long walks that do not involve running with 12 cupcakes on the beach."... Devin Taylor, "You might not know... From birth, I was unable to open my eyes until I was 5 years old. I had surgery to be able to see. Then, in 3rd grade I won a vision contest."... I really don't know if any of this is true, but I got a good laugh.

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Up Next:

Next week the Kentwood Conquerors will play their only non-league game of the season at home vs the Puyallup Vikings (1-1).

Tahoma is home next week against the Auburn Trojans. This game is huge for the Bears as the following week they go back to French Field to play Kentlake. They might not be able to afford a loss next week.

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Unfortunately I will not be attending a game friday or Saturday night. If you are at a game, please tweet me the score @HSFootballWA.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Tahoma @ Kentwood Preview, Sept. 15th...

The Tahoma Bears travel to French Field to do battle with the Kentwood Conquerors. Both teams are 1-1 on the season after road losses last week, Tahoma to South Kitsap and Kentwood to Jefferson. The two teams met last season with Kentwood dominating Tahoma 49-3. I sent emails to both coaches, even had to toss in a College Football question to Coach Davis of Tahoma, I got responses from both coaches with a few interesting answers.

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Kentwood Conquerors

The Conks were picked by the coaches to finish first in the SPSL North, and they might still do that. Losing to Jefferson last week has changed the path they must take to finish at the top though. The margin for error is slim as they still must play Auburn, Kentlake and Kentridge. The Conks are very talented and very young at the same time. They do have some size but not nearly what they have had in years past.

Coach Rex Norris was nice enough to respond to my email and answered every question I asked...

WHSF: If I were a fan watching Kentwood for the first time, who are three players I would want to keep an eye out for and what can you tell me about those players?

RN: Matt Hubbard - SR running back - lot of speed - strong runner - plays in the secondary as well.
Visa Thatch - SR fullback - powerful runner - 500+ squatter - plays middle linebacker
Chasen Kalua-Fuimaono - JR running back - powerful runner - plays outside linebacker and dline

WHSF: What would you consider to be your strength on offense?

RN: We have depth in the backfield this year.

WHSF: What would you consider to be your strenght on defense?

RN: Team speed.

WHSF:What would you consider to be the 3 keys to beating Tahoma on Thursday night?

RN: Get them out of their two back set - they have a big line and really good runners.

WHSF: You are two games into your season, what things do you need to do better to be successful?

RN: Mature as a team - be more physical and expect to make plays. We can only get that with more game experience.

WHSF: What is it gonna take to get to the Tacoma Dome this season?

RN: I think it will take a lot of work and commitment by everyone in our program. We have the talent we just need to understand that it takes a lot to get to that level and it is hard to get players to understand that at ages 16-18

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Tahoma Bears

The Tahoma Bears are an interesting team. In all honesty they are a team that might be good enough to win the SPSL North. The Bears might have the most balanced offense in the SPSL. In last weeks loss they had over 500 yards of offense, including 100 yard rushing efforts from Damon Funk and Beau Riggs. Quarterback Shane Nelson was 19/35 for 217 yards and one touchdown. If the Bears can get some defense they might just have the horses to make a dent in the SPSL North.

Head Coach Tony Davis, who last season picked up his 100th career win, was nice enough to respond to my email. I will admit I let my inner Nebraska Cornhusker come out when I found out that he had played college football for the Missouri Tigers. I would also like to make a bit of a note here. Coach Davis' answer to the first question is one I normally say "Way to dodge that question", I think he answered it perfectly....


WHSF: If I were a fan watching Tahoma for the first time, who are three players I would want to keep an eye out for and what can you tell me about those players?

TD: It would be tough to limit it to three and it would go against our philosophy of team. We have the ability to be more balanced on offense than we’ve been in a while and on defense we are all about the importance of the 11 kids on the field playing as a unit and the subs on the sidelines staying locked in.

WHSF: What would you consider to be your strength on offense?

TD: This year, balance

WHSF: What would you consider to be your strength on defense?

TD: Their ability to play together

WHSF: What would you consider to be the 3 keys to beating Kentwood on Thursday night?

TD: Protect the ball, be physical, and make positive plays in the kicking game

WHSF: You are two games into your season, what things do you need to do better to be successful?

TD: Protect the football and get better each week in all areas.

WHSF: What is it gonna take to get to the Tacoma Dome this season?

TD: I’m old fashioned… We take things one week at a time. we need to get better each week. Our kids have had a good off season and have responded well to the things we’ve asked them to do.

WHSF: With the Huskies going to Nebraska in a few days, I believe you were on the Missouri team that lost 33-23 in Lincoln in 1984. If so, what do you remember about playing the Huskers in Lincoln?

TD: Loudest place I’ve ever played! Great setting for college FB. Never seen so much red in one place before in my life!

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First, I would like to thank both coaches for their time. Without coaches responding to my emails, it would make my previews very boring. I will never act like I know every player on every team, so sometimes it is nice to get a bit of a preview for myself as well.

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Game Notes and Links

- In the preseason coaches poll Kentwood was picked to finish first, Tahoma fifth.

- The last two seasons have seen Tahoma finish with a losing record back to back years for the first time since 1997-98.

- Tahoma Head Coach Tony Davis was drafted by the Seahawks in the 1985 NFL Draft.

- In 2005 the Seattle Times had a great piece about Coach Davis, read that Right Here.

- Right Here is a great piece the Kent Reporter had as a preview for Kentwood Football.

- If you don't read that preview of the Conks you are missing not only a good preview but one of the great streaks in our state. The reporter writes "... the Conquerors have never posted a losing record — not a single time in the 30 years since the doors to the school first opened."

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I will be tweeting live from French Field tonight. You can find me by searching @HSFootballWA.

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As of right now I do not plan on attending any games friday night as I have a few other things going on. If I am able to get to any games I will most likely be at Everett Memorial Stadium to see Marysville-Pilchuck @ Cascade and Snohomish @ Jackson.

Monday, September 12, 2011

On tap for this week, Sept. 12th, 2011...

Well last weekend ended with a little disappointment. I was unable to attend the third game of the week, Mount Si @ Bothell. The game ended up being a great game, with Mount Si coming back to win.

This week I will only see two games. Thursday night I will be at French Field as the Tahoma Bears(1-1) travel to meet the Kentwood Conquerors(1-1) in SPSL North action.

Friday night I have some choices. Bothell is at Newport and Juanita is at Mercer Island, both good games. On the other hand, I could go see Evergreen play Bellevue Christian who just began playing football this season. I will post my plans for Friday in the next few days.

Saturday night I will not be attending any games.

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I also hope to do a report on where a few of the conferences stand so far. KingCo 3A and 4A are at the top of my list with SPSL, WesCo, Seamount and Metro just behind. If somehow I am able to get through all of those leagues, I would like to take a look at the other side of the state or the Greater St. Helens League. Hopefully I will have one or both of the KingCo reports up tomorrow.

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Mason Kelley of the Seattle Times has his weekly rankings for 4A and 3A schools up, view them here. As far as the big schools go, I consider Mason to the authority as far as rankings.

Doug Pacey of the Tacoma New Tribune has his weekly rankings up for all levels of football, view them here. Doug does a GREAT job in following the entire state of football and also has a different view than Mason when it comes to the big schools. If Mason is the authority for big schools, Doug is the all around authority. I may not agree with him on the big school, but I couldn't possibly aruge about the other levels of play.

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I think I am done predicting games. Last week I picked Kennedy Catholic, Juanita and Bothell... I went 0-3. In all honesty I think most people would've picked the games the same way I did. I guess if I get enough people wanting me to predict games I will, but as of right now it is off.

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Last Friday I accepted a position with Two Man Prodcutions, to view the website click Right Here. TMP will help me further advance my ambitions of being in sports media. TMP is the brain child of local radio host, Jonathan West of WARM 106.9. TMP has two main projects, New Music... NOW! with Jonathan West. This is a weekly internet radio show, view the webpage Right Here. To follow on twitter just search @NewMusicNowLive. The other project is a college football playoff system, this is something any fan of college football needs to take a look at. It can be found on this link Major College Football System. You can also follow on twitter by searching @MCFPS.

I hate to use this blog to advertise for something other than high school football, but this is all really good stuff. I hope all of my readers can take a few minutes to browse those links.

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I would like to welcome a new reader from France. We are really starting to cover the map.

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You can follow me on Twitter @HSFootballWA. You can also view my attempt to visit every high school stadium in out state, on Facebook at Washington State High School Football Stadiums.