As the school year starts, the Bellevue Reporter takes a look at how the Newport Knights, Interlake Saints, Sammamish Totems, Bellevue Christian Vikings and Bellevue Wolverines will fare on the football field during the 2015 high school football season.
NEWPORT KNIGHTS
Head coach: Drew Oliver (Second year)
Last year: 10-3 (Lost to Bothell in the Class 4A semifinals)
Key players: David Kim, RB/LB; Thomas Day, RB; Chris Orrico, OL/DL; Dylan Murphy, TE/DE
It may be a new year, but the Newport Knights football program isn’t changing its mode of operation heading into the 2015 season.
The Knights, who went 10-3 last year and advanced to the Class 4A semifinals, are excited about having the opportunity to put together another memorable season the gridiron.
“We talked on the first day about this season being a brand new chapter. These guys have responded,” Knights Head Coach Drew Oliver said. “They are working hard each and every day and are trying to get better. That is our mantra. Every time we get a chance or opportunity we want to get better.”
Oliver said the Knights 2015 team motto is “No Next time”.
“That has been a theme of practice. The guys have the mindset, don’t wait for the next time, do it now,” Oliver said.
The Knights will rely on the legs of senior running back Thomas Day this fall. Day rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. The Knights biggest question mark will be the offensive line due to the loss of 2015 graduates Calvin Throckmorton (University of Oregon) and Nolan Richardson.
“Those guys (Throckmorton, Richardson) left a legacy of obviously great play but they were great leaders as well,” he said. “The guys behind them have been waiting for their chance and their turn. Now it’s their turn.”
INTERLAKE SAINTS
Head coach: David Myers (Third year)
Last year: 3-6 (Didn’t advance to the playoffs)
Key players: Duncan Varela, QB/DB; Naoki Harmer, WR/DB; Tieler Sheheen, TE/LB; John Palagashvili, OL/DL; Billy Jensen, QB/DB; Anthony Karymskaov, OL/DL
Interlake Saints Head Coach David Myers said his team returns a plethora of dynamic players off of the 2014 team.
The Saints have athletic players at nearly every skill position on the field.
“The experience is at our skill positions. We have a lot of returning starters including a first-team all-league receiver (Naoki Harmer), both of our starting quarterbacks (Duncan Varela, Billy Jensen) and our tight end (Tieler Sheheen). Our line is young but we’re excited about their potential,” Myers said. “We have a team full of great leaders. One of the things we value greatly about these guys is the level of support and togethernesss they have developed from top to bottom.”
Myers, who is in his third season as the Saints’ head coach, has put his stamp on the football program.
“The most important thing to me is to make sure that football is a good experience for our players. We want them to feel supported, pushed and valued as young men,” he said.
SAMMAMISH TOTEMS
Head coach: Todd Craig (Second year)
Last year: 3-5 (Didn’t advance to the postseason)
Key players: Dominick Hampton, RB; Andrew Rudasics, OL/DL; Dez Hampton, OL/DL; Kenny Nguyen, OL/DL; Kobe Vaifo’oa, OL/DL; Nathan Jones, OL/DL; Devonte Braswell, RB/LB
The Sammamish Totems football squad was the ultimate underdog in 2014.
The Totems, who had less than 30 players on the varsity team last season, won three games and weren’t blown out by any opponent they faced. Totems’ second year Head Coach Todd Craig expects his team to continue its ascent this season.
“I think we started to change the attitude and change the culture (last season) to where we didn’t let what we didn’t have be an excuse, therefore guys started to believe and started to buy in,” Craig said. “Even in the games we lost, we didn’t get shutout in any games and we still scored plenty of points. We showed that we can compete and I think that will carry over big into this year.”
Craig said the majority of the varsity players from the 2014 squad return this season.
“We have guys who believe they can win. We are certainly getting there and are becoming closer as a team. The kids are putting in the work,” Craig said. “The leadership is there. We have vocal leaders and silent leaders. Our vision is coming together.”
BELLEVUE CHRISTIAN VIKINGS
Head coach: Todd Green (Third year)
Last year: 1-9 (Didn’t advance to the playoffs)
Key players: Christian Miller, OL/DL; David Postma, QB/LB; Dylan Parsons, RB/S; Taylor Paulson, CB/WR; Alex Irizarry, C/LB; Daniel Ficca, RB/S
Wins and losses aren’t the most important aspect of football to Bellevue Christian Vikings Head Coach Todd Green.
Green, who played football and graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1993, exudes the late Frosty Westering mantra of competing against your best self on the gridiron. Green said the team has embraced the “Frosty” way wholeheartedly.
“They have taken it on and it is really theirs now. They own it and have been really responsive to it,” Green said of his players. “They have a great mindset have definitely bought in for sure.”
Green believes if his team does the little things right that success will follow.
“We are trying to focus on not just the win/loss barometer. Obviously we want to win and we want to be competitive. Our goal is to compete every play. As a coaching staff we are trying to teach the kids the only play that matters is the one right in front of you,” he said.
BELLEVUE WOLVERINES
Head coach: Butch Goncharoff (16th year)
Last year: 13-1 (Lost to Eastside Catholic Crusaders in Class 3A state championship game)
Key players: Justus Rogers, QB/DB; Tyson Penn, WR/DB; Isaiah Gilchrist, RB/DB
The 67-game winning streak the Bellevue Wolverines had put together over the past decade was derailed courtesy of a 35-13 loss to the Eastside Catholic Crusaders in the Class 3A state championship game. The Wolverines, who return starting quarterback Justus Rogers, wide receiver Tyson Penn and running back/defensive back Isaiah Gilchrist to the 2015 roster, aren’t the kind of team that rebuilds, they instead reload. The Wolverines have a multitude of stellar players on its roster and will open the season at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11 against national powerhouse Bishop Gorman (Nevada) at Bellevue High School.
The Wolverines will play without the guidance of Head Coach Butch Goncharoff in early season action. As the Bellevue Reporter previously reported, Goncharoff was suspended for two games after an investigation revealed the football program and some of its coaches violated Washington Interscholastic Activities Association articles. An investigation carried out by a third party found the football program had conducted out-of-season coaching and illegal recruiting, which are against both district policies and the WIAA articles.
