Ken Roberts
For The New Era
The 2006 football campaign starts a week earlier than most years, thanks to an OSAA Endowment game slated for this Friday, Sept.1, against a familiar foe, the Sisters Outlaws.
With the full-scale realignment of Oregon sports districts, however, this road trip won’t be a league game as Sweet Home begins its ValCo League affiliation. The endowment game was designed to be a fund-raiser for OSAA to help cover the additional costs of more state playoff games in the six-district system that was adopted.
This year the OSAA and Sisters will split the proceeds of this additional 10th game on their schedule, and next year Sweet Home will get the half share in its rematch with the Outlaws.
Sisters, ranked among the best in the state, will be a formidable opponent, especially since the Huskies have been bitten by the injury bug early. Having to move up the pre-season training plan a week puts additional pressure on the team, which started two-a-days Monday, Aug. 21.
“We had to change the format of what we normally do,” stated coach Rob Younger. “Instead of working on fundamentals this week, we have to go right in to game preparation.”
The Sisters contest will be the first of six non-league games. Younger has broken down the season into three segments with the first segment being the opening five non-league battles. And they will be battles. As usual, Younger seeks to toughen up the team with a bevy of strong opponents early on. Estacada will be the season home opener, on Friday, Sept. 8, following Sisters.
Stayton, Tillamook, and Seaside wrap up the preseason.
“With the first segment, we’re looking to develop our personnel, find the players who are going to step up, and develop some depth,” said Younger.
The second segment would be the league schedule with a home game against Junction City tucked in. The Huskies’ first league game won’t occur until the first week in October at Newport. Then they will be home against Taft, on the road to Philomath, and home for the final week with a powerful Central squad.
Sweet Home has played all but Philomath in the past four years. Central, which has been to the state semifinals the last two years, and Newport, which has most of its team returning this year after a second place finish in the ValCo last year, look to be the toughest opponents. However, Philomath and Taft are both improving, which means there will be no rest for the Huskies.
Segment three would be the state playoffs, something the Huskies had grown accustomed to in the Capital Conference. Now they will have to prove themselves in the ValCo League.
Offensive Line
Nathan Whitfield, a three year starter and all-district guard, will anchor the offensive line, which Younger thinks will be the backbone of the team in the early season. Whitfield and Zane Wise, a 250-pound starting tackle, will shore up the left side and Kris Schaeffer, another two-year starter, returns as the center. Junior Ben Brewer, also a starter last year, will have to wait a couple of weeks as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury. In his place, 265-pound Casey Topp will step in, but look for additional help from Marcus DeLong, Steven Parker, and Theo Mai, a developing 315-pound first-year junior. Right guard will be shared by Steve Jones and Kelsey Fisher. Nathan Goodwin and Za Ramsey provide capable depth.
After flexing the tight end last year, Josh Riggs, an impressive sophomore, will line up again next to the tackle. He could be a primary target in the passing game. Robbie Wallace and Steven Knapp will also see time at this position.
Receivers
Four seniors have been waiting patiently for their moment to get extended playing time. Adam Hummer and Steve Bergevin have the most experience, but will be pushed by Ridge McKinney, though he is plagued with a foot injury, and Corey Ottre. Add to that group junior Dustin Horn, who worked hard in the off-season and had an outstanding fall camp, and Brandon Nunn, an athletic junior transfer from Irrigon who is getting used to the new system. Younger considers the group to be talented and is waiting to see who rises to the occasion.
“We want to be balanced as much as possible,” said Younger, “not only in run-pass balance but in the passing game itself. Primarily though, we will start with a short passing game and the play-action pass.”
Quarterback
The passing game is in very capable hands with three-year starter Kyle Pettit. How much of the offense will be built around him will depend on how much the running game develops. Pettit brings multiple dimensions: accuracy, long pass capabilities, and the ability to run.
What thrills Younger even more is the depth at quarterback, which will allow the Huskies to use Pettit defensively on occasion. Junior Greg Sipe could start on most other teams and Younger thinks sophomore
Ryan Graville has improved as much as anyone on the team. He would not be afraid to use any of the three.
Running Back
This is the group where questions abound. It didn’t start that way. Skyler Bascom, senior leader and experienced fullback, was set to man that position, but is out for an expected two weeks with an abdominal strain. Tyler Horner was ready to take on the mantle as another in the line of great Husky tailbacks, but broke his wrist on the fourth day of practice and is out six to eight weeks; he had a broken arm last year. Two other fullbacks suffered injuries: Nick Pitts, who will probably return quickly, and Brinden Sanders, who will be out two weeks following a concussion.
That leaves first-year senior Chaz Davis to take up the slack at tailback along with junior Cody Sells. The learning curve will also be accelerated for Trevur Byers, the remaining fullback. Davis looked good in practice but doesn’t have the experience of being hit in competition. Clearly, the Huskies must get healthy quickly.
Younger is looking at the bright side, however.
“With these kids getting the experience, we will be nothing but better when the others return,” he noted.
Defensive Line
This will again be the strength of the Huskies. Whitfield will lead the Huskies at defensive end. However, with the injuries that have affected the linebacking corps the most, he has been given a crash course at a middle linebacker slot as well. In the four-man front, Steven Parker has moved inside, at least temporarily until Brewer returns. Then Parker may switch back to defensive end. Casey Topp will join Parker as the other starting tackle. Two hundred fifty-pound senior tackle Tyrone Perrine will offer depth along with Mai, Wise, and Joe Salvadore.
Robbie Wallace and Josh Riggs will man the other defensive end slot. Fisher, Ramsey, and Goodwin could all see duty as well. In any case, there is enough depth to keep both the offensive and defensive lines fresh.
Linebackers
Injuries have caused the coaching staff to examine this position carefully. Kris Schaeffer will be one of the interior backers, but Bascom was expected to be the other. DeLong has made great strides and could start. Whitfield may fill in along with Pitts and Jones.
On the right side, Horner and McKinney were tentatively one and two. With their injuries, the position is up for grabs. Davis was expected to start as the left outside backer but will now be needed primarily in the offensive backfield. This may be the place for Nunn to step in. This is definitely on a wait-and-see status.
Defensive Backs
This is another question mark. There are good athletes but they are inexperienced at the varsity level, which is why Younger is looking to insert Pettit more into the defensive rotation.
Sells and Hummer will take up the leftside corner slot while Pettit and Bergevin will be on the right side. Greg Sipe will be the starting safety.
Special Teams
Younger said he is confident in both the kicking, punting, and return units. However, the kicking game is under development. Bascom will be the punter if his injury heals properly. In the meantime, Delong will handle those chores. No placekicker has clearly made his mark yet. Horner would probably have handled the kickoff returns. Now, the Huskies will probably look at someone with reliable hands to handle those duties.
Outlook
More than ever, the Husky tradition of leadership must come to the forefront. The first thing the senior leaders must do is help the team deal with the injuries.
“The great thing about Husky leadership in football is that they just watch the classes ahead of them,” Younger stated. “And they just continue to follow that pattern. Our tradition is truly unequaled.”
Younger won’t let them use injuries as an excuse. It will be just an opportunity for some players to acquire experience and learn the mental aspect of the game.
“Physically, we are very capable,” Younger declared. “We need to learn the execution that it takes to be good football player. So it’s just going to take time to get some experience and develop these things.”