Former T-bird Somnis builds solid program

It's been 14 years since Mike Somnis was an all-league tackle for Tumwater High School's playoff football team.

But those days of playing for coach Sid Otton helped shape Somnis’ future.

On Saturday, Somnis will be an assistant coach for the East squad for Oregon’s East-West Shrine All-Star Game.

“Coach Otton had a huge influence on my life,” said Somnis said. “He’s a tremendous coach.”

In Somnis’ first year at Sherman High School, he took over a team that had won two games the season before and finished 8-3, reaching the Class 1A state quarterfinals.

Prior to moving to Moro, a small farming town 20 miles east of The Dalles along the Columbia River, Somnis was as a football assistant at Othello High School for Roger Hoell.

“I’ve played for and coached with two of the best coaches Washington has to offer,” Somnis said. “It helped in building a program.”

Somnis is also the boys varsity basketball coach, teaches P.E. and is the school’s athletic director.

Somnis will have one player in the game, senior linebacker James Stroud.

“This is something he’ll never forget,” Somnis said. “It’s a great honor and it’s a lot of fun.”

Gail Wood: 360-754-5443 gwood@theolympian.com