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Tumwater Thunderbirds
Head coach: Sid Otton (37th season)
Last season: 12-1 overall, won the 2A state title
Offense: Wing-T
Defense: 4-3
Number of returning starters: 7 offense, 5 defense
Top players: QB Daniel Hinkle, sr., 5-10, 170; HB/LB Ronnie Hastie, sr., 5-11, 185; FB Peyton Olson, sr., 5-8, 150; TE/DE Zach Wimberly, 6-3, 235; OT Josh Hanson, sr., 6-7, 240; OG Tyler Burbidge, sr., 5-10, 195; LB Riley Prentice, sr., 5-10, 175; C Taylor Stephens, sr., 6-2, 245; NT Jaimie Bryant, jr., 6-5, 270; DB Riston Andrews, sr., 6-1, 190; OG Hunter Burbidge, sr., 5-11, 195; P Brennan Hinkle, sr., 5-10, 180.
Strengths: Size, experienced senior class.
Weakensses: Depth at certain positions.
Outlook: Last season’s 34-14 victory over Archbishop Murphy in the 2A state title game gave Tumwater its fifth state championship in school history. The last time Tumwater won back-to-back state titles came in 1989 and ’90. Coach Sid Otton says a big strength is his senior class. "We need to use our experience to get off to a strong start," Otton said. All but one returning starter is a senior, led by QB Daniel Hinkle (1,400 yards, 23 TDs in 2010) with 10 returnees having earned all-EvCo honors. The backfield will be led by Ronnie Hastie (918 yards, 10 TDs) and Peyton Olson (444 yards). Tumwater will have its 50th anniversary game against Chehalis on Sept. 16, celebrating 50 years since the high school first opened (1961). The T-Birds have a favorable schedule with six games at Tumwater District Stadium. Tumwater will be the road team in the annual Pioneer Bowl Oct. 21.
Tumwater’s schedule
Home games in CAPS. All games at 7 p.m. unless noted.
* 2A Evergreen Conference game
** School’s 50th anniversary (1961-2011) celebration game
Friday, Sept. 2 – OLYMPIA
Friday, Sept. 9 – at Yelm
Friday, Sept. 16 – CHEHALIS*
Friday, Sept. 23 – at North Thurston*
Friday, Sept. 30 – CENTENNIAL SECONDARY SCHOOL (Coquitlam, B.C.)**
Friday, Oct. 7 – CENTRALIA*
Friday, Oct. 14 – at River Ridge*
Friday, Oct. 21 – at Black Hills*
Friday, Oct. 28 – ABERDEEN*
Previous team capsules
-- Olympia
-- Shelton
-- Capital
-- Timberline
-- Yelm
