No matter how much turnover occurs each season, the quickness and flexibility of the defensive line and linebackers enable the Bearcats to present multiple fronts to unnerve any type of offense they face.
After their season opener Saturday against North Mason at the Emerald City Kickoff Classic at CenturyLink Field, the Bearcats’ next three opponents feature different offensive looks – spread (Lindbergh), wing-T (Tumwater) and West Coast (Aberdeen).
“We take a lot of pride in that,” Bearcats coach Bob Wollan said. “The kids put a lot of time into it preparing for it.”
This will be the third straight year for a South Sound team to play in the annual Emerald City Kickoff Classic. Capital and Timberline participated in 2009 and ’10, respectively.
Although his defensive line isn’t monstrous, Wollan credits its success to speed, strength and toughness when stopping the run. Levi Taylor and Cody Sanchez were first-team all-Evergreen Conference defensive lineman last season and average 5-foot-9 in height, with Tyler Beesley the biggest lineman (6-foot-3, 260 pounds). But the biggest difference-maker should be the depth of a senior-laden defense that allows as many as six players to rotate within the interior.
The Bearcats, coming off a 9-2 season in which they advanced to the state playoffs for the fourth time in five years, return eight starters (three offense, five defense) from 2010. Senior quarterback Mitch Gueller is back to run the show under center following a superb junior campaign in which he earned first-team all-EvCo honors. He completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,387 yards and 16 touchdowns while leading an offense that scored more than 33 points in six of 11 games.
“I think he has a lot of qualities and abilities that you don’t have from guys very often,” Wollan said, adding that he’s a unique player.
Gueller has a new crop of receivers in Michael Forgione, Alex Cox, Bryan Moon and Max Smith, but Wollan said they have been “better than we expected.”
Seniors Bryce Hanson, Colton Watson and Sanchez will see time in the backfield. Hanson and Sanchez also return as starting linebackers. Senior Andrew White, a modest-sized tight end at 5-foot-8 , will also play strong safety.
Chehalis will compete this season in honor of defensive coordinator Bill Peterson, who was killed in a single-car accident in Lewis County in May. All players will wear helmet stickers with the initials “BP.” Peterson served only one year as the team’s defensive coordinator and assistant coach in boys basketball, but made a big impact on the players. Wollan and Peterson started coaching football together in the 1990s at Rochester. Peterson also served as Pullman’s head football coach from 2006-08 and was Wollan’s defensive coordinator at Pullman when the Greyhounds won the 2A state title in 2005.
“He had a gift for working with kids and our kids loved him,” Wollan said. “He had an ability to connect with kids. It was a giant loss for us.”
Meg Wochnick: 360-754-5473 mwochnick@theolympian.com
Home games in CAPS. All games at 7 p.m. unless noted.
Saturday, Sept. 3: vs. North Mason, 3 p.m. (at CenturyLink Field)
Friday, Sept. 9: LINDBERGH
Friday, Sept. 16: at Tumwater*
Friday, Sept. 23: ABERDEEN*
Friday, Sept. 30: at River Ridge*
Friday, Oct. 7: BLACK HILLS*
Friday, Oct. 14: MARK MORRIS
Friday, Oct. 21: CENTRALIA*
Thursday, Oct. 27: at North Thurston*
* 2A Evergreen Conference game
Meg Wochnick, staff writer
