2012 Football Preview: River Ridge and Elma

River Ridge: Hawks poised to take off
Elma: Eagles change focus to up-tempo strategy

RIVER RIDGE HAWKS
Coach: Steve Schultz, 10th year
2011 record: 3-6, 6th in league.
Offense: Coordinator (set) – Steve Schultz (zone read).
Returning starters – 8.
Top players – WR Wesley Coats, 6-0, 170, sr.; OL Theo Cobb, 6-0, 200, sr.; OL Rayne Lemaster, 6-3, 220, sr.; QB Colby Schultz, 5-7, 145, sr.; RB/WR Brad Wallace, 6-0, 175, sr.
Defense: Coordinators (set) – Chad Arko, Jerry Madrid (3-5).
Returning starters – 7.
Top players -DL Vaughn Berg, 5-11, 220, jr.; LB Elijah Camacho, 5-6, 165, jr.; LB Jonathan Lazik, 5-9, 200, jr.; LB Matthew Tucker, 6-0, 205, sr.
Outlook: With a renovated locker room and new helmets and uniforms comes a renewed positive vibe. And Schultz is also discarding his old offense – the spread – and going to something that will create more big plays in the running game. Wallace totaled more than 2,500 all-purpose yards the past two seasons.

2012 River Ridge Football Schedule
Home games in CAPS. All games at 7 p.m.
* 2A Evergreen Conference game
Friday, Aug. 31: at Timberline
Friday, Sept. 7: SEQUIM
Friday, Sept. 14: RIDGEFIELD
Friday, Sept. 21: at Hockinson
Friday, Sept. 28: BLACK HILLS *
Friday, Oct. 5: at Centralia *
Friday, Oct. 12: at W.F. West *
Thursday, Oct. 18: TUMWATER *
Friday, Oct. 26: at Capital *

ELMA EAGLES
Coach: Jim Hill, 18th year
2011 record: 4-5, 4th in league.
Offense: Coordinator (set) – Jim Hill (spread).
Returning starters – 9.
Top players – WR Erick Atkins, 6-1, 190, sr.; OL Austin Black, 5-11, 180, sr.; RB Brian Magler, 5-8, 170, sr.; RB Layne Sutten, 6-2, 175, sr.; QB Todd Swinhart, 5-8, 150, jr.; OL Joe Wilson, 6-4, 230, soph.
Defense: Coordinator (set) – Ron Clark (4-3).
Returning starters – 8.
Top players – DL Austin Black, 5-11, 180, sr.; LB Ricky Escalante, 5-8, 190, jr.; DB Brian Magler, 5-8, 170, sr.; DB Layne Sutten, 6-2, 175, sr.; DB Todd Swinhart, 5-8, 150, jr.; DL Joe Wilson, 6-4, 230, soph.
Outlook: The state-playoff dry spell has reached six seasons. That is saying a lot about one of the premier small-school programs in the 1990s, which advanced to nine consecutive postseasons (1997-2005). And maybe the biggest offseason development was Hill bringing back Clark – who resigned at Aberdeen – as an assistant.

2012 Elma Football Schedule Home games in CAPS All games at 7 p.m.
* Southwest Washington 1A Evergreen game
Friday, Aug. 31: HOCKINSON
Friday, Sept. 7: at Eatonville
Friday, Sept. 14: at Tenino *
Friday, Sept. 21: RAINIER *
Friday, Sept. 28: at Rochester *
Friday, Oct. 5: HOQUIAM *
Friday, Oct. 12: at Ilwaco
Friday, Oct. 19: at Forks *
Friday, Oct. 26: MONTESANO *