After a whirlwind playoff season, Tornados hope early schedule challenges lead to title contention
Jacob Dimond is one of a dozen key Yelm High School seniors looking to build on last season’s playoff run, the first for Tornado football in 11 years.
“I’ve been counting down the days since we lost to Bethel (32-22 in the first round) to get back on the field and start on another playoff run,” said Dimond, a second-team All-3A South Sound Conference tackle a year ago.
Dimond and his teammates had to wait at least one more day to feel grass under their cleats. With smoke from distant wild fires hanging over Thurston County, Yelm’s initial practice on Wednesday was moved indoors.
Tornado coaches and players recognize the 2018 season presents a window of opportunity after a 5-2 SSC record last season and a close playoff loss that occurred with stellar quarterback Kyle Robinson sidelined with a broken ankle.
“We coaches need to challenge the kids,” said head coach Jason Ronquillo. “They need to be confident, not cocky. Everything revolves around good practices. We have to think ahead, use drills that have meaning.”
Ronquillo carried that philosophy through to scheduling, putting 4A Skyview and 2A state runner-up Tumwater in front of his team before league play begins.
“You learn more from failure than success,” he said. “Opponents like that give you an idea where your weaknesses are. If you only play teams you can easily beat, you don’t learn nearly as much.”
Derrick Platt, a returning first team Olympian All-Area linebacker who totaled 106 tackles, agrees.
“A schedule like that shows us how to deal with adversity and what we need to do to get better, so we’re not finding out our faults when we’re playing league teams,” he said.
Yelm’s SSC schedule is favorable. They don’t meet powers Peninsula and Timberline until weeks seven and nine, both at home.
If Robinson, who passed for 1,901 yards and 14 touchdowns before his week eight injury in 2017, is fully recovered, the Tornados may have enough firepower to contend with any team at any point in the season.
Yelm’s offensive line, featuring returning tackles Dimond and Bradley Mcgannon, along with senior center Doug Thompson, should provide pass protection. Both Robinson and Ronquillo couldn’t be happier with the Tornado receivers.
“Kodee Gifford is probably the best receiver in the league, and the guys behind him don’t fall off much,” Robinson, first team All-Area at quarterback, said. “We’ve got guys who go up for the ball and are really fast. I think our receiving corps is the best in the league.”
Said Ronquillo, “Kodee’s got soft hands. He’s been working on increasing his top speed.”
Austen Osso also drew praise from his coach.
“He’s such a physical, high energy receiver,” Ronquillo said. “He’s 5-foot-11,185 pounds and fights for every ball. Once he catches it, he’s good at making people miss with his first move.”
Ronquillo calls Platt “a league Defensive Player of the Year candidate.” He’s joined on that side of the ball by a strong group of backs including Gifford, Steven Reyes and Carson Amendt, and a veteran line.
“The team leadership this year is phenomenal,” said Platt, also last year’s state 3A wrestling champion at 182 pounds.
“We’ve got a lot of leaders stepping up with a bunch of different leadership styles. We’ll be able to work together and hopefully win a league title and ultimately play under the (Tacoma) Dome.”
This story was originally published August 15, 2018 at 6:50 PM.