Shelton football knows it faces a long climb to top of 3A SSC
Mike Speaks is in it for the long haul.
A former Shelton High School football player, he takes over as the Highclimbers’ coach after a winless league season in 2017. The losses weren’t close. A 12-7 crossover win in Week 10, over another 1-9 team in Mount Tahoma, was Shelton’s only victory.
Speaks knows the competition in the Class 3A South Sound Conference, which includes perennial state-playoff teams like Timberline and Peninsula, won’t get easier anytime soon.
“It’s about building our youth programs and getting our numbers back up,” said Speaks, who assisted longtime coach Matt Hinkle before taking over in the spring. “We’re looking at more than 75 kids out here. That’s a big deal.”
A 1989 Shelton graduate, Speaks played for two-time state championship winning coach Jack Stark, who recently had the Climbers’ stadium renamed in his honor. Speaks is bringing back a helmet logo from the Stark era, a red ‘S’ overlaid on a white evergreen tree.
“You’ve got to make it fun, something people in the community want to be part of,” Speaks said. “Getting kids excited about football is step No. 1.”
The current Shelton seniors have traveled a difficult road. Although the Climbers had a winning record in 2015 at 6-4, they’ve won just four games since. While championships may be something for future squads to accomplish, the 2018 team sees a chance to set the tone.
Senior running back Jason Kenyon, who averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season, feels a responsibility to the underclassmen.
“We’ve got to keep the young guys under us motivated,” he said. “We have a big senior class, but the younger guys are going to be a big part of our offense and defense. We’ve got to show them we’re there for them when they need us.”
His teammates echo Speaks’ desire to reach players yet to reach high school.
“Starting a legacy would be something to be proud of,” lineman Ammon Anderson said. “We want to be the team that sets the example for everyone else to follow.”
Anthony Boren, a senior receiver who averaged 16 yards per catch in 2017, doubles as a certified coach in the Shelton youth program.
“I try to show kids they need to work hard throughout their football careers so that football at Shelton never dies down and everyone stays hyped up and ready to play,” he said.
The Climbers return a pair of promising running backs, in addition to Kenyon, in senior Troy Goodwin (5.5 yards per carry a year ago) and junior Josiah Olels (4.4). Tight end Trevor Meier brings good size at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds. Overall, Shelton will have five returnees on each side of the ball.
“We’ve also got quite a few newcomers we’re excited about,” Speaks said, pointing to sophomore quarterback candidate Skyler Cook, junior receiver Zack Jonker — a 6-3 baseball player in his first season of football — and 6-4, 260 tackle Kyle McGregor, who started as a freshman a year ago.
“You’re going to be hearing quite a bit about McGregor in the future,” Speaks said.
As for the present, Shelton’s players have a positive outlook.
“We’re building a good bond day by day and when we’re a true unit it’s going to be really good,” Meier said.
As for Speaks, he’s eager to take the first of many steps to lift Shelton into title contention.
“It’s truly an honor and a privilege, looking back on growing up in this town and playing for Coach Stark,” he said. “We have a saying: Once a Climber always a Climber.’”