WF West offense nearly has Bearcats ranked in state 2A poll

A no-huddle offense is designed to disrupt defenses, limiting situational substitutions and forcing hurried formations.

But when a team is new to running a no-huddle scheme, there can be just as much havoc on the offensive side of the ball. When Dan Hill took over as head coach at W.F. West High School last fall, he installed a single-back offense and required the players to look for instructions between no-huddle snaps.

The Bearcats did OK. They opened with a dramatic comeback home win over River Ridge, finishing 5-5 with their final loss a district playoff defeat to eventual 2A state champion Hockinson.

But with a new starting quarterback, then junior Josiah Johnson, hurrying to run an unfamiliar offense every down, W.F. West had room for improvement.

“It was a lot to learn, it took a while,” said Johnson.

“When it’s all no-huddle and you’re looking to the sidelines between every play, it can be confusing,” said senior running back Jayden Camoza.

Hill saw growth from week-to-week during the 2018 season.

“Our offense was three or four times better by the Hockinson game than it was at the start,” he said.

So far in 2019, the undefeated Bearcats’ attack shows no signs it has stopped improving.

W.F. West (3-0) received votes in this week’s statewide Associated Press 2A poll, effectively being ranked eleventh thanks in large part to an offense that’s scoring 42.3 points per game and 331 yards per game.

“We’ve got a lot of experience within the system now, a lot of confidence in it,” Hill said.

“We’ve figured it all out. We run it more effectively,” said Camoza, who has rushed for 431 yards, averaging 7.8 yards per carry, and has scored three touchdowns.

“Jayden’s been incredible,” said Hill. “He runs the ball very hard. He’s slashy, he’s pinbally, he’s hard to take down on first contact. There aren’t many like him.”

Johnson is the only other Bearcat with more than five carries. He’s totaled 132 yards and four touchdowns.

“We had a lot of skill guys return and our linemen put the work in the weight room during the off-season,” said Hill.

He points to senior center Luke Bennett, who also starts on defense, and right guard Trent Peters, a 6-foot-1, 245-pound senior, as leaders upfront.

“Luke does a phenomenal job of communicating our pass protections. Trent has been a workhorse,” said Hill.

“They’re the best line our school’s had in a long time,” said Camoza, who points to Bennett and Peters as being in the thick of a group of senior leaders on the team. “They don’t make mistakes.”

Johnson has completed 22 of 47 passes for 391 yards and eight touchdowns with Max Taylor and Leandre Gaines the top receivers.

“Max is really, really fast, he makes me look good,” Johnson said. “Leandre’s tall (6-2) and has great hands.”

It was a Johnson-to-Grimes touchdown pass that broke open the Bearcats’ win over River Ridge last August and got the Hill era off to a resounding start. Johnson has made sure his quarterbacking toolkit has expanded since then.

“He’s always studying film, working to gain a better understanding of what we’re trying to do. He’s a sponge, always asking questions,” said Hill, who credits Johnson with one of those unteachable intangibles that often are the reason one athlete stands out over others. “He’s got a natural ability to avoid contact and make throws.”

Camoza, who is being recruited by FCS schools such as Eastern Washington, Idaho State and Portland State, agrees.

“Josiah’s smart. He’s got a savvy for the game,” he said.

W.F. West’s roster holds another key to success: the Bearcats have 18 seniors, including Johnson, Camoza, Bennett and Peters.

“It’s second-to-none to have great senior leadership. We’ve got a good-sized class. Each one has a role. It’s great to have your best football players be seniors,” Hill said.

W.F. West still faces a huge obstacle, one they haven’t surmounted since 2009: The Tumwater Thunderbirds, currently ranked first statewide in the AP poll. The Bearcats haven’t beaten the T-Birds since almost exactly 10 years ago when a 34-14 victory helped W.F. West gain a 2A Evergreen Conference title.

This season the teams will meet during Week 7 in a game that would appear to be as critical as any on the 2A EvCo docket in terms of deciding the league championship.

“We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing: getting better every game,” said Hill.

“We can’t make any mistakes against them,” said Johnson, who may opt to play baseball in college. “They’re always strong and they have a lot of great backs.”

This story was originally published September 27, 2019 at 6:00 AM.