Surprising Centralia Tigers positioned for postseason push behind productive backfield tandem
Centralia High School football is trending.
The Tigers finished 2-7 in 2018 and lost their 2A Evergreen Conference opener at Aberdeen this season, 46-30. But back-to-back wins over defending champion Black Hills and Rochester changed Centralia’s image.
Taking a 5-2 overall record into Friday night’s Swamp Cup rivalry game at eighth-ranked W.F. West, the Tigers are tied with the Bearcats for second place. A win over W.F. West would make next week’s season finale at home against top-ranked Tumwater a de facto league championship game.
Media requests for interviews with third-year coach Jeremy Thibault and his players have increased.
“We’re 5-2, so everyone wants to talk to us, but we’re not doing anything that special or different,” Thibault said. “The kids are playing harder; they’re receptive to what we’re teaching them. We haven’t made the mistakes we’ve made in the past.”
Tiger players point to increased confidence and togetherness.
“This year, we think we can win games more than we did last year,” said junior fullback Braidyn Hoyt.
“We have more of a connection with each other than in the past,” said sophomore tailback Chase Sobolesky-Reynolds.
Meeting the EvCo’s two ranked teams to close the season is an opportunity, but also an enormous challenge.
With both W.F. West quarterback Josiah Johnson and leading rusher Jaiyden Camoza expected to miss Friday night’s game after suffering injuries in the Bearcats’ 34-0 loss to Tumwater last week, Thibault has both confidence and empathy.
“I like our chances against Chehalis (W.F. West). Our kids are primed and ready,” he said. “But I feel horrible for those two guys; it would awful to be a senior and miss the Swamp Cup.”
Tumwater, as each of seven opponents this season have discovered, is on another level.
“Tumwater is Tumwater. Everything has to go perfect to beat them,” Thibault said.
What’s already gone near perfectly for the Tigers is a pair of position changes, leaving them with a potent running attack. Though junior quarterback Cameron Erickson has passed for 726 yards and 14 touchdowns, including four to tight end Alejandro Valencia, two slender running threats have caused opponents the most headaches.
Sobolesky-Reynolds, a 5-foot-10, 165-pounder, has gained 852 yards on 85 carries, scoring seven touchdowns. He’s caught eight passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Soboloesky-Reynolds was the quarterback for Centralia’s freshman team last season but was in a battle with fellow soph Ephraim Halseth for the starting tailback position during preseason practices.
“True story, we flipped a coin to see who would start week one between he and Ephraim,” Thibault said. “We’ve never looked back. Chase has really good vision. He’s quick and can run away from people.”
Hoyt agreed.
“Chase is really fast when he gets around the side. No one can catch him,” he said.
Sobolesky-Reynolds said the position change didn’t faze him since he had played running back in the eighth grade.
Hoyt played wingback in 2018, but Thibault saw him as the Tigers’ fullback of the future.
“My staff thought I was crazy because he’s not the biggest kid, he’s not the fastest kid or the strongest kid, but he’s got a little wiggle to him and sees the field really well. He’s averaging six yards per carry, and I’ll take that any day of the week,” said Thibault.
Hoyt has totaled 673 yards and seven touchdowns on 112 carries.
“Braidy pushes himself, even when he’s injured,” said Sobolesky-Reynolds. “He’s not selfish. He’s an all-around amazing player.”
Hoyt welcomed the switch to fullback.
“I knew I’d get the ball more,” he said.
Whether the Tigers finish the regular season 7-2 or 5-4, Thibault knows what the focus needs to be. Getting more of the athletic kids at Centralia out for the team and having individuals get stronger.
“We’ve got kids walking the halls who should be on the team,” he said.
“We need to lift lots of weights if we’re going to compete with the likes of Chehalis and Tumwater and Black Hills on a year to year basis,” he said. “We’re getting a new weight room. That will be an important part of our future.”
This story was originally published October 25, 2019 at 6:00 AM.