Kent Treptow/The Olympian
Linebacker Colin Ellis and the rest of his Black Hills teammates hope an intense conditioning program will limit the injuries that hurt the team last season.

Wolves hope to inflict pain on opponents

DARRELL ROOT, THE OLYMPIAN

TUMWATER -- Black Hills linebacker Colin Ellis took it personally when the Wolves finished 1-8 last year.

Even though injuries were the culprit in undermining a promising Black Hills team, Ellis and his returning teammates decided they were going to take control of the situation.

"It's not going to happen again," Ellis said matter-of-factly. "It's not something we shrugged off and said 'Better luck next time.'

"We want to start a new tradition. This year we are a family, and we are going to win as a family."

One thing the Wolves decided last November was that some of the injuries were tied to a lack of conditioning. So they hit the weight room with a vengeance.

"This season we aren't coming into practice to get into shape," Ellis said. "We're in shape so we can come out and be ready for that first game.

"We're tired of being the nail. We want to be the hammer this year."

Ellis said the key to the Wolves' defense is heart.

"We have a lot of heart and want to stop people and get the ball back to our offense," he said. "Our defensive line is mean, and we have a lot of speed in our backfield."

That backfield, Ellis said, includes Randy Springer "who is really fast" and Eric Sapp "who is 6-foot-5 and pretty fast."

But what really gets Ellis' motor running is the offense, where he gets to lend a hand at fullback for the first time.

"I'm happy to be part of the offense because I have the meanest, strongest, toughest tailback behind me," he said.

"He shows it by how he plays. I feel him on my backside every time I go to block. We've been working on this ever since the last game of last year."

That tailback is Josh Kitzmiller, who tried to play through two sprained ankles last year and ended up hurting other parts of his body.

A healthy Kitzmiller is "one of our best athletes, by far," Ellis said.

A question that needs to be answered is how Scot Anderson will adjust to playing quarterback.

Anderson was a running back last year until he broke his collarbone in the fourth game, the same game last year's quarterback Chase Chiappino was knocked out with a torn knee ligament.

Anderson played quarterback as a freshman and says he's ready.

"I haven't played quarterback at a high level yet, and there's pressure, but there are a lot of players to step up and help out," Anderson said.

"We had a great camp, and I feel fully comfortable. I think we're capable of beating any team."

Coach Jack Zilla is confident enough in Anderson that he isn't even tempted to toss in a couple option plays to take advantage of his halfback background.

"Scot can throw the ball, and we're going to throw the ball a ton," Zilla said.

"We're trying to improve the run, but we're not an option team. We throw the ball."

The Wolves will find out quickly how much they'll be able to accomplish.

They face North Thurston, Timberline, Chehalis and Tumwater -- the three teams that made it into the postseason last year, and a team that almost made it -- in their first four games.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Zilla said. "You just line up and play as hard as you can."

"We've been talking about North Thurston for a long time," Ellis added.

"We're in shape and ready for that first game."

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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Black Hills Wolves

-COACH: Jack Zilla (4th year).

-2000 RECORD: 1-8.

All games at 7 p.m.