FOOTBALL 2001

Steve Bloom/The Olympian
Jacob Owens is one of several inexperienced players that Tumwater coach Sid Otton is counting on to produce this year.

Pennington

Myers

Rebuilding Thunderbirds still dangerous

Otton confident new pieces will mesh together

DARRELL ROOT, THE OLYMPIAN

TUMWATER -- Tumwater coach Sid Otton is in an unfamiliar position.

In his 27th year as boss of the Thunderbirds, Otton returns only five starters from last year's team -- two on offense, two on defense plus the placekicker.

"I don't think we've had this many before," Otton said. "We've lost seven on each side, but not nine."

So it would be safe to say the T-Birds will be in a down cycle this year, right?

Wrong. Never underestimate a team coached by Otton and his staff.

"It seems like everything's working out fine," senior defensive end and co-captain Jacob Smith said. "I think this team is the best I've been on.

"It seemed like the other teams I've been on, the classes weren't as unified. This group, it seems like we're brothers."

"We might not have star players every year, but we always get together as a team," halfback Ben Schenk added.

"The coaching staff always makes us a better team. I have no concerns for this season. I'm so confident. It's going to be a great ride."

Of course, it's easy to have confidence in a program that has won four state championships under Otton's guidance.

The only time the T-Birds have short-circuited since 1985 was briefly while adjusting to fewer players when rival Black Hills opened four years ago.

Smith agrees with the thought that this Tumwater team might be tighter than most because of the loss of so many players.

"A team isn't an I thing," he said. "We don't have a lot of stars, so we have to play together to win.

"I haven't seen as many guys work out in the weight room with as much heart and determination as these guys."

Smith pointed out that most of the 15-20 seniors are getting their first and last chance to play significant varsity football, and they want to make the most of it.

"There's not a lot of talent, but there's a lot of desire," he said. "We don't want to disappoint each other.

"We want to win a state championship like teams in the past. I believe seriously that we can."

In addition to Smith and Schenk, the T-Birds return cornerback Scott McConkey, center Colby Shaffer and kicker Jeromy Gardner.

Otton expects them all to play big roles in helping the T-Birds succeed, plus he has several others he is particularly high on.

"On defense, where we need to start, Nick Myers and Riley HansonSmith both are going to be very good linebackers, and Jacob Larson, a big tackle, showed a lot of promise last year," he said.

"On offense, Shaffer is a big kid who will kind of be a coach for the others. They're looking good and getting a lot of reps.

"And we have two really good receivers in Evan Hagan and Travis Pennington," he added. "They are going to help us keep people honest."

Fighting to start at quarterback are senior Matt Reaser and junior Ty Kuehl, both of whom Otton likes a lot.

The coaching staff is busy tinkering with the rest of the machine.

By the way, the time Tumwater had to replace seven starters on each side of the ball was following their state championship year of 1989.

The result? They won a second straight title.

"We had a senior class that was 0-5 as freshmen, but we had a strong junior class right behind them that included the Clarks (Kevin and Keith)," Otton said.

"These seniors, like them, have a real strong junior class right behind them. We are excited and optimistic about this group."

That's not to say the T-Birds are going to beat the world this year. Just don't be surprised if they exceed what's expected of them.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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Tumwater Thunderbirds

-COACH: Sid Otton (27th year).

-2000 RECORD: 10-1.

-RETURNING STARTERS: 5.

-OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE SET: Wing-T; 5-2.

-KEY RETURNERS: Colby Shaffer, C, sr., 6-2, 235; Ben Schenk, RB, jr., 6-1, 190; Scott McConkey, CB, sr., 5-10, 165; Jacob Smith, DE, sr., 5-11, 190; Jeromy Gardner, K., sr., 5-10, 145; Jacob Larson, DT, sr., 6-2, 235.

-WEAKNESSES: Very few starters returning from a team that made it into the state playoffs last year.

-STRENGTHS: A tradition that aides a veteran coaching staff in putting together one highly competitive team after another.

-WHAT TO EXPECT: The normal -- a team that, at minimum, challenges for a trip into the postseason.

Schedule

Fri., Sept. 7 at River Ridge

Fri., Sept. 14 ABERDEEN

Fri., Sept. 21 at Centralia

Fri., Sept. 28 BLACK HILLS

Fri., Oct. 5 at North Thurston

Fri., Oct. 12 TIMBERLINE

Fri., Oct. 19 at Chehalis

Fri., Oct. 26 CASCADE*

Thu., Nov. 1 YELM

*non-league

Home games in CAPITALS.

All games at 7 p.m.