Pop Quiz for Aaron Ingram, Churchill's returning all league running back.
GH is Gary Halski
AI is Aaron
GH: What have you done to improve yourself in football this summer?
AI: I've been here [Churchill field and weightroom] every day, working with my teammates. Lifting, running and practicing routes. No camps.
GH: Which player on your team has impressed you over the summer?
AI: Nate Parks, he's our Mike backer. Nate's been here every day. He's a senior. He's been on the scout team his sophomore and junior years. He's really worked hard every day.
GH: Which team do you want to beat most this year?
AI: Willamette. My brother Judah Ingram plays for Willamette.
GH: Who is the meanest coach on the coaching staff?
AI: Coach K and coach Dumar.
GH: What types of music do you listen to on your Ipod or mp3 player.
AI: I don't own one.
GH: Neither does the Willamette player I interviewed. What do you listen to on the radio?
AI: I don't have a radio.
GH: Do you ever listen to anything?
AI: I guess I've listened to rap, but I know you don't like rap and don't believe it is really music.
GH: What is your routine to get pumped up for a game?
AI: I psych myself out during quiet time, then I yell like crazy when quiet time is over.
GH: What is quiet time?
AI: At five o'clock everyone goes into the wrestling room and no one talks - everyone focus's on what they have to do. After quiet time I yell.
GH: What do you yell?
AI: I yell at the players, I yell down the school hall. I just yell.
GH: What kind of meal do you have the night before a game?
AI: A big one. We eat until we can't eat anymore. We eat whatever the mom's prepare for us.
GH: What about lunch on game day?
AI: Whatever the school serves.
GH: What is the best thing to do in the summer around Eugene?
AI: Come to football practice. I look forward to it every day.
GH: What's your favorite place to eat?
AI: Papa's Soul Food Kitchen. It's got the best barbecue in town. I love the vibe there. It's really laid back. I really love the bread pudding. I always have to have it.
GH: What do you consider the ideal place to go on a first date?
AI: Taco Bell, go for a walk, picnic in the park.
GH: What formal restaurant would you take a date to?
AI: Papa's Soul Food Kitchen.
GH: Yikes.
AI: They have great music, nice people, good vibes and are laid back.
GH: I think I'm getting the idea. And you like the bread pudding.
GH: Who is your favorite superhero?
AI: I can't think of one.
GH: Who's your favorite actor?
AI: I can't think of one.
GH: Your favorite character in a movie?
AI: That's easy! The Joker. That would make Heath Ledger my favorite actor. He was great as The Joker and great in another mover. But he's dead now.
GH: I forgot about that.
GH: Thanks for interview.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Churchill - Air Lancer still flying high
I visited coach Mehl at practice Tuesday, a few days after they handled Benson 60-27. I was wondering if he would want to talk to me after I pocket dialed him during the Benson game last Friday. He texted back, "Can't talk now, I'm in class." Fortunately, he was in a talking mood at practice. I had stuck my neck out for Churchill in my annual "Way Too Early MWL Football Prediction" and picked them third in league, even though they lost their qb and their experienced receivers and three all league linemen. After watching Churchill's practice and listening to coach Mehl, I felt much better about my 'Way Too Early Prediction'.
GH: Gary Haliski
DM: Coach Darrel Mehl
GH: How many kids have turned out for football?
DM: We have about 62 kids out for the entire program, including around 13 freshmen.
GH: Offensively, you lost Determan, Savelich, three all league linemen and your quarterback. Who's stepping up and any changes in your offensive scheme?
DM: Colin Smith (6-2, 220) is our only returning starter on the offensive line. But we've got a great line. They've really worked hard in the weight room over the summer. Skyler Phillips (6-3, 315, junior) was injured last year, but attended every practice through the quarterfinals. Will Dawson (6-4, 260, junior) and Isael Huesca (6-3, 215) join those two on the line. We might be putting Gavin Cowles (6-3, 210, junior) at center due to injury.
GH: Looks like your new QB had a great first game. What about your QB and receivers?
DM: Mitch Reese is the QB (6-3, 205, junior). We're really high on him. He's a lefty, tall and is a big kid. He throws the ball and runs really well, so he's perfect for our system. Reese's size and running ability makes him our 'fullback' even though he is our qb. Tyler Molinski (6-3, 205) and Andrew Bennion (5-10, 170, junior) are the wide receivers. Molinski is a track gguy. He's fast and he really hit the weights and has gone from 180 to 205. We return all leaguer Aaron Ingram as a running back. And we've added a great compliment to Ingram with sophomore Tyler Reid (5-9, 165). Reid is quick and shifty. His size is an advantage with our tall, big line; as he can hide behind the blockers as he picks his way upfield. He's only a soph and could develop into something special.
GH: And on defense?
DM: We're really crowded at defensive back. I've got six or seven guys who we put in our punt catching drills. I'm usually lucky if I can find two. They're pretty tough. Peter Estrada (5-10, 170) and Kyle Salisbury (5-10, 175) are at the corners. Bennion and Jake DeZarn (6-0, 185, baseball player) are the safeties. Ingram is our Will linebacker. Weston Lamora (6-2, 190, junior) is also a backer. Pretty much the same guys who are on the O line make up our D line. It's probably the best line I've had in my eight years here.
GH: You ran into a buzzsaw from the old Southern league in the first two games last year. Then you handled everyone else in the MWL, except Marist. Does anything pop into your mind about last year and are you approaching things differently this year?
DM: Last year we played in a jamboree against 4A teams instead of playing a non league game. It was like taking candy from a baby, but it didn't help us much. So this year we scheduled a game. As far as this year, Eagle Point and Ashland are counting games in the MWL this year. That makes the games more serious. As far as Eagle Point. We get to go to their place. They are big and fast, hit hard and tough to tackle.
GH: With all of the new guys, is anyone stepping up in leadership?
DM: Last Thursday we talked about naming captains. We don't have a lot of guys who jump out right now. We have a lot of young leaders, but more the quiet type, who lead by example. We'll learn more about leadership in these next two games as we find out how players react in the heat of the moment.
GH: How is it you keep finding receivers and quarterbacks for Air Lancer? Your offense sure looks like a lot of fun to me. Do you do 7 on 7 tournaments and things like that?
DM: Mosty,the guys lifted like crazy over the summer. We had 25-30 guys who lifted all of the time. We don't spend a lot of time working on passing in the summer or go to a lot of passing tournaments.
GH: Any other comments?
DM: I forgot to mention Josh Han (6-3, 190). He's a soccer player. He put three kickoffs into the endzone last week. That really helps out our defense.
GH: Thanks, coach.
I was intrigued at how coach Mehl had created this year's version of Air Lancer. The new lefty QB, number 15 - by the way, looked sharp in practice. I can see why the coaches are excited about him. But we'll see how Reese does when he has Tyler Holmes from Eagle Point bearing down on him. Eagle Point will be a far tougher opponent than Benson. WR's Molinski and Bennion had good games against Benson. They should maintain the Air Lancer tradition. RB's Ingram and Reid make a nice duo. Ideally for the Lancers, Reid can give a burst of speed to compliment Ingram's hard running. Those big, strong Churchill linemen were pretty aggressive in practice against the tackling dummies. Hopefully, the aggressiveness will increase a level when they face real opponents. All in all, if Churchill can get through the season without many injuries, they should be really good by playoff time.
GH: Gary Haliski
DM: Coach Darrel Mehl
GH: How many kids have turned out for football?
DM: We have about 62 kids out for the entire program, including around 13 freshmen.
GH: Offensively, you lost Determan, Savelich, three all league linemen and your quarterback. Who's stepping up and any changes in your offensive scheme?
DM: Colin Smith (6-2, 220) is our only returning starter on the offensive line. But we've got a great line. They've really worked hard in the weight room over the summer. Skyler Phillips (6-3, 315, junior) was injured last year, but attended every practice through the quarterfinals. Will Dawson (6-4, 260, junior) and Isael Huesca (6-3, 215) join those two on the line. We might be putting Gavin Cowles (6-3, 210, junior) at center due to injury.
GH: Looks like your new QB had a great first game. What about your QB and receivers?
DM: Mitch Reese is the QB (6-3, 205, junior). We're really high on him. He's a lefty, tall and is a big kid. He throws the ball and runs really well, so he's perfect for our system. Reese's size and running ability makes him our 'fullback' even though he is our qb. Tyler Molinski (6-3, 205) and Andrew Bennion (5-10, 170, junior) are the wide receivers. Molinski is a track gguy. He's fast and he really hit the weights and has gone from 180 to 205. We return all leaguer Aaron Ingram as a running back. And we've added a great compliment to Ingram with sophomore Tyler Reid (5-9, 165). Reid is quick and shifty. His size is an advantage with our tall, big line; as he can hide behind the blockers as he picks his way upfield. He's only a soph and could develop into something special.
GH: And on defense?
DM: We're really crowded at defensive back. I've got six or seven guys who we put in our punt catching drills. I'm usually lucky if I can find two. They're pretty tough. Peter Estrada (5-10, 170) and Kyle Salisbury (5-10, 175) are at the corners. Bennion and Jake DeZarn (6-0, 185, baseball player) are the safeties. Ingram is our Will linebacker. Weston Lamora (6-2, 190, junior) is also a backer. Pretty much the same guys who are on the O line make up our D line. It's probably the best line I've had in my eight years here.
GH: You ran into a buzzsaw from the old Southern league in the first two games last year. Then you handled everyone else in the MWL, except Marist. Does anything pop into your mind about last year and are you approaching things differently this year?
DM: Last year we played in a jamboree against 4A teams instead of playing a non league game. It was like taking candy from a baby, but it didn't help us much. So this year we scheduled a game. As far as this year, Eagle Point and Ashland are counting games in the MWL this year. That makes the games more serious. As far as Eagle Point. We get to go to their place. They are big and fast, hit hard and tough to tackle.
GH: With all of the new guys, is anyone stepping up in leadership?
DM: Last Thursday we talked about naming captains. We don't have a lot of guys who jump out right now. We have a lot of young leaders, but more the quiet type, who lead by example. We'll learn more about leadership in these next two games as we find out how players react in the heat of the moment.
GH: How is it you keep finding receivers and quarterbacks for Air Lancer? Your offense sure looks like a lot of fun to me. Do you do 7 on 7 tournaments and things like that?
DM: Mosty,the guys lifted like crazy over the summer. We had 25-30 guys who lifted all of the time. We don't spend a lot of time working on passing in the summer or go to a lot of passing tournaments.
GH: Any other comments?
DM: I forgot to mention Josh Han (6-3, 190). He's a soccer player. He put three kickoffs into the endzone last week. That really helps out our defense.
GH: Thanks, coach.
I was intrigued at how coach Mehl had created this year's version of Air Lancer. The new lefty QB, number 15 - by the way, looked sharp in practice. I can see why the coaches are excited about him. But we'll see how Reese does when he has Tyler Holmes from Eagle Point bearing down on him. Eagle Point will be a far tougher opponent than Benson. WR's Molinski and Bennion had good games against Benson. They should maintain the Air Lancer tradition. RB's Ingram and Reid make a nice duo. Ideally for the Lancers, Reid can give a burst of speed to compliment Ingram's hard running. Those big, strong Churchill linemen were pretty aggressive in practice against the tackling dummies. Hopefully, the aggressiveness will increase a level when they face real opponents. All in all, if Churchill can get through the season without many injuries, they should be really good by playoff time.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
MWL predictions for September 2
I'm going for the sweep. 7-0!
1. Marist over Corvallis. I think there's too much speed on Marist's team, thus preventing Corvallis from scoring enough to take advantage of Marist getting their new Qb in the groove.
2. Eagle Point upset over Mountain View. Eagle Point has been getting closer each year. Game is at Eagle Point. Going to be a great game, as will the Marist game.
3. Churchill over Benson. Duh.
4. Ashland over Klamath Falls. Coach Hall isn't going to try the Pistol formation this year, so the Grizzlies should get off to a good start.
5. Willamette over South Albany. This would be a bit of an upset. But Willamette seems to have a new attitude this year.
6. Marshfield over North Bend in Coos Bay. If the Pirates lose, there may not be anyone to run this website.
7. Springfield over Silverton. Springfield's line needs to come out and destroy Silverton from the get go. If they don't, then the Silver Foxes are likely to take this one.
MWL fan polls are saying Eagle Point, Willamette and Springfield will lose. All three are evenly matched in their first game. All three have new quarterbacks. Each one could go either way. Certainly, a strong showing by any of these three teams is going to show that their hard work over the summer paid off.
You can still vote in the fan polls.
Marist, Eagle Point and Churchill polls (left side)
Willamette, Marshfield, Ashland and Springfield polls
1. Marist over Corvallis. I think there's too much speed on Marist's team, thus preventing Corvallis from scoring enough to take advantage of Marist getting their new Qb in the groove.
2. Eagle Point upset over Mountain View. Eagle Point has been getting closer each year. Game is at Eagle Point. Going to be a great game, as will the Marist game.
3. Churchill over Benson. Duh.
4. Ashland over Klamath Falls. Coach Hall isn't going to try the Pistol formation this year, so the Grizzlies should get off to a good start.
5. Willamette over South Albany. This would be a bit of an upset. But Willamette seems to have a new attitude this year.
6. Marshfield over North Bend in Coos Bay. If the Pirates lose, there may not be anyone to run this website.
7. Springfield over Silverton. Springfield's line needs to come out and destroy Silverton from the get go. If they don't, then the Silver Foxes are likely to take this one.
MWL fan polls are saying Eagle Point, Willamette and Springfield will lose. All three are evenly matched in their first game. All three have new quarterbacks. Each one could go either way. Certainly, a strong showing by any of these three teams is going to show that their hard work over the summer paid off.
You can still vote in the fan polls.
Marist, Eagle Point and Churchill polls (left side)
Willamette, Marshfield, Ashland and Springfield polls
Springfield Hopes on the line.
I almost called some of my central Oregon buddies to tell them to bring in the cattle trucks to rustle a few of the blue ribbon heads of beef on the Springfield practice field and skedaddle back to the Redmond cattle auction. Where did coach Raish get all these guys? The Millers are loaded with a lot of experience on the line and, boy, are they big. If they can move those little hooves quick enough, they just might give their backs enough time to develop into a high scoring machine.
Here’s what I gleaned from my talk with coach Raish.
GH is Gary Haliski
SR is coach Skip Raish
GH: What’s your approximate turnout?
SR: We have 124 total, that includes 44 frosh. We’re carrying 43 on our JV’s.
GH: Who do you have as returning starters or returning with significant playing time?
SR: All leaguer offensive guard Clanton Self (6’ 1”, 295), all leaguer center Isias Giron , all league kicker Ashton Summer. Summer is a junior, he plays soccer. He led the league in field goals last year and made 100% of his PAT’s. John Emerald (6’ 1”, 175) returns as an all league defensive back.
GH: On the field you mentioned you were experienced on the line, and the boys looked pretty big to me. Who is filling in the other O line spots.?
SR: Chase Towlerton (6-2, 295) will be the other guard and has college potential. Junior Bryan Stanwood (6’ 2”, 230) will be at tackle. Jordan Haas (6’ 5”, 240) , a soph, has a slight edge at the other tackle spot. He’s fighting it out with another soph, Hunter Hastings (6’ 4”, 235).
GH: Everyone in the league lost their starting quarterback? All of the coaches are concerned. Have you settled on anyone yet?
SR: We haven’t settled on our starting quarterback for league. It’s a competition between Britton Auxier (6’ 2”, 220) and junior Ty Manilla (6’2 230). Manilla will play a little defensive end. Each of them is going to get two quarters in the Silverton game this Friday.
GH: That looks like a fun offense?
SR: Yes, it’s an awful lot of fun.
GH: I couldn’t keep track of all of the formations. And who were those guys in the backfield?
SR: We’re running the spread. You saw us go with an empty backfield, one back, two backs and even three backs.
GH: Who was the bowling ball back?
SR: That’s called a fullback. That’s Elijah Gelman-Price. He’s 6’ 1”, 280 pounds. He’ll also be playing defensive tackle.
GH: Did I see Price under center?
SR: You did, but we were running the scout team and our quarterbacks were doing another drill. But he could play quarterback if he had to. Another running back will be Dylan Piquette. Also, Jevon Garcia (5’ 10”. 180, a junior.
GH: Is Dylan related to Thurston’s coach Piquette?
SR: Coach Doug Piquette is Dylan’s uncle.
GH: Who are your receivers this year?
SR: We have several seniors, Austin Banks (6’ 1”, 170) and Alistar Jorkan (5’ 8”, 160), as well as Emerald.
GH: Offensively, you lost a lot, including Green, Spikes and Davidson. Fortunately, you have a lot back on the line. How do you feel that will come together?
SR: This is probably the best offensive line I have had in 25 years. They’re strong and smart. And there are a lot of them.
GH: The Millers were a high scoring team last year, but the defense had trouble. Any changes to address that area of opportunity?
SR: We have better athletes up front this year. We have four real fine athletes in Stanwood, Codie Jantze (6’2, 310), Price and Manilla. In the secondary we have Blake Taylor, a transfer from Willamette, at rover. Daysean Price-Clark well be in the secondary.
GH: Is Daysean (5’ 10”, 180) related to Elijah (6’ 1”, 280)? They’re not quite built the same.
SR: They’re cousins. Garcia and Jorkan will be at corners. Looks like Jake King and Ben Ogletree will be at linebacker.
GH: Any outstanding leaders or characteristics of the team that stand out?
SR: I think this is a very good football team. They have all phases of the game covered; we don’t fall off in any phase. I think this group has finally got the football team to turn the corner. This summer we had sixty to eighty kids in the weight room on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then conditioning on Tuesdays and Thursdays. What I really love is the positive attitude. You have to have that. You can have all of the talent in the world, but you have to have a positive attitude. That’s the fun part of coaching these kids. I’m really pleased with this group of athletes. They are always on time. There’s no quarreling, no little hastles. They have a shot at doing some good things. We’ve told them they have to take ownership. We can’t be on the field showing them what to do during a game. They’ve got to do it for themselves.
GH: Anything else?
SR: I think the Midwestern League has always been a fine league. There’s a lot of parity. On any Friday night, anyone can win. The addition of Eagle Point and Ashland has made us a little stronger. The Pac 10 added two and so did we. It made us better. You just can’t overlook anyone. If I had to pick a team to win the league, it would be Marist. It’s Marist until somebody beats them.
That's the end of my discussion with coach Raish.
As I was driving home I was thinking that with all of the unknowns at quarterback throughout the league, it took me six teams to find one who hadn't settled on their starting QB. And it will be the experienced Springfield line that will be buying time for the new Miller QB and running backs to learn their game. I had the sense that the Springfield linemen knew what's on the line for the team, and that all eyes will be on the Springfield linemen. Now that's unusual, putting the pressure on linemen and not the 'skills' guys.. Coach Raish put the line through some 100 yard down and backs. That's not a drill a 300 pound kid wants to be doing. But there they were, lumbering along, like the big beef that they are. And finishing their drills, just like they're going to have to do every Friday if Springfield is going to win. Springfield hopes really are all on the Line.
I'll be tweeting from the Marist - Corvallis game. You can follow the tweets at http://twitter.com/#!/mwlnow
Here’s what I gleaned from my talk with coach Raish.
GH is Gary Haliski
SR is coach Skip Raish
GH: What’s your approximate turnout?
SR: We have 124 total, that includes 44 frosh. We’re carrying 43 on our JV’s.
GH: Who do you have as returning starters or returning with significant playing time?
SR: All leaguer offensive guard Clanton Self (6’ 1”, 295), all leaguer center Isias Giron , all league kicker Ashton Summer. Summer is a junior, he plays soccer. He led the league in field goals last year and made 100% of his PAT’s. John Emerald (6’ 1”, 175) returns as an all league defensive back.
GH: On the field you mentioned you were experienced on the line, and the boys looked pretty big to me. Who is filling in the other O line spots.?
SR: Chase Towlerton (6-2, 295) will be the other guard and has college potential. Junior Bryan Stanwood (6’ 2”, 230) will be at tackle. Jordan Haas (6’ 5”, 240) , a soph, has a slight edge at the other tackle spot. He’s fighting it out with another soph, Hunter Hastings (6’ 4”, 235).
GH: Everyone in the league lost their starting quarterback? All of the coaches are concerned. Have you settled on anyone yet?
SR: We haven’t settled on our starting quarterback for league. It’s a competition between Britton Auxier (6’ 2”, 220) and junior Ty Manilla (6’2 230). Manilla will play a little defensive end. Each of them is going to get two quarters in the Silverton game this Friday.
GH: That looks like a fun offense?
SR: Yes, it’s an awful lot of fun.
GH: I couldn’t keep track of all of the formations. And who were those guys in the backfield?
SR: We’re running the spread. You saw us go with an empty backfield, one back, two backs and even three backs.
GH: Who was the bowling ball back?
SR: That’s called a fullback. That’s Elijah Gelman-Price. He’s 6’ 1”, 280 pounds. He’ll also be playing defensive tackle.
GH: Did I see Price under center?
SR: You did, but we were running the scout team and our quarterbacks were doing another drill. But he could play quarterback if he had to. Another running back will be Dylan Piquette. Also, Jevon Garcia (5’ 10”. 180, a junior.
GH: Is Dylan related to Thurston’s coach Piquette?
SR: Coach Doug Piquette is Dylan’s uncle.
GH: Who are your receivers this year?
SR: We have several seniors, Austin Banks (6’ 1”, 170) and Alistar Jorkan (5’ 8”, 160), as well as Emerald.
GH: Offensively, you lost a lot, including Green, Spikes and Davidson. Fortunately, you have a lot back on the line. How do you feel that will come together?
SR: This is probably the best offensive line I have had in 25 years. They’re strong and smart. And there are a lot of them.
GH: The Millers were a high scoring team last year, but the defense had trouble. Any changes to address that area of opportunity?
SR: We have better athletes up front this year. We have four real fine athletes in Stanwood, Codie Jantze (6’2, 310), Price and Manilla. In the secondary we have Blake Taylor, a transfer from Willamette, at rover. Daysean Price-Clark well be in the secondary.
GH: Is Daysean (5’ 10”, 180) related to Elijah (6’ 1”, 280)? They’re not quite built the same.
SR: They’re cousins. Garcia and Jorkan will be at corners. Looks like Jake King and Ben Ogletree will be at linebacker.
GH: Any outstanding leaders or characteristics of the team that stand out?
SR: I think this is a very good football team. They have all phases of the game covered; we don’t fall off in any phase. I think this group has finally got the football team to turn the corner. This summer we had sixty to eighty kids in the weight room on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then conditioning on Tuesdays and Thursdays. What I really love is the positive attitude. You have to have that. You can have all of the talent in the world, but you have to have a positive attitude. That’s the fun part of coaching these kids. I’m really pleased with this group of athletes. They are always on time. There’s no quarreling, no little hastles. They have a shot at doing some good things. We’ve told them they have to take ownership. We can’t be on the field showing them what to do during a game. They’ve got to do it for themselves.
GH: Anything else?
SR: I think the Midwestern League has always been a fine league. There’s a lot of parity. On any Friday night, anyone can win. The addition of Eagle Point and Ashland has made us a little stronger. The Pac 10 added two and so did we. It made us better. You just can’t overlook anyone. If I had to pick a team to win the league, it would be Marist. It’s Marist until somebody beats them.
That's the end of my discussion with coach Raish.
As I was driving home I was thinking that with all of the unknowns at quarterback throughout the league, it took me six teams to find one who hadn't settled on their starting QB. And it will be the experienced Springfield line that will be buying time for the new Miller QB and running backs to learn their game. I had the sense that the Springfield linemen knew what's on the line for the team, and that all eyes will be on the Springfield linemen. Now that's unusual, putting the pressure on linemen and not the 'skills' guys.. Coach Raish put the line through some 100 yard down and backs. That's not a drill a 300 pound kid wants to be doing. But there they were, lumbering along, like the big beef that they are. And finishing their drills, just like they're going to have to do every Friday if Springfield is going to win. Springfield hopes really are all on the Line.
I'll be tweeting from the Marist - Corvallis game. You can follow the tweets at http://twitter.com/#!/mwlnow
Monday, August 29, 2011
Pop Quiz at Willamette
Pop Quiz with the Wolverines. I started the quiz with Zach Hatefi, but his X-men teammates soon took over.
GH is Gary Haliski
ZH is Zach Hatefi
X-Men are Hatefi's teammates
Zach Hatefi, back row-far right, and his interrupting pest X-men friends.
GH: What have you worked on over the summer to make yourself a better player?
ZH: Tempo, getting the play calls faster.
GH: Who on the team has impressed you most over the summer?
ZH: Austin Black. This is his first year on varsity. He's working hard as a receiver.
GH: Who do you want to beat the most?
ZH Springfield. Blake Taylor transferred from here to Springfield.
[X-men are screaming Marist]
GH: What's your pregame meal?
ZH: Pasta.
X-men: Whatever they serve in the cafeteria.
GH: What music do you have an your Ipod?
ZH: I don't have one.
GH: MP3 player.
ZH: Nope, but I listen to Credence Clearwater.
GH: Anthing else?
ZH: Nope, just Credence:
X-men in total bewilderment: Nothing else?
ZH: Nothing.
GH: Who are your favorite college and/or pro teams?
ZH: Vanderbuilt.
GH AND X-men: VANDERBUILT?
ZH: Yeah, Vanderbuilt
GH: Pro team?
ZH: Seattle
X-men: That's better.
GH: Who is the toughest, meanest football coach at Willamette?
ZH: Chad Carpenter, I think he graduated from Willamette in 2002.
GH: Does he let you date?
ZH: Yeah.
GH: What do you consider a proper first date?
ZH: That's too personal.
X-men to a man: They pay.
GH: Where would you take a date for a formal dinner?
X-men: Taco Bell
GH: Oh, come on.
X-men: Oregon Electric Station.
GH: What meal would you order?
X-men: Filet Mignon.
GH: What's your favorite restaurant to go to when you're not on a date?
X-men: Roaring Rapids.
GH: What is the best thing to do for fun in Eugene in the summer?
X-men: Go to Fern Ridge Lake with the defensive linemen and the ladies.
GH: I think we better be done.
X-men: Don't you want to know about the X-factor?
GH: Nope, we're done.
GH is Gary Haliski
ZH is Zach Hatefi
X-Men are Hatefi's teammates
GH: What have you worked on over the summer to make yourself a better player?
ZH: Tempo, getting the play calls faster.
GH: Who on the team has impressed you most over the summer?
ZH: Austin Black. This is his first year on varsity. He's working hard as a receiver.
GH: Who do you want to beat the most?
ZH Springfield. Blake Taylor transferred from here to Springfield.
[X-men are screaming Marist]
GH: What's your pregame meal?
ZH: Pasta.
X-men: Whatever they serve in the cafeteria.
GH: What music do you have an your Ipod?
ZH: I don't have one.
GH: MP3 player.
ZH: Nope, but I listen to Credence Clearwater.
GH: Anthing else?
ZH: Nope, just Credence:
X-men in total bewilderment: Nothing else?
ZH: Nothing.
GH: Who are your favorite college and/or pro teams?
ZH: Vanderbuilt.
GH AND X-men: VANDERBUILT?
ZH: Yeah, Vanderbuilt
GH: Pro team?
ZH: Seattle
X-men: That's better.
GH: Who is the toughest, meanest football coach at Willamette?
ZH: Chad Carpenter, I think he graduated from Willamette in 2002.
GH: Does he let you date?
ZH: Yeah.
GH: What do you consider a proper first date?
ZH: That's too personal.
X-men to a man: They pay.
GH: Where would you take a date for a formal dinner?
X-men: Taco Bell
GH: Oh, come on.
X-men: Oregon Electric Station.
GH: What meal would you order?
X-men: Filet Mignon.
GH: What's your favorite restaurant to go to when you're not on a date?
X-men: Roaring Rapids.
GH: What is the best thing to do for fun in Eugene in the summer?
X-men: Go to Fern Ridge Lake with the defensive linemen and the ladies.
GH: I think we better be done.
X-men: Don't you want to know about the X-factor?
GH: Nope, we're done.
Will Big Line and New O Translate to Wolverines Wins?
I wasn’t sure what to expect as I walked towards the Willamette weight room. Last season got off to a horrible start when two way first team all leaguer Danny Granillo, a real beast, tore his ACL early in the first league game. What followed was a disappointing Wolverine season record and then their quarterback transferred to Marist. So when I walked through the door, I was surprised when I immediately felt positive excitement in the air. I was also surprised that Willamette had picked up North Eugene’s head coach as offensive coordinator and a Marist assistant coach. On top of that, Jordan Holmes, a two year starter at center for Oregon ran the Willamette weight program over the summer and talked to the players a lot about what it takes to win. I immediately knew something positive was brewing at Willamette.
Here are some questions I threw at Head Coach Dan Fritz and the offensive coordinator, Eric Johannsen.
How many players have turned out?
About 48 in the sophomore through senior level, but we have 36 freshmen.
Who are your returning starters and other key returning players?
Junior Tyler Johnson returns and was a two way all league tackle and linebacker. He was voted team season captain.
What’s a team season captain and isn’t it unusual for a junior to be selected?
We have a captain for the team and we have captains for each position, and yes, it’s unusual for a junior to be selected. Zach Hatefi and Mitch Crownover return as wide receivers. Austin Black will join them and brings some speed to our receiving group. Another junior, Jordan Edres, will also get time at receiver. Sophomore Cam Ferguson, is very elusive and will be returning kicks. Jordan Visarraga will be our tailback with Dante Giles getting playing time.
Everyone in the league lost their quarterback. All of the coaches are concerned about that position. Have you decided on your QB?
Dustin Leber is our quarterback. He was back up quarterback last year and got some playing time in during our playoff game against South Albany. He came in for a series when our starter got hurt.
Willamette got off to a nice start last year offensively, scoring 34 points in the first two games. Then the production fell off until the playoff game. Any changes in store in the scheme or areas of emphasis to address the issue?
Ball security killed us last year. We couldn’t get into any tempo on offense. We’re putting in a new offense, similar to what coach Johannsen ran at North Eugene last year. A spread offense with the inside zone and zone read option. Leber is a good fit at quarterback for this offense. It’s a lot like what the Ducks use. So far, the kids have been really good with the installation of the new offense.
Also, we have good size on the line. Tyler Johnson at left tackle, Drew Clements and Mitch Wilkens at left guard. Lance Henderson is center. Trent Waggoner [baseball player] at right guard and Sam Duncan at right tackle. Bryce York is at tight end and can run out of a fullback position.
Defense has to be a concern this year. You lost Grannillo right off the bat last year, and it seemed like the defense never came together. Plus, the D was on the field a lot because of the turnovers on offense.
Yes, it was a little bit of both. We have a new defensive back coach. Nick McCarthy moved over from Marist to work with our DB’s. I’m [head coach Fritz] stepping back in as defensive coordinator.
Any players close to D-1 or small college ball?
Bryce York, Mitch Crownover and Jordan Visarraga have shots. They’re probably a little undersized or not quite big enough for D-1, but could do well at a smaller college. Watch junior Tyler Johnson. He’s not far away from Granillo (Granillo was a 2 way 1st team all league as a junior) Tyler’s an animal in the weight room. Time will tell.
It seems like Willamette has developed more than your fair share of great receivers, like Michael Calef, Taylor Woodke and Cam Koehler and you’ve got a couple of potentially really good ones this year. Have you just been fortunate that these kids have shown up or does Willamette work a lot at developing wide receivers?
Our wide open offensive tradition goes back many years, long before even Calef. We adjust to our personnel, and the new offensive scheme this year is better suited for Leber, our qb. Also, we do work the receivers a lot after weight workouts.
That was the end of the formal interview. The energy and spirit in the weight room and on the field was really good. The big linemen that coach Fritz talked about were definitely big and looked like they had been hitting the weights. The Willamette visit was a good way to end the week. The Wolverines certainly have the potential to do well in league. Like every other team, they better get their new qb up to speed fast and that will depend an awful lot on the O line. With all the up beat attitudes and the usual football camaraderie on a beautiful day I couldn’t help but think that for a lot of players, they were near the end of their football careers. Coach Fritz hit it on the head when he said, “We’re trying to build good memories. For 45 of these 48 players, they are probably in their last years of football. We want these years to be a good experience.”
I’m going to hit Springfield’s practice Wednesday and that is probably it for practice visits for the year unless I get another invite. Friday, I’ll be off to Corvallis for the Marist game. League games start the next week when I'll be watching my alma matre, Marshfeild, plat at North Eugene.
You might want to sign up for the MWL tweets. I don't tweet a lot, so you won't get bugged too much. I usually post when new blogs go up; and on game nights, I tweet the scores of the game I attend and scores from other games if they are texted to me. Sign up for MWL tweets here Or maybe you're a Facebooker. There is a MWL Facebook page where you can get updates. MWL Facebook page
If you want to text me scores on game nights, my text number is 541-337-1311. If you plan to text, it would be great if you would send me a text sometime during the week. Then I can add you to my contact list, so I know the score is legit.
Here are some questions I threw at Head Coach Dan Fritz and the offensive coordinator, Eric Johannsen.
How many players have turned out?
About 48 in the sophomore through senior level, but we have 36 freshmen.
Who are your returning starters and other key returning players?
Junior Tyler Johnson returns and was a two way all league tackle and linebacker. He was voted team season captain.
What’s a team season captain and isn’t it unusual for a junior to be selected?
We have a captain for the team and we have captains for each position, and yes, it’s unusual for a junior to be selected. Zach Hatefi and Mitch Crownover return as wide receivers. Austin Black will join them and brings some speed to our receiving group. Another junior, Jordan Edres, will also get time at receiver. Sophomore Cam Ferguson, is very elusive and will be returning kicks. Jordan Visarraga will be our tailback with Dante Giles getting playing time.
Everyone in the league lost their quarterback. All of the coaches are concerned about that position. Have you decided on your QB?
Dustin Leber is our quarterback. He was back up quarterback last year and got some playing time in during our playoff game against South Albany. He came in for a series when our starter got hurt.
Ball security killed us last year. We couldn’t get into any tempo on offense. We’re putting in a new offense, similar to what coach Johannsen ran at North Eugene last year. A spread offense with the inside zone and zone read option. Leber is a good fit at quarterback for this offense. It’s a lot like what the Ducks use. So far, the kids have been really good with the installation of the new offense.
Also, we have good size on the line. Tyler Johnson at left tackle, Drew Clements and Mitch Wilkens at left guard. Lance Henderson is center. Trent Waggoner [baseball player] at right guard and Sam Duncan at right tackle. Bryce York is at tight end and can run out of a fullback position.
Defense has to be a concern this year. You lost Grannillo right off the bat last year, and it seemed like the defense never came together. Plus, the D was on the field a lot because of the turnovers on offense.
Yes, it was a little bit of both. We have a new defensive back coach. Nick McCarthy moved over from Marist to work with our DB’s. I’m [head coach Fritz] stepping back in as defensive coordinator.
Any players close to D-1 or small college ball?
Bryce York, Mitch Crownover and Jordan Visarraga have shots. They’re probably a little undersized or not quite big enough for D-1, but could do well at a smaller college. Watch junior Tyler Johnson. He’s not far away from Granillo (Granillo was a 2 way 1st team all league as a junior) Tyler’s an animal in the weight room. Time will tell.
It seems like Willamette has developed more than your fair share of great receivers, like Michael Calef, Taylor Woodke and Cam Koehler and you’ve got a couple of potentially really good ones this year. Have you just been fortunate that these kids have shown up or does Willamette work a lot at developing wide receivers?
Our wide open offensive tradition goes back many years, long before even Calef. We adjust to our personnel, and the new offensive scheme this year is better suited for Leber, our qb. Also, we do work the receivers a lot after weight workouts.
That was the end of the formal interview. The energy and spirit in the weight room and on the field was really good. The big linemen that coach Fritz talked about were definitely big and looked like they had been hitting the weights. The Willamette visit was a good way to end the week. The Wolverines certainly have the potential to do well in league. Like every other team, they better get their new qb up to speed fast and that will depend an awful lot on the O line. With all the up beat attitudes and the usual football camaraderie on a beautiful day I couldn’t help but think that for a lot of players, they were near the end of their football careers. Coach Fritz hit it on the head when he said, “We’re trying to build good memories. For 45 of these 48 players, they are probably in their last years of football. We want these years to be a good experience.”
I’m going to hit Springfield’s practice Wednesday and that is probably it for practice visits for the year unless I get another invite. Friday, I’ll be off to Corvallis for the Marist game. League games start the next week when I'll be watching my alma matre, Marshfeild, plat at North Eugene.
You might want to sign up for the MWL tweets. I don't tweet a lot, so you won't get bugged too much. I usually post when new blogs go up; and on game nights, I tweet the scores of the game I attend and scores from other games if they are texted to me. Sign up for MWL tweets here Or maybe you're a Facebooker. There is a MWL Facebook page where you can get updates. MWL Facebook page
If you want to text me scores on game nights, my text number is 541-337-1311. If you plan to text, it would be great if you would send me a text sometime during the week. Then I can add you to my contact list, so I know the score is legit.
Is it the Season of the Eagles - or is it Eagle season?
My first visit ever to Eagle Point for football was a great one. The temperature was 96 degrees when practice started at 4 PM. It was great baseball weather.
I'm assuming that a lot of the players are outdoorsman and do a little hunting. On the very first exercise, a short warm up jog, one of the assistant coaches yelled out "It's a GRRRRREAT day to be an Eagle!" One of the players yelled out in response, "Not if it's Eagle season." By the time I left at 7:30, I was thinking it just might be a great season to be an Eagle and it'll take a good team to be bag an Eagle.
GH is Gary Haliski
JS is coach Schauffler
GH: How many players have turned out?
JS: About 60 in the sophomore through senior level. About 30 frosh.
GH: Who are your returning starters and other key returning players?
JS: Tyrone Holmes, a two way all leaguer. He has an offer from Washington State. He’s friends with Marist’s Logan Mayes, who went to Washington State. Tyrone has the same physique as Mayes, which makes for a great high school defensive end. Garrett Snow returns as running back and will play linebacker. He’s not going to run away from people, but he’s really tough to bring down. Garrett is also a back up quarterback and one of our linebackers.
GH: Does he play baseball? You know, I"m a baseball guy.
JS: He used to play baseball, but he's been a top 6 javelin thrower in state.
GH: You're killing me. Sounds like a pitcher to me.
JS: Garrett didn't miss any summer workouts and has an offer from Southern Oregon. Zach Reed is a 6' 9" defensive back and will see time as a receiver. A really exciting sophomore is Jorge Quintero. He's really high in football smarts. Brian Strong is at guard. Strong is an interesting story. He was all league last year. He is in an early entry program for the military and won’t be able to join us for the first game. We have eight senior linemen who can play anywhere, and will. Each of them knows two positions. The guys will be fresh and having so many lineman who can play mulitiplie positions helps cover us in case of injuries. Senior Lorne Nesberg is leader of our wide receivers and should have a good year. Junior Kyle Zerger is a really good player. He’ll be playing free safety and wide receiver. It’s his first year starting. A few of other juniors who are looking good are - Johnny Wilkerson, he’s got the potential to start as a receiver - Brandon Wilson is another really good athlete at the defensive back and wide receiver positions - Jakob Combs is backing up Snow at running back.
GH: Who are your linebackers this year?
JS: Snow, Daniel Morgan and Caleb Ash. Ash is more of a strong safegy.
GH: Everyone in the league lost their starting quarterback. Have you settled on one yet?
JS : Daniel Morgan is our quarterback. He's been our backup for two years. Daniel is a great leader. He gets the linemen set up quickly. He’s got a lot of football smarts.
GH: Defense has to be an area of opportunity after last season. The Eagles were able to put up a lot of points on the board, but so were your opponents. Any personnel changes or changes in scheme that should help improve the team?
JS: Our scheme is the same. We were terrible tacklers last year. So we're doing tackling circuits every day. Concentrating on the form of a tackle. And tackling was what we worked on in the off season.
GH: You have a huge home opener with Mountain View. You follow that with home game against the always tough Lancers. Have the players been focusing on those games?
JS: Getting up for Mountain View is easy. They are right up there with Marist and Sherwood as one of the top programs in the state. Two years ago Mountain View scored on the first play of each half and they beat us by two touchdowns. Last year, we lost by two. We're getting closer. Getting up for Churchill is much the same. We know Churchill has good players, a good team, and a good scheme.
GH: How do you like being in the Midwestern League?
JS: We really like it. The down side last year was that seven of our ten games were three or more hours away. But we probably have the toughest league in the state from top to bottom, and that's good. Ashland ended up losing to eventual state champions Sherwood. We lost to state runner-up Marist, who was in our own league, and Churchill made it to the quarterfinals.
That ended the sit down portion of my interview. But as I wandered around the facilities I noticed some great enhancements to practice. The Eagles were videotaping practice, which they share with their players. Plus they had a giant electronic clock which counted down the seconds for each drill and then blasted a big horn for the next drill. I thought I was back in Coos Bay in the 1950’s when there were a million ships and tugs blasting their horns all day long. The ‘Segment Timer’ kept the practice hopping, and I’m sure glad my high school coach didn’t video tape practice – game replays could be quite brutal. Coach Schauffler was proud to point out that Eagle Point has one of the best real grass surfaces of any high school in the state, and it sure looked like it. The boosters were active as could be seen by the parents providing healthy snacks (including a big bowl of fruit!) during the break. Add in TV on Channel 12 for their first game, and a full season on ESPN radio, the first time the Eagles have been on radio for a full season since 1996, and I felt that this program was really reaching for the stars. Here’s what coach Schauffler had to say about his goals for the program:
JS: We play Mountain View right out of the blocks. We really respect their program and think they are in an elite classification of teams with Marist and Sherwood. Our goal is to join that group. They have reached a superior level and they are superior year in and year out. Consistency doesn’t just happen overnight. Everything you’re seeing is to reach our goal.
We have a special senior class. They’re not only good in football, but in all sports. I really feel if this group of seniors is successful throughout the year, they will have a positive impact on all sports at Eagle Point for several years. Their leadership and effort has really helped the younger players. We have a lot of good senior leaders, Garrett Snow, Tyrone Holmes and Zach Reed quickly come to mind. It’s good to have strong leadership in the senior class. Hopefully, they have modeled leadership enough that it won’t fall off.
GH: Tell me about the clock and horn on the practice field.
JS: We call that the segment timer.
GH: The what?
JS: The segment timer.
GH: You’ve got to come up with a better name than that. That’s not too flashy.
JS: I actually got that for myself. I just didn’t feel that I was being efficient with my time. The clock is tied into the schedule I gave you. The software lets you program segments for any amount of time. The system gives you an audible warning as it counts down to zero for a segment and then the horn blows and we’re off to the next drill.
Towards the end of my visit, I followed the varsity over to the game field and went into the home stands to take a final photo. What a site. Mt. McLoughin was in the background and as far as you could see – across the game field, across the huge practice field and onto the baseball field - there were Eagles and Eaglets (midget Eagles dressed in Eagle blue)
It really was a GRRRREAT day to be an Eagle.
PS: It was a long day that started in Ashland at 8:30 and the Eagles still had a lot of practice to go. I headed back to Eugene forgetting to do a pop quiz with any of the Eagles.
I'm assuming that a lot of the players are outdoorsman and do a little hunting. On the very first exercise, a short warm up jog, one of the assistant coaches yelled out "It's a GRRRRREAT day to be an Eagle!" One of the players yelled out in response, "Not if it's Eagle season." By the time I left at 7:30, I was thinking it just might be a great season to be an Eagle and it'll take a good team to be bag an Eagle.
GH is Gary Haliski
JS is coach Schauffler
GH: How many players have turned out?
JS: About 60 in the sophomore through senior level. About 30 frosh.
GH: Who are your returning starters and other key returning players?
JS: Tyrone Holmes, a two way all leaguer. He has an offer from Washington State. He’s friends with Marist’s Logan Mayes, who went to Washington State. Tyrone has the same physique as Mayes, which makes for a great high school defensive end. Garrett Snow returns as running back and will play linebacker. He’s not going to run away from people, but he’s really tough to bring down. Garrett is also a back up quarterback and one of our linebackers.
GH: Does he play baseball? You know, I"m a baseball guy.
JS: He used to play baseball, but he's been a top 6 javelin thrower in state.
GH: You're killing me. Sounds like a pitcher to me.
JS: Garrett didn't miss any summer workouts and has an offer from Southern Oregon. Zach Reed is a 6' 9" defensive back and will see time as a receiver. A really exciting sophomore is Jorge Quintero. He's really high in football smarts. Brian Strong is at guard. Strong is an interesting story. He was all league last year. He is in an early entry program for the military and won’t be able to join us for the first game. We have eight senior linemen who can play anywhere, and will. Each of them knows two positions. The guys will be fresh and having so many lineman who can play mulitiplie positions helps cover us in case of injuries. Senior Lorne Nesberg is leader of our wide receivers and should have a good year. Junior Kyle Zerger is a really good player. He’ll be playing free safety and wide receiver. It’s his first year starting. A few of other juniors who are looking good are - Johnny Wilkerson, he’s got the potential to start as a receiver - Brandon Wilson is another really good athlete at the defensive back and wide receiver positions - Jakob Combs is backing up Snow at running back.
GH: Who are your linebackers this year?
JS: Snow, Daniel Morgan and Caleb Ash. Ash is more of a strong safegy.
GH: Everyone in the league lost their starting quarterback. Have you settled on one yet?
JS : Daniel Morgan is our quarterback. He's been our backup for two years. Daniel is a great leader. He gets the linemen set up quickly. He’s got a lot of football smarts.
GH: Defense has to be an area of opportunity after last season. The Eagles were able to put up a lot of points on the board, but so were your opponents. Any personnel changes or changes in scheme that should help improve the team?
JS: Our scheme is the same. We were terrible tacklers last year. So we're doing tackling circuits every day. Concentrating on the form of a tackle. And tackling was what we worked on in the off season.
GH: You have a huge home opener with Mountain View. You follow that with home game against the always tough Lancers. Have the players been focusing on those games?
JS: Getting up for Mountain View is easy. They are right up there with Marist and Sherwood as one of the top programs in the state. Two years ago Mountain View scored on the first play of each half and they beat us by two touchdowns. Last year, we lost by two. We're getting closer. Getting up for Churchill is much the same. We know Churchill has good players, a good team, and a good scheme.
GH: How do you like being in the Midwestern League?
JS: We really like it. The down side last year was that seven of our ten games were three or more hours away. But we probably have the toughest league in the state from top to bottom, and that's good. Ashland ended up losing to eventual state champions Sherwood. We lost to state runner-up Marist, who was in our own league, and Churchill made it to the quarterfinals.
That ended the sit down portion of my interview. But as I wandered around the facilities I noticed some great enhancements to practice. The Eagles were videotaping practice, which they share with their players. Plus they had a giant electronic clock which counted down the seconds for each drill and then blasted a big horn for the next drill. I thought I was back in Coos Bay in the 1950’s when there were a million ships and tugs blasting their horns all day long. The ‘Segment Timer’ kept the practice hopping, and I’m sure glad my high school coach didn’t video tape practice – game replays could be quite brutal. Coach Schauffler was proud to point out that Eagle Point has one of the best real grass surfaces of any high school in the state, and it sure looked like it. The boosters were active as could be seen by the parents providing healthy snacks (including a big bowl of fruit!) during the break. Add in TV on Channel 12 for their first game, and a full season on ESPN radio, the first time the Eagles have been on radio for a full season since 1996, and I felt that this program was really reaching for the stars. Here’s what coach Schauffler had to say about his goals for the program:
JS: We play Mountain View right out of the blocks. We really respect their program and think they are in an elite classification of teams with Marist and Sherwood. Our goal is to join that group. They have reached a superior level and they are superior year in and year out. Consistency doesn’t just happen overnight. Everything you’re seeing is to reach our goal.
We have a special senior class. They’re not only good in football, but in all sports. I really feel if this group of seniors is successful throughout the year, they will have a positive impact on all sports at Eagle Point for several years. Their leadership and effort has really helped the younger players. We have a lot of good senior leaders, Garrett Snow, Tyrone Holmes and Zach Reed quickly come to mind. It’s good to have strong leadership in the senior class. Hopefully, they have modeled leadership enough that it won’t fall off.
GH: Tell me about the clock and horn on the practice field.
JS: We call that the segment timer.
GH: The what?
JS: The segment timer.
GH: You’ve got to come up with a better name than that. That’s not too flashy.
JS: I actually got that for myself. I just didn’t feel that I was being efficient with my time. The clock is tied into the schedule I gave you. The software lets you program segments for any amount of time. The system gives you an audible warning as it counts down to zero for a segment and then the horn blows and we’re off to the next drill.
Towards the end of my visit, I followed the varsity over to the game field and went into the home stands to take a final photo. What a site. Mt. McLoughin was in the background and as far as you could see – across the game field, across the huge practice field and onto the baseball field - there were Eagles and Eaglets (midget Eagles dressed in Eagle blue)
It really was a GRRRREAT day to be an Eagle.
PS: It was a long day that started in Ashland at 8:30 and the Eagles still had a lot of practice to go. I headed back to Eugene forgetting to do a pop quiz with any of the Eagles.
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