<< Previous   of   Next >> Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Edmonds-Woodway’s Reid Sullivan takes a hit from a teammate during spring practices at Edmonds-Woodway High School. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Edmonds-Woodway’s Andy Willcock (15) hands off the ball to a teammate during a intra-squad scrimmage.

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CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, News editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

Warriors looking for balance

By David Pan
Enterprise Sports editor

EDMONDS

The Edmonds-Woodway football team will have a different look this fall.

Among the graduating seniors was first-team, all-league running back/linebacker Tony Heard, one of the best players the school has ever produced.

But despite Heard's graduation, the Warriors haven't undergone a total makeover. In fact, some familiar faces are back in the skill positions.

Leading the way is senior-to-be Andy Willcock, a second-team, all-league quarterback. Willcock's experience is a major asset for the Warriors, according to coach John Gradwohl.

"We call a lot of stuff on the line of scrimmage," said Gradwohl, who also is the offensive coordinator. "He has to make a lot of calls. Obviously that experience helps me a lot."

While Willcock won't have Heard to hand the ball to, the Warriors' ground game still should be a potent force.

Senior-to-be Jimmy Spears filled in ably when Heard was sidelined with a leg injury. Spears finished the year with more than 500 yards. He ran for 241 yards and four touchdowns against Lynnwood.

"He's not Tony. He's Jimmy," Gradwohl said. "He'll do his thing. We need to be able to move the ball around. We need to be able to throw the ball more."

Joining Spears in the backfield will be Zach Berg, a transfer from King's, and sophomore-to-be Gus Carstens.

"We've got three running backs we'll be able to go to," Gradwohl said. "I see all three of them playing quite a bit. ... I think our running backs are more than good enough."

Junior fullback Scott Douglas also figures into the mix.

Willcock (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) should have ample opportunity to throw the ball with the return of senior-to-be wide receiver Reid Sullivan, an all-league honorable mention selection, and senior-to-be tight end Grant Arnold.

"We love having a big quarterback," Sullivan said. "He's not scared to throw the ball, which is good. He's willing to let it fly and I'm willing to go get it from him. He's our team leader."

The one area where the Warriors are seeing a big change is on the offensive line where the lone returner is senior-to-be Phoenix Horn.

"We like what we've seen so far," Gradwohl said.

The line holds the key to any team's success, according to Arnold.

"That is the most important part of the game," he said.

Edmonds-Woodway is going to need to have all of the players on the same page, ready to go and knowing that they can count on the guy next to them, Arnold added.

"Everyone's smart," Sullivan said. "Everyone understands what they need to do to get their jobs done. ... The line is the key to football. As of now we've got a great line coming up. Young guys are stepping up."

The Warriors' string of four straight state playoff appearances and back-to-back state semifinal appearances ended last year with an overtime loss to Kentwood in a quad-district playoff game.

"We had pretty high expectations for ourselves," Arnold said. "We'd come off three or four great seasons, so it was definitely a disappointment. It's not where we wanted to be. But we're ready to come out this year and prove we can get farther."

Added Sullivan, "We're all ready to get back out there again. We don't like people doubting us like they do every year."