After losing in the 1A state quarterfinals six seasons in a row, King’s coach Jim Shapiro is trying a new tactic the seventh time around.
“This year we have taken the word ‘quarterfinals’ out of our vocabulary,” Shapiro said. “Every coach, every player, we’re talking about the ‘third round.’ District was round one, the first round of state was round two, now we’re in the third round. We don’t use the word ‘quarterfinals’ anymore.”
King’s, a perennially strong team that has a history of making it to the state tournament, has been unable to secure a berth in the semifinals and the accompanying game in the Tacoma Dome.
Shapiro said that he is ready for the Knights’ latest chance.
“Honestly, for me, this is my seventh time here. I’m at total peace with this week,” he said. “The previous six, I probably wasn’t. But it’s a game. The kids are going to compete at a high level. Even the champion of the state tournament will be done in two weeks anyway. That’s only 14 days out. So what’s there really to worry about?”
To make the seventh time the charm, No. 3 King’s is going to have to get past Hoquiam (10-0) in a 1 p.m. “third-round” game on Saturday at Stewart Field in Aberdeen.
Hoquiam, which was ranked fifth in the final Associated Press state 1A poll of the season and has been outscoring opponents by an average score of 36-12, runs the spread offense and reminds Shapiro of another high-flying offense in the state.
“Unlike most teams at this level, they’re four and five wide throwing the ball,” Shapiro said. “I compare them to Washington State, where you’ve got that crazy pirate guy over there doing their thing. They will literally be backed up on their own 1-yard line and they will be five wide throwing the ball. It’s a very different look.
“I think for us, we’re a spread team so we understand the spread, we have personnel that runs the spread. So I think if there’s a team that can hopefully run with them, I think we have the athletes to do it. We’ll find out on Saturday.”
Where: Stewart Field (Aberdeen)
When: 1 p.m., Saturday
Key Players: King’s—Caleb Perry, jr., RB/DB; Jake Welch, sr., WR/DB; Jack McCleod, sr., OL/DL; Duncan Cull, sr., TE/DL; Edmund Sundquist, sr., TE/DL; Cooper Wright, sr., RB/LB; Ryne Badgley, sr., OL/DL; Joe Green, fr., WR/LB; Koa Wilkins, sr., QB/DB. Hoquiam—Gregory Dick, jr., QB/FS; Jerod Steen, jr., WR/FS; Jordan Dayton, fr., WR/DB; Anthony Nash, jr., WR/DB; Sean McAllister, soph., RB/OLB; Tahj Malone, sr., TE/MLB; Ryan Espedal, jr., WR/DB.
Records: King’s 10-1. Hoquiam 10-0.
Twitter: @heraldnetpreps
Herald Pick: King’s
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