EVERETT — As the Washington Wolfpack Arena Football League team prepares for its first-ever game, the new Everett-based team may already lead the league in confidence.
The Wolfpack, who face the Oregon Black Bears 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Salem, Ore., enter their inaugural game carrying lofty goals.
“We’re going down there to smack them in the face,” Washington head coach JR Wells said. “There ain’t no question about that. We’re going down there to beat the brakes off of them, and let them know that they don’t belong on the same field as us.”
The Wolfpack, who play their first home game on Sunday, May 5 at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, are one of 16 teams in the most recent edition of the AFL. Everett has been home to three other arena football league teams since 2005. The game features different rules than the NFL — most noticeably eight players per team at a time on a smaller field, which is bordered by a wall.
The Black Bears edged Washington recently in a scrimmage, but Wolfpack receiver and Lynnwood High School graduate Tanner Fahey expects a much different result on Saturday.
“I think we’re gonna whoop ‘em,” Fahey said. “We’ve got a lot of scheme that we have not shown them, and we’re coming out to play.”
Washington features players of varied backgrounds, ages and levels of football, including Austin Joyner, a former Marysville Pilchuck High School star and two-time Herald Offensive Player of the Year. Joyner, who signed with the Wolfpack after stints with two teams in the CFL, logged many miles for those opportunities before signing with the Wolfpack.
“Any chance you get to play football, you’ve got to love it,” said Joyner, who played defensive back at the University of Washington before concussions forced him out of the game for nearly two years. “It’s nice being local as well, not having to go too far for a great opportunity.”
Fahey, a former All-Wesco receiver, saw his college opportunities thin considerably after a serious knee injury during his junior season of high school in 2019. He took his one remaining offer to play and headed off to Valley City State University in North Dakota before playing on Wells’ semi-pro team in Everett. He’s enjoyed learning the different type of game, and believes fans will like what they see.
“It’s super exciting, fast-paced and hard-hitting, “Fahey said. “A little different with the smaller field, but we’re all getting used to it.”
Washington’s Caleb Brown expects to play both offense and defense — often referred to as an Ironman. He has not played in an official game since his final snap at Idaho State University in 2019. Though he believes in the team’s talent, he and many on the squad feel that the Wolfpack culture will lead to victories.
“We jell, and we all care about each other,” Brown said. “It’s great to have athletes, but when adversity hits I think we come together better as a team.”
Wells, who also cited Washington’s culture, is quick to correct anyone who refers to the team’s preparation as “practice.”
“Musicians practice,” Wells said. “We train, and we are training for Operation Championship.”
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