Brothers in arms

Technically, just four core members of the Edmonds-Woodway High School football team’s defense are brothers. But the Warriors said they all share a competitive passion that’s typical of closely bonded, battle-hardened siblings.

“We’ve kind of combined and grown into more of a family on defense,” said senior cornerback Zach Houvener, who has played alongside many of his Edmonds-Woodway teammates on various teams since he was in fourth grade.

This family of Warriors – which includes real brothers Josh and Tony Heard, and Nick and Mose Fuga – is hungry. Pity ball carriers who stand in their way.

Today, the task belongs to the Bothell Cougars (11-1), who play E-W (12-0) in a Class 4A state semifinal game at 7 p.m. at the Tacoma Dome.

While E-W’s high-powered offense attracts loads of attention, the defense has stepped up time after time. The Warriors boast five All-Wesco South first team defenders: Houvener, linebacker Dayne Richards, defensive ends John Keeten and Casey Hamlett, and defensive back Kyle McCartney (also the team’s quarterback).

No other South division team had more than three defensive first-team selections, a fact that helps convey the all-around strength of E-W’s defense.

“Our defense is kind of a swarm defense. Everybody runs to the ball as hard as they can,” said Houvener, who leads the team with seven interceptions and also had seven last year.

“Our motto is, ‘Throw another log on the fire,” said Richards, a senior whose 55 total tackles leads the team. “One person does a good job and the rest of them follow.”

E-W’s defensive inferno has scorched opponents. The Warriors have allowed more than seven points in a game only once in their past 10 contests. They shut out Mount Tahoma in a quad-district playoff game and limited Woodinville to three points in a quarterfinal victory on Nov. 18.

“We really preach team defense and swarming the ball … and they totally bought into it,” said E-W coach John Gradwohl, whose defense has yielded just 160.5 yards per outing (81.5 passing and 79 rushing).

“Sure, they enjoy making tackles,” Gradwohl said, “but they also enjoy seeing their teammates make plays, too.”

That’s certainly the case for Keeten, a weak-side end who has a team-high 5.5 sacks and is No. 2 with 48 total tackles (43 solo). Keeten, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior, said Houvener (5-9, 165) “throws it all out there. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’ll be the first one to just throw himself in there and make a big play no matter what.”

“(I) watch him make a big hit and that just makes me get all riled up,” Keeten said. “I just (love) it when the defensive backs (make) big hits.”

E-W hopes to make all the key stops against Bothell, a resilient team that outlasted Pasco in the quarterfinals for a 43-40, nine-overtime victory.

“We gotta really play hard because (Bothell’s) not gonna give up,” Keeten said. “Obviously, they won in nine overtimes so we gotta practice real hard and be really mentally ready.”

E-W juiced up its mental toughness earlier this month after a close call against Curtis. The Warriors found themselves in strange territory when Curtis zipped to a 17-0 lead in a first-round playoff game. Things looked bad for E-W, but it didn’t crumble.

“We kind of took a hit,” Richards said, “and we were like, ‘We gotta step up.’ There were some key players that stepped up and it (spread) throughout our team.”

E-W roared back and went on to earn a 41-38 triumph. With a little more than one minute to go, defensive tackle Quinton Harris forced a fumble, recovered by Tony Heard, to set up the winning touchdown.

“We have that strong offense,” Houvener said, “so if the defense gets the ball back into the offense’s hands, we’re doing pretty good.”

It’s been a successful formula all season for E-W. Tonight the Warriors will try to repeat it against Bothell.

Clearly, no one in the E-W family wants the ride to end.

“We’re just trying to get the most out of it,” said Houvener. “We’re not gonna fold once we get to the Tacoma Dome.”