I took in three different football practices on Wednesday, the first official day of football practice for area high schools. My first stop was the new high school in Marysville, Marysville Getchell. I wrote about MG’s first practice and how the Chargers’ head coach Davis Lura plans on starting a winning tradition here.
Next I took in Marysville PIlchuck’s first practice of 2011 at Quil Ceda Stadium. Last year the team had to practice on the baseball field while the new field turf was installed, but this year they were on the stadium turf under the hot August sun.
MP is trying to replace a number of departed players, including quarterback Tylor Klep and running backs Tyler Thompson and Kyle Miller. But the biggest missing links are across the offensive line. The Tomahawks will have to replace all five starting linemen from a year ago, including left tackle Zach Schumann.
“We have some big holes across the offensive line,” said MP head coach Brandon Carson.
But it’s not all bad news for the Tommies. Running backs Andre Pina and Cody House are back and there was an intriguing quarterback lofting passes from midfield on Wednesday. Jake Luton, a tall, lanky sophomore, looks like he’s got a nice arm, leaving some to wonder: Could the Tomahawks be going to the air this season?
“We’re still going to pound the rock,” Carson said. “(Being able to throw) would definitely give us another option, but we’re still going to run the ball.”
In Arlington, the Eagles are getting used to being a favorite. With three of their top starters from a year ago back, Arlington is the team with a target on its back.
“It’s going to be a lot harder to repeat than it was the first time,” Arlington head coach Greg Dailer said after practice Wednesday. “Everybody’s going to bring their A-game.”
One of the big three returning is quarterback Blake McPherson, who missed the final part of the 2010 season after hurting his knee in Week 5. But McPherson had reconstructive knee surgery and Dailer thinks his knee might be even better than before.
“That knee had been bothering him for a while and I think something finally popped,” Dailer said. “I think know that it’s reconstructed it might be stronger than it’s been in two years.”
Eagles tight end Bo Brummel and running back Riley Cobb are also back after missing much of the latter part of last season. Brummel and Cobb were both injured in the Stilly Cup.
After implementing a spread offense at Arlington in his first year four years ago, Dailer said it’s great that it’s become old hat for his kids.
“The learning curve is much smaller,” Dailer said. “It’s just review and changing a few things so people don’t get used to what we do. But for the most part it’s just practice, practice, practice.”
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