Hawks fly into playoffs

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, July 7, 2005

EVERETT – Taking note of the fact his is a veteran-laden team, linebacker Travis Salter said reaching the next level may require the Everett Hawks to exercise all their senses.

Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald Wide receiver Cory Grow (4) and the Hawks will play in front of their fans at the Everett Events Center as long as the Hawks are alive in the NIFL playoffs.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who have smelled a championship,” Salter said. “But, we haven’t tasted it yet.”

Indeed, a dozen Hawks played for last year’s Billings team, which lost in the Pacific Conference championship game. Some, including Salter, were on board in 2002 when Billings won the conference title, but fell in the National Indoor Football League championship game.

Now, after Everett (14-0) and Odessa (14-0) became the second and third teams in league history to complete the regular season unbeaten, the quest for the 2005 title begins. Everett plays host to Billings in a first-round playoff game at 7:05 p.m. today in the Everett Events Center.

The victor advances to play the winner of Sunday’s game between Tri-Cities (9-5) and Wyoming (10-4).

As the No. 1 seed, Everett plays at home as long as it remains in the playoffs.

“Guys are excited,” Everett coach Dan Maciejczak said. “This is what it’s all about.”

If you think Billings and its lackluster 5-9 record are a safe place to start the postseason, please reconsider.

These are the same Mavericks who in the regular-season finale on June 24 in Everett threatened to take the lead with three minutes remaining. Joel Robnett’s interception and quarterback Albert Higgs’ subsequent 12-yard touchdown pass to Jason Quinn helped Everett escape with a 34-25 victory.

Billings head coach Joe Curtiss was suspended prior to that game for failing to provide film to Everett by the NIFL’s prescribed deadline.

This time Curtiss removed himself from the picture by resigning Tuesday, citing the need to take care of personal business before taking an assistant coaching position at Shorter College in Rome, Georgia.

Billings majority owner Dan Austin said the Mavericks’ recent performance against the Hawks made Curtiss’ decision easier.

“He said ‘We played well and I wasn’t even there,’” Austin said.

Assistant coach Jason Heimer will serve as the Mavericks’ acting head coach.

Offensive coordinator Bob Bees, a former NAIA All-American at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, is expected to coach the team next year. Bees also is the Mavericks’ highly effective back-up quarterback. He takes over if fleet-footed starter Chris Dixon shifts to wide receiver – as Dixon did in the last game. League rules allow assistants to suit up and play, but not head coaches.

The Mavericks’ soap opera should not distract the Hawks from their mission, said Salter, who leads Everett with 83.5 tackles and is seventh in the league in that department.

“We just need to come out, execute and get the job done,” added the linebacker, who shares the position, especially in short yardage situations, with Jeremiah Pharms.

While the offense operated at full-throttle from week 1, Everett’s defense ranked in the middle of the pack until the group jelled behind its run-stuffing line featuring Sabree Anderson, Tai Tupai, Tupo Tuupo and Brandon Myers.

“The D-line has been consistent and anchored the team,” Salter said. “But, as the season went on, our (entire defense) got closer and closer and put faith in each other.”

Everett edged Odessa for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs by giving up just 44 points in the final two games to finish third in the league in points allowed. After the two teams each finished the season 14-0, home-field advantage was determined by the teams’ offensive and defensive scoring averages. Everett finished first in offense and third in defense. Odessa was sixth in offense and first in defense.

Higgs, Hawks swing big bats: Led by shortstop Albert Higgs’ nine home runs, the Hawks won the 2005 Family Freedom Festival Slowpitch Softball Tournament at Naval Station Everett on the Fourth of July.

The Hawks dropped their opener, but then won four straight – including a victory over a team of Everett Silvertips – to claim the title. In the triumph over the Tips, Higgs – who was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 1990 major league draft – pretended to skate around the bases after hitting a homer. “Yes, I did a little skating on those Silvertips,” Higgs said with a laugh.

The holiday activities included a basketball tournament, but the Hawks were not allowed to participate. “We probably have better basketball athletes than any other sport …,” Higgs insisted. “But, the (Hawks) coaches said ‘Absolutely, no basketball.”’