Football Season - Kick Off the Football Season

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Kick Off The

[12] September 6, 2013

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Juanita High School Rebels look to take next step with balanced attack in 2013

BY MATT PHELPS

Rebels’ football schedule

mphelps@kirklandreporter.com

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alance is key in all aspects of life. In football it is essential to winning.

Juanita High School head football coach Shaun Tarantola is convinced the Rebels have the most balance he has seen in his tenure.

“In 2010 our strength was among our linebackers and linemen,” Tarantola said about what he considers his best team since coaching the Rebels. “This year we have balance throughout the team.”

Balance is most key on offense. Being able to run and pass the ball keeps opposing defenses on their toes. The Rebels not only have balance between the run and pass, they also have talent.

“Offensively we will be able to do anything the defense gives us,” Tarantola said. “The skill guys are young but they are super talented. Our receivers, running backs and quarterbacks are better than we have seen [as a group] in a long time.”

Leading the way on offense will be co-captain and senior wide receiver Landyn

Sept. 6 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 11 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 8

at Inglemoor Monroe at home Mount Si at home at Liberty Bellevue at home at Mercer Island at Sammamish Lake Washington at home Interlake at home Crossover or playoff

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

TBD

All home games played at Juanita High School.

Juanita head football coach Shaun Tarantola runs through offensive drills during a preseason practice at Juanita High School. MATT PHELPS, Kirkland Reporter Milburn and quarterback Tavin Montgomery.

“He knows how to run the offense and all of our wide receivers know how to get open to make big plays,” said Milburn. “We also have a lot of young talent being looked at by colleges.”

Colleges are already scouting freshman running back Salvon Ahmed and ESPN has ranked Thomas Toki in the top 40 nationally for linemen. That youth will

give the Rebels another element of balance with strong depth.

“We are able to do a lot of rotating because of our depth, which will keep all of our guys fresh,” said Milburn.

Everything on offense and defense starts at the line of scrimmage. Tarantola said this year’s linemen are the biggest and most physical he has seen and all have varsity game experience.

“We have a lot of veteran depth this year and the line group is huge,” said senior lineman and co-captain Blake Peterson.

The defense also boasts the same balance but will have to be on their toes to take on powerhouse teams such as Bellevue and Mount Si. “We only lost to Bellevue 21-14 last year and we get them at home again,” said Milburn. This could be the

year.” season losses last year, the Bellevue is the perenRebels made the playoffs nial state power at the 3A for the second time in three level and will be a tough seasons, eventually losing to test for the Rebels if they Kelso as the No. 3 seed from want to make some noise KingCo. in KingCo. But the Rebels The 3A KingCo division also want some payback is one of the most comagainst Mount Si, petitive in the state which gave them year-in and year-out.

FOOTBALL one of their three “[Making the losses last year. playoffs] is a normal “We owe them thing for these guys,” one,” Peterson said. said Tarantola about “They both beat us his program. “They are very badly last year and we used to making the postfeel like we have improved season. But we want to take since then,” said Tarantola. the next step and our motto “How we play against those is ‘good to great.’” teams will be a great way to measure how much we have For more information grown as a team in a year.” on the Rebels visit www.

Despite the two regular juanitafootball.com.

PREVIEW

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September 6, 2013 [13]

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Lake Washington High School Strong run game will help Kangs build on 2012 momentum to change the culture.

“We have to convince people that football is imake Washington High portant at Lake Washington,” School was not known said Supple. “We have great for its football teams coaches, great uniforms, great during the past decade. But facilities and we are starting head coach Steve Supple and to win games. But we are still his players made strides last waiting for the population to season in developing a new come through.” reputation.

Depth is key in football.

The Kangs finished the Being able to keep players regular season with a 5-4 fresh for every play and every record and represented 2A series can be the difference KingCo in the state playoffs. between a win and a loss.

It was the first time in eight Supple knows with just 65 seasons that the prokids for three teams his gram has finished the management could be regular season with a key this season. But FOOTBALL winning record. the players are con“It surprised a centrating on playing lot of people. But we as a team. have to push it further “We are trying to each year,” said Supple, who make the program more is the program’s sixth head tight-knit and have more of coach since 2004. “I think the a family environment,” said biggest thing is stability and Shelley. consistency.”

Supple said he would like That change is making an to have 85 kids but is excited impact on the players. for the players he has.

“It set expectations for a “We are really thin on new era in Kangs football,” the line,” said Supple. “We said Wyatt Shelley, who are having to start them on will letter in football for the offensive and defensive lines. third time this season. “It is They have to be able to run tremendously motivating all night and we have to stay and we don’t expect anything healthy.” less.”

But a stringent conditionBut Supple is entering his ing program, speedy running fourth season and continues back and good defense could

BY MATT PHELPS

Kangs’ football schedule

mphelps@kirklandreporter.com

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Sept. 6 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 11 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 8

at Foss (Tacoma) Cedarcrest at home at Mercer Island Bellevue at home at Liberty Mount Si at home Interlake at home at Juanita at Sammamish Crossover or playoff

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

TBD

All home games played at Lake Washington High School.

PREVIEW

Lake Washington High School head football coach Steve Supple runs through hitting drills during a recent preseason practice. MATT PHELPS, Kirkland Reporter help the Kangs return to the post season. That is a stark contrast to the recipe for the success of 2012 when the team had a bruising running game and a dynamic passer under center.

“We will be going into a lot of games with some young guys,” said starting junior running back Riley Simonson. “But one thing I have learned is that you can’t play scared.”

Supple has a lot of faith in his tailback, who has started four varsity games. He told Simonson that he wants his goal to be 1,600 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns.

“Last year we had a downhill runner,” said Supple. “But [Simonson] is a one-cut-andgo kind of kid.”

Supple will also rely on his three senior co-captains Shelley, Nick Jahnke and Kris Singstad.

“Varsity is really hard,” said senior starting quarterback Nick Young. “There are some big guys and you have to be able to trust in your teammates.”

Young also has some experience as a starter but that came as a sophomore.

“We know what we did well last year,” said Young.

“We need to use it to improve. But we also know what we did bad last year and we need to use that for even better improvement.”

If the team is to improve it has three key games during which it will have to play well.

“We start the season in Tacoma to play Foss and that will be a good game,” said Supple. “But the game against Cedarcrest will give us a bet-

ter idea of who we are.”

The coach said that every team in KingCo is tough but the team must win against Sammamish.

“If we beat Sammamish we will be the 2A representative [in the playoffs],” said Supple.

The team will also host one of the best programs in the state during the past decade Bellevue High School.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Blake Owen. “It is a privilege and an opportunity to compete. It will just make us better no matter what the outcome.”

For more on the LWHS football team, visit www. hometeamsonline.com and search “Kangaroos.”

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