Seahawks football: With loaded roster and senior QB, a chance to break quarterfinal barrier

During Ross Filkins’ 24-year run as the head coach of the Peninsula High School football team, the Seahawks have evolved from a team that alternated good years with bad to a team that made the playoffs and then, in recent seasons, to a team that would win two playoff games and then get bounced in the quarterfinals.

That’s not a bad place to be. Most schools across the state would love annual trips to the state tournament quarterfinals. Filkins insisted the perception that Peninsula can’t make it past the quarterfinals doesn’t bother him.

“It’s a great sign of our program,” Filkins said. “But we want to continue to grow and all that.”

Year after year, Filkins and Peninsula win.

“(Filkins) doesn’t have Bellevue’s talent, Lincoln’s talent, O’Deas,” said former Peninsula quarterback Robert Kvinsland, now playing at Carroll College in Helena, Montana. “He just finds ways to win. He does a great job making everyone believe in themselves. He makes it a true brotherhood. He’s the best coach in the state of Washington, in my opinion.”

So what will it take for Peninsula to break through into the state semifinals? Go ahead and forget about any fishiness with bringing in impact transfers, or anything like that. For Filkins, running a clean program has always been a priority.

The answer, which is perhaps obvious, is simple: Keep doing what they’re doing.

“For us, if we make the most out of every practice, every competition each week, good things are going to happen,” Filkins said. “We’re sticking to that because that’s how we got here in the first place. … If we just stick to our call, stick to our mantra, we’re going to get there eventually.”

Could this be the year the Seahawks break through to the semifinals? The outlook is encouraging.

Peninsula returns a strong senior class, including third-year starting quarterback Burke Griffin, who has total command over the offense this season.

“The game slows down for you every year as you get more experience under your belt,” Griffin said. “So (that starting experience is) hugely valuable.”

Having a three-year starting quarterback at the high school level is a rare luxury, given the development and physical difference between underclassmen and upperclassmen.

“Typically, we’re reliant on our senior class for leadership, getting them to understand what the varsity game is all about,” Filkins said. “For Burke, getting a legitimate senior year experience, it’s good for him and good for our team.”

When he started as a sophomore, Griffin didn’t exactly look the part.

“Had you not known who he was, anybody would swear up and down that he was still in middle school,” Filkins said, with a laugh. “He has developed substantially.”

In particular, in regards to his arm strength. Griffin is a better and stronger passer now than he was as a sophomore, evidenced with his big season as a junior.

“Guys like Blake Cantu, Kenny Easton, they took a lot of pressure off me,” Griffin said. “I didn’t have to do a lot and I wasn’t asked to do a whole lot. We still won a lot of games. For me, I feel a little more weight on my shoulders now. … I didn’t have the strongest arm sophomore year. Throwing the comeback opposite has, the 10-yard out from the opposite has were two of the tougher throws. I can make those with a little more confidence now.”

And Griffin ran the hurdles during track season and has improved athletically, also.

“Last year, the arm strength was the real dynamic change,” Filkins said. “This year — his overall athleticism — he’s a much more explosive athlete.”

Peninsula returns senior running back Braeden Potter, who has the tools to be one of the league’s most dynamic and physical backs. While the Seahawks lost some speedy options on the outside, receivers Chase Wittmers and Cole McVay are ready to step into bigger roles.

Wittmers, in particular, showed some big-play ability last season as a sophomore.

“It helped a lot going into this year, knowing what to expect at the varsity level,” he said. “Just the maturity level, mentally playing the mind games of things, versus the physicality of it. I’ve always been bigger, growing up, so I’ve been there physically. But just mentally, knowing what to expect. … I’m ready to perform at a high level this year.”

With a big, experienced offensive line and running game leading the way, along with a group of receivers ready to break out, this could be the most productive offense Peninsula has seen in years.

“It’ll be very explosive,” Wittmers said. “Everybody is so versatile. We’re going to be pretty balanced, I think. We’re going to ground and pound, but we’ll take our shots, too.”

Defensively, Peninsula doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. The defensive line will be imposing, the secondary will be fast and the linebacker corps will be physical.

Its anchor is senior middle linebacker Isaac Casey, who started all last year and was a tackling machine.

“I felt like I grew a lot, learned a lot from the coaches,” Casey said. “It’s just about communication. Everyone relies on each other. I was nervous in the beginning of the season but toward the end, I was feeling really comfortable with my position.”

While the defense was strong last year, Casey said the team hopes to be even stronger this year.

“We want to force the offense into some third-and-longs and just get off the field better on third down this year,” he said.

Peninsula opens the season on the road against defending 3A state champion O’Dea, before hosting 4A powerhouse Skyline in week two at Roy Anderson Field. It’s a non-league schedule that Filkins said is among the toughest Peninsula has ever had during his time at the helm.

“I just want to see them focus on who we are,” Filkins said. “We’re not trying to be anybody else. … For us to be successful — we’re not one of those teams that can just show up — for us, we have to be on, which means that we have to be focused on who we are and just do our jobs.”

Peninsula will have to slug it out in a tough SSC, and will look to avenge its 51-14 loss to defending league champion Timberline from last season. Yelm also returns the bulk of its roster, and crosstown rival Gig Harbor looks improved, setting up what should be a fascinating and competitive league.

Pass all that, and maybe Peninsula can make a deep run into the state tournament this year.

“We talk about winning one game a week,” Griffin said. “Looking at the big picture, I’m extremely grateful I’ve been on two football teams great enough to make it to the state quarterfinals.

“Just as a personal goal, I want to make it past that and I think this team can. But there’s a lot of things that need to happen before then and we’ll see. I’ve had the experience of going to the state playoffs and I want to make sure that we can surpass the state quarterfinals and hopefully play in the Tacoma Dome.”

PENINSULA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Aug. 31: at O’Dea, 7 p.m.

Sept. 7: Skyline, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: at North Thurston, 7 p.m.

Sept. 21: at Shelton, 7 p.m.

Sept. 27: Timberline, 7 p.m.

Oct. 5: Central Kitsap, 7 p.m.

Oct. 12: at Yelm, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19: Gig Harbor, 7 p.m.

Oct. 26: Capital, 7 p.m.

This story was originally published August 25, 2018 at 12:43 PM.