Peninsula, Gig Harbor look for positives after football season pushed back

Ross Filkins and his wife were jogging through the Cushman Trail on a mid-August morning when two of his football players crossed their path.

It was not only a surprise for Peninsula High School’s head football coach, but an indication of dedication among a team waiting for their chance to take the field.

“It (was) cool,” Filkins said. “Our kids understand the importance of staying active and staying fit. … [They’re] going to be ready when we get our opportunity.”

Football and its traditional fall season will have to change, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten the safety of communities worldwide. After schools shut down around both Pierce and Kitsap county, the WIAA followed suit within the world of sports by rearranging typical athletic seasons.

Arguably the most dramatic change was to football, where practices are now slated to begin Feb. 17, 2021, in preparation for a spring football season.

It’s a big hit for the entire Gig Harbor community, as both Peninsula and Gig Harbor High School will have to wait for their season — if it happens at all.

“We’re going to have to try to adapt and be flexible, and have some plans, but know that we have to be able to change whatever we have planned,” said Gig Harbor Football Coach George Fairhart. “We’re going to adapt with whatever the rules are.”

But more problems linger around football beyond the high school level, as college recruiters are now unable to visit campuses and connect with students looking to continue their athletic careers.

The issue only creates more questions than answers, including the quantity of offers disseminated from schools and key dates or deadlines high school athletes must follow when committing to a college or university.

For now, Peninsula and Gig Harbor’s seniors can only focus on the upcoming season, albeit months away.

Sean Skladany, last season’s Class 3A South Sound Conference MVP, took the news of the season’s postponement hard at first.

After reflection, the senior-to-be sitting on two Division I offers decided it was best to use the news as motivation.

“At first, it sucked,” Skladany said. “Senior year is your biggest opportunity for scholarships, and you’re getting looked at by colleges. And then I thought about it, and hopefully if we get to play, we’ll be bigger and stronger than if we played in the fall.”

Skladany is just one of a dozen seniors Filkins expects to play college football.

In his junior season, the running back averaged an impressive six yards per carry and scored 17 touchdowns, including 74 tackles and 8 sacks as a defensive end.

“I just don’t give up,” Skladany said. “It’s hard to bring me down, too. I just try to be a bowling ball that no one can take down.”

The season’s pushback also gives the Gig Harbor Tides more time to prepare; in fact, senior Jake Jennings viewed the spring start to the season as a positive, agreeing with his arch rival running back.

“The only thing to really think about now is that it’s more time to prepare and be ready,” Jennings said. “That’s how I’m going to think about it. I don’t want to think about the negatives.”

Jennings, a tight end and defensive end for the Tides, accrued 55 tackles last season, including seven sacks, resulting in 57 lost yards for opposing offenses.

He’s also a talented javelin thrower for Gig Harbor’s track and field team, and wants to keep his options open in both sports as college nears.

Though Jennings has one school in the crosshairs -- a school requested by Jennings to stay unnamed -- Gig Harbor football remains his primary focus, noting his determination as a key for his success on the field.

“No matter how tired I get or disappointed if we’re down, I just love to keep playing, and keep on going,” Jennings said. “And I think that helps my teammates when they see me, not to give up and keep on playing.”

As the season currently stands, the annual fishbowl game -- the crosstown rivalry between the Seahawks and Tides -- looks to be the season opener for a community that will have waited well over a year for football to return.

And despite two talented football teams within a single city, there’s only one trophy.

“I’m looking forward to showing people how good our team is this year,” Skladany said. “We’re extremely stacked.”

This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 6:00 AM.