‘Ground-and-pound’ players like lineman Soli Paleso’o look to lead Fife back to state playoffs

It’s tempting to make football complicated.

Fife High School coach Kent Nevin, though, keeps it simple.

“Where we want to be at the end of the season is our same spot, is 8-0 and that’s the goal,” he said. “You get 8-0 by taking care of Week 1, then Week 2, then Week 3, and our kids know that. That’s our mentality — get after it. Get after people and make it happen. You can’t wish it happens, you have to make things happen.”

The Trojans did that very well last year when they rolled to eight consecutive wins. They ripped through the Class 2A SPSL Mountain play and secured the division title.

The Trojans lost their crossover game to 2A SPSL Sound champion Steilacoom, and advanced to the first round of the state playoffs — for the second time in the past decade — before losing to Liberty of Issaquah. This year, Fife hopes to make a second consecutive trip, and will rely on their core returners and even stronger line play behind two-way standout Soli Paleso’o.

“I think we have a good group of kids,” said Nevin, who entering his 16th season with the program. “Our front seven I think will be very tough, and they’re a very physical group of guys on the defensive. On the offensive side, same thing.”

The Trojans will need to be tough because their opening game is at Rainier Beach — the Vikings were the 3A runners-up in 2017 — on Aug. 31.

The plan is to be physical. And utilize that line. Simple.

“We feel like we’re more of a ground-and-pound this year,” Nevin said. “We’ve had speed in the past which has been phenomenal, but when you don’t have speed and you have guys who can just ground-and-pound, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Leading the way is Paleso’o, a senior who has five scholarship offers from Idaho, Montana State, Portland State, Utah State and Wyoming. He came to Fife from American Samoa, and was praised by Nevin as being a valuable addition to the team.

“He brings a relentless effort,” Nevin said. “He doesn’t quit, he doesn’t stop. If he does get stopped, he gets up and he goes again and he goes again, and he encourages his teammates around him.

“He makes them want to get better and he helps them get better. So he is that relentless part that teams have to know where he’s at.”

Paleso’o said he is excited for his final season with the Trojans.

“I’m happy to play with my seniors. Playing with them in my last year, I’m excited for it,” he said. “I’m just going to give it all.”

As for whether the multiple offers he’s received has impacted his play at all, Paleso’o takes it in stride and just focuses on present.

“Each game is just another game,” Paleso’o said. “There are no more Friday nights with my brothers, playing football.”