Making the case for Enumclaw: Why the Hornets can win 2A state title
The high school football state tournament brackets in Washington are filled with teams from the South Sound. Over the course of the season, some of these teams separated themselves and look like legitimate state title contenders.
One of those teams is Enumclaw, in Class 2A. The undefeated Hornets earned the No. 3 seed in the 2A state tournament, which begins Friday. Here’s a look at Enumclaw’s season, key players and signature wins. Plus, thoughts from multiple coaches who coached against the Hornets this year — why they think Enumclaw could win it all and what could cause the Hornets to fall short of hoisting the trophy at Husky Stadium. Coaches are quoted anonymously to allow them to speak candidly.
RECORD: 10-0 overall, 8-0 in 2A SPSL
SIGNATURE WINS: 20-13 over Peninsula in Week 1; 37-7 over Orting in Week 4
STAT LEADERS (through nine games): QB Gunnar Trachte: 79-of-120 passing, 17 TD, 2 INT; RB Tristan Donovan: 635 rushing yards, 8 TD; RB Seamus Twohey: 333 rushing yards, 11 TD; WR Karson Holt: 473 receiving yards, 5 TD
MAKING THE CASE FOR THE HORNETS
If Enumclaw is going to win a state championship, this is a great year to do it. Enumclaw is likely heading up to Class 3A next year and things figure to get tougher at the state level against the likes of O’Dea, Eastside Catholic and others. The Hornets have excellent program depth, are big up front, balanced on offense, have good athletes in the back end and have an experienced QB in Gunnar Trachte. Enumclaw advanced to the state tournament semifinal round last year, and this year’s team looks just as good, if not better.
Opposing Coach A: “I just think they’re strong. They’re strong at the point of attack. Their defense has given up (46) points all year. They’re just tough, they’re just tough, man. It’s hard to go up against and sustain what they do to you play in and play out. … (QB) Gunnar Trachte, that dude just looks the part. He’s so smooth. I think they’ve had better teams, but I think this year (the bracket) just matches up for them. … I think they’re a semifinal team, at the very least.”
Opposing Coach B: “Depth. Line play on both sides of the ball is just solid. They do a great job of playing mistake-free football. They don’t have big negative plays, penalties, breakdowns on special teams. They do everything, including the little things, right. They’ll make you pay for every mistake that you make. … They don’t necessarily have a weak link. Their QB (Trachte) is a stud that can throw it as well as anyone when he needs to. … They take their pride in the guys up front. Even their secondary, they’re not guys that’ll blow by you, but they’re long and they’re big kids. They’re a Tumwater, Lynden, type of big athletes on the field.”
WHY THE HORNETS COULD FALL SHORT
The biggest question mark is the strength of schedule and lack of big-time wins, which is why Enumclaw is the tournament’s No. 3 seed, despite going undefeated and blowing out nearly every opponent on its schedule. The 2A SPSL wasn’t great this year, and Enumclaw’s Week 1 nonleague win over 3A state tournament regular Peninsula lost its luster after Peninsula had a down year and missed the playoffs.
Opposing coach A: “I think there are going to be teams that have what they have, as the playoffs go on, as far as the line situation. I look at teams like Tumwater — I think Tumwater could be a real issue for them, just to keep pace. … (Enumclaw coach Mark) Gunderson does an awesome job. Their identity — they want to run the ball down your throat. What do they do when a team makes it so they can’t?”
Opposing coach B: “I don’t know if they have a game-breaking athlete, that one guy that can just take over a game. I think those Anacortes kids, those guys are just guys that can break away from a pack. I don’t know if they have that breakaway speed guy.”
Opening round game: Othello (7-2) at Enumclaw (10-0), 1 p.m. Saturday at Enumclaw Stadium (Pete’s Pool)
