1A Nisqually football preview capsules

How does it feel to be entering a season as the reigning state champions for the second time in four years? If you’re Cascade Christian coach Randy Davis, it feels like there’s a lot of work to do. Especially with seven players moving on to college football.

Brynie Robinson is the new head coach at Vashon Island, but not everything changed for him. He still lives in Silverton, Oregon.

Charles Wright’s Henry Cheney set the league on fire last season with 2,311 passing yards and 537 rushing yards. If the play breaks down, he’ll do his Russell Wilson thing and make plays happen.

Cascade Christian (13-0 last year), Charles Wright (4-6); Bellevue Christian (1-9); Vashon Island (3-7).

Oct. 16: Cascade Christian at Charles Wright, 7 p.m.

Coach: Todd Green, third year

2014 record: 1-9, third in league

Offense: Coordinator (set) — Chip Glass (spread). Returning starters — 7. Top players — OL Alex Irizarry, 5-10, 205, sr.; OL Christian Miller, 6-0, 190, jr.; RB Dylan Parsons, 5-11, 160, sr.; WR Taylor Paulson, 5-10, 135, sr.; QB David Postma, 5-11, 175, sr.

Defense: Coordinator (set) — Green (3-3). Returning starters — 7. Top players — LB Alex Irizarry; DB Daniel Fika, 6-0, 175, jr.; DL Christian Miller; LB David Postma; DB Dylan Parsons; DB Taylor Paulson.

Outlook: It started with so much hope last season, but Green’s second year at the helm of the program then sputtered with six consecutive losses before a 37-12 win over Vashon. Hanging with Cascade Christian and Charles Wright will be tough, but with an offseason spent focused on tackling technique and turning good athletes into football players, Green expects a faster and more fundamentally sound team.

Coach: Randy Davis, 12th year

2014 record: 13-0, first in league, won state title

Offense: Coordinator (set) — Brian Flattum (multiple). Returning starters — 5. Top players — RB Zach Bartolome, 5-9, 180, jr.; RB Peyton Berry, 5-8, 170, sr.; OL Jared Flattum, 5-10, 215, sr.; RB Kyle Milton, 5-11, 200, sr.; OL Te’ave Metzger-Magalei, 6-0, 205, sr.; WR Josh Seaton, 6-1, 190, sr.

Defense: Coordinator (set) — Devin Snyder (3-3 stack). Returning starters — 6. Top players — LB Zach Bartolome; DB Peyton Berry; DL Jared Flattum; DL Te’ave Metzger-Magalei; LB Kyle Milton; DB Josh Seaton.

Outlook: Teams don’t send off seven players to college football and move on like nothing happened. Especially at a 1A school, and Davis knows it. There will be growing pains. But what helps is experienced and talented players in the trenches such as Flattum and Metzger-Magalei. With four-year starter Jaelin Goldsmith gone (now at Wheaton College in Illinois), the key for new QB Jake Nielson is to play turnover-free.

Coach: Mike Finch, seventh year

2014 record: 4-6, second in league, lost in first round of state

Offense: Coordinator (set) — David Parker (spread). Returning starters — 9. Top players — QB Henry Cheney, 6-0, 185, sr.; OL Riley Grider, 5-7, 190, jr.; OL Cooper Grotkopf, 6-4, 215, jr.; OL Evan Minsk, 5-10, 190, jr.; OL Hiatt Purcell, 5-10, 195, sr.; WR Max Stackpole, 5-8, 150, sr.

Defense: Coordinator (set) — Niko Wacker (4-3). Returning starters — 8. Top players — DL Connor Currier, 5-11, 210, jr.; DB Desmond Jones, 5-8, 160, sr.; DB Alex Meadowcroft, 5-9, 135, so.; DL Blake Stoltenberg, 5-11, 205, jr.

Outlook: Remember when the Tarriers had linemen bigger than some Seattle Seahawks linemen? Now they all range from 5-10 to 6-1 and 180 pounds to 215. But Finch said they’re athletic and nasty. And if it breaks down, they have a Russell Wilson impersonator in Cheney (he even wears No. 3). If Cheney is Wilson, Finch said that makes Stolenberg Charles Wright’s Michael Bennett. Great motor along D-line.

Coach: Brynie Robinson, first year

2014 record: 3-7, fourth in league

Offense: Coordinator (set) — Connor Hoisington (unbalanced, up-tempo, no-huddle spread dive attack). Top players — OL Jackson Bard, 6-0, 200, sr.; RB Bryce Hoisington, 5-8, 160, jr.; QB Connor Hoisington, 5-8, 155, so.; OL Ronald Krieger, 6-2, 200, sr.; RB Logan Nelson, 5-10, 185, sr.; OL Chester Pruett, 6-0, 175, sr.; TE Clyde Pruett, 6-0, 175, sr.; RB Adrian St.Germain, 5-7, 150, fr.; OL Hunter Stanley, 6-0, 200, sr.

Defense: Coordinator (set) — None (6-2-3). Top players — DB Zach Alder-Raff, 5-8, 135, sr.; LB Anthony Gateman, 6-1, 180, sr.; DL Carson Nye, 5-10, 200, jr.; DL Hunter Stanley.

Outlook: The easiest way to describe what’s going on at Vashon — it’s a little different. Robinson admits it, too. Few teams list a sophomore quarterback as the offensive coordinator. Robinson doesn’t have a defensive coordinator because they’ll run the same play every down, he said. Fundamentals over schematics. Robinson said he lives with a family in Vashon during the week and commutes back to Silverton, Oregon, on weekends.

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 10:57 PM with the headline "1A Nisqually football preview capsules."