'Competing and playing deep'
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years AGO
Othello High School linemen refine their technique on the blocking sleds during practice Aug. 23.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Linemen hone their reaction to snap counts during Othello High School football practice Aug. 23.
Othello High School linemen put the blocking sleds to use during practice.
Defensive backs line up to run the obstacle course during Othello High School football practice.
Othello linemen practice their technique on the blocking sled on Aug. 24.
Othello’s Mason Perez, No. 50, lifts teammate Ezra Gonzalez, No. 3, into the air after Gonzalez scored the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter against Connell last season.
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | August 31, 2022 1:00 AM
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies football team feel like they have reason to be optimistic going into the 2022 season.
“We expect to compete and be playing deep into November,” said assistant coach Kevin Hale. “We’re going to be senior-dominated. We had a really good spring, we had a lot of participation in the weight room over the summer, Idaho team camp was excellent on all levels.”
The Huskies qualified for the state playoffs in 2021 with a 6-3 record, losing 30-13 to Steliacoom in the first round.
‘We’ve been building up to this, and we expect to be really good this year,” Hale said.
Head coach Roger Hoell emphasizes tenacity, Hale said.
“With Coach Hoell’s mentality, it’s about toughness,” Hale said. “We’re always tough.”
The running game will be the basis of the Huskie offense.
“We are a power running team, but we can use speed to our advantage,” Hale said. “Coach Hoell wants us to be the most physical team out there.”
Running back Sonny Asu returns for his senior season and will help speed up the Huskie ground game. Senior Julian Alegria made the Central Washington Athletic Conference all-league third team at running back and will join Asu in the backfield.
Sophomore Mason Perez returns on the offensive line after making the all-league offensive second team as a freshman. Perez also made the all-league first team on defense. The Othello offensive line also features senior all-league first team tackle Giovanni Love.
The defense plans to dominate, Hale said. Defensive players to watch include Perez, Alegria - who was all-league first team as a defensive end - and senior Terrill Freeman, who also was all-league first team on defense.
“Our defense is simple by design. We will use a dominant defensive line to disrupt opposing offenses’ execution. Our linebackers and defensive backs are fast and ferocious,” he said.
But with about 90 players turning out, the Huskies will have a lot of weapons to throw at opposing teams.
“Honestly, we’re really, really deep,” Hale said. “That’s going to be, I think, our biggest strength, is that depth. Even our second string guys are really, really good. On most other teams, they’d be starters.”
Othello has a long tradition of football excellence; since Hoell became the coach in 1996 the Huskies have earned two state championships, a second-place state finish and had a run of 19 straight playoff appearances, Hale said.
“In the last five years, even if you include COVID, we’ve made the state playoffs three times,” he said.
Cheryl Schweizer may be reached at [email protected].
Schedule:
Sept. 3 - @ Connell - 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 - vs Royal - 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 - @ Ephrata - 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 - vs Selah - 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 - @ Grandview - 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs Prosser - 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 - @ Ellensburg - 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 - @ Kelso - 6 p.m.
Oct. 28 - vs East Valley - 7 p.m.
Roster
3 Ezra Gonzalez
4 Sonny Asu
5 Adriel DeLeon
6 Eliez Gutierrez
7 Maddox Martinez
8 AJ Vasquez
9 T.J. Murdock
10 Ka-El Ozuna
12 Spencer Lawson
16 Quade Gonzalez
21 Alex Mendez
22 Jack Sorensen
24 Erick Sandoval
26 Forrest Roylance
28 Julio Gomez
31 RJ Ramirez
32 Jordan DeLeon
34 Michael Vallejo
38 Terrill Freeman
40 Kyle Rasor
42 Josue Solorio
44 Julian Alegria
46 Brandon Garza
50 Mason Perez
51 Steven Carmona
52 Cameron Stovern
54 Abe Veliz
55 Jaden Perez
58 David Delgado
60 Jesus Mendoza
62 Carlos Cruz
68 Anthony Solorio
72 Kellen Pendergast
75 Will Parrish
76 Giovanni Love
77 Myles Ritchie
78 Trey Suarez
80 Carmine Garza
81 Collin Simmons
82 Xzyan Martinez
83 Troy Mendez
84 R.J. Martinez
85 Brayden Buduan
88 Dayton Vanlandingham
90 Jaxon Gomez
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