EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers flipped the script on the 2022 season, rallying from a 1-4 start to qualify for the 2A state playoffs and nearly upsetting No. 2 seed W.F. West.

While the Tigers are looking to get back to state again this season, they’ll have to do so by replacing 23 seniors off of last year’s roster.

“It has to be a lot of us stepping up in the leadership role, we had great leaders last year,” senior Jaxon Elliott said. “We’re going to have a lot of second and third-strings (from last year) stepping up into first-string spots.”

After a loss to Cashmere at the end of September last season, Ephrata strung together wins against Selah (49-7), Grandview (47-10), Prosser (20-17) and Ellensburg (70-21) to close out the regular season as the second team out of the Central Washington Athletic Conference. In the District 5/6/8 Crossover against Clarkston, the Tigers emerged victorious by a score of 17-7 over the Bantams and reached the state playoffs for the first time since 2007.

“We know the pace we have to be at, the intensity,” Elliott said of what this year’s team took away from the late-season run.

The Tigers were led by a strong senior class in 2022, which has left roles to be filled all across both sides of the football.

“Every year is a new challenge, and it’s been great,” Ephrata head coach Patrick Mitchell said. “I told the kids last spring, ‘It’s more of an opportunity than a challenge.’ There’s lots of new places for you to play. Kids that are going to be juniors and seniors, you’re going to be able to find a spot and show what you can do.”

Last year was Mitchell’s first season as head coach of the Tigers, having previously been the team’s defensive coordinator in the two seasons prior.

“Being a first-year head coach and now having that year under my belt, there’s things that I’m a little bit more well-prepared for,” Mitchell said. “Things that I’m thinking about in the future too, things to be aware of and prepared for.”

Ephrata brought a potent rushing attack to the field in 2022, something they’ll hope to repeat this season. On the mentality of being a run-heavy squad, senior tight end Eric O’Neel said it’s important to take it one play at a time.

“You can’t think 20 plays ahead,” he said. “Just first play, next play, next play.”

Mitchell also alluded to the offense potentially opening up more this season, based on what the team shows throughout the early weeks of the season.

“I’m a big believer in figuring out who our playmakers are early, and trying to figure out ways to get those guys the ball so we can be most effective,” Mitchell said.

Throughout the early weeks of practices, Mitchell said the team’s work ethic and buy-in have stood out as a strength.

“With having some success like we did last year, I think kids were excited, ready to go and they’ve been working hard,” Mitchell said. “I think that they want to get back to where we were, and we want to push for those things every year.”

Ephrata kicks off the 2023 season on the road against Moses Lake. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

“It’s a long season, and you never know where things start and where things are going to end,” Mitchell said. “We’ve got a lot of kids coming back that saw that resilient team from last year. You’re down but you’re not out, and you’ve just got to keep playing football.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

Ephrata Football Schedule

Sept. 1 — @ Moses Lake — 7 p.m.

Sept. 8 — vs. Quincy — 7 p.m.

Sept. 15 — @ Othello — 7 p.m.

Sept. 22 — vs. East Valley (Yakima) — 7 p.m.

Sept. 29 — @ Cashmere — 7 p.m.

Oct. 6 — @ Selah — 7 p.m.

Oct. 13 — vs. Grandview — 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 — @ Prosser — 7 p.m.

Oct. 27 — vs. Ellensburg — 7 p.m.