QUINCY – On Oct. 30, the Quincy Jacks (1-8) finished their season with a loss to the Othello Huskies. Head Coach Seth Longwill still came out proud of the foundation his team built in his first year leading them.   

“Just hanging on wins alone, you're going to be disappointed, but with the energy and things I thought the effort that the kids brought through the whole season, I was extremely proud of (them),” Longwill said.   

Coming into the season, players were already familiar with Longwill. In addition to serving on the coaching staff as a coordinator in previous seasons, he is also the head coach of the baseball team. In his new role as head coach of football, he had the opportunity to establish his own culture and standards for the Jacks program.   

Longwill felt he was successful at laying that foundation this season thanks to the buy-in from leaders on the team.   

“I think the kids play with a lot of pride. The senior class, I was super proud of; I love those guys. They showed up, the stuff that I was trying to implement with the coaching staff... they went right with it,” he said.   

One highlight from the season was their 35-14 win over Wapato, Longwill said. The Jacks’ offense was hitting on all cylinders against the Wolves. One of the key plays from that game was a pass over the middle from Pierce Bierlink to Jace Reyes that went for a 78-yard touchdown.   

Both teams dealt with penalties throughout that game that Longwill said prevented Bierlink from having several more touchdowns.  

“He could have had probably close to 300 yards passing. That was his best game; he’s cleaned up the turnovers. He was just taking care of the ball around the pocket and making plays with his legs, and with his arm,” Longwill said.  

Longwill also said their games against Ellensburg and Grandview showed a lot of promise for them. They lost to the Bulldogs 28-14 and the Greyhounds 27-24 in back-to-back weeks. Longwill said those games taught them to be more prepared to close out games.   

“Those close games, I just feel we got to be better prepared to know how to close games out as a team, and that's what you kind of struggle with when you don't have a lot of wins in a program. Then when you have those close games, the players kind of get nervous, and you just got to relax,” he said.   

Another indicator to Longwill that a strong foundation has been laid is the coaching staff he has put together. He said they’re all Quincy alumni. Their love for the town and community is what has brought them all back to give back to the programs they were once a part of.   

As Longwill continues to build toward having a winning program, he said increasing player turnout will be important. To him, the energy this season felt different and will play a role in attracting more athletes next year. He said it’s important for future players to see the positive experience they will get out of playing for them.   

“Showing the kids that you care about them, that we're bought in. Not just as overall athletes, that they're not just a number coming through the program, we care about them, their success in the classroom and in their lives,” Longwill said.   

Longwill said he will emphasize the weight room this offseason as well and push his players to reach the next level.   

“I'm just really trying to push that, and you get some kids that have some success and turnarounds, then the younger kids see that. When I came through, you saw the guys that were all-state, you saw what they were doing in their offseason, and you wanted to replicate it and outdo them essentially,” he said.   

Longwill said he sees potential for younger players who can step into bigger roles next year. He pointed out players like Jody Gardner, Rocko Reyes, Brennan Bergman and Isaic Gregg as poised to take the next step.  

Longwill feels confident with where his program is heading in the next few years, he said. When he looks past the final statistics from the season and sees the work they put in, he gets excited to keep building.   

“Just excited to bring Quincy football back and continue to push and grind and climb our way back up from the bottom, is what we're trying to do, step by step,” he said.   

    Jace Reyes, left, and Maximo Serrano, right, hype each other up before kickoff against Prosser earlier this season. Reyes was a key player on offense for the Jacks this season.
  

    The Jacks’ Pierce Bierlink (3) hands the ball off to Maximo Serrano, right, during their game against Prosser. Head Coach Seth Longwill said he calls Bierlink their mini-Mahomes because of how he likes to make plays outside the pocket.
  

    The Jacks’ Pierce Bierlink (3) looks to the sideline for the next play call. Head Coach Seth Longwill said the players bought into the vision he had for the program this season.