OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (14-7-1) are set to return to the pitch this week as the 2026 season kicks off. Head Coach Bernie Garza said the Huskies expectations for success remain high despite only returning three starters from last season.  

“We always have high expectations of winning the league, doing well in the district playoffs and then going to the state playoffs,” Garza said. “It could be considered a rebuilding year, but no, we're really solid. We’ve got 22 guys that are going to fill those gaps, and we're going to be off and rolling on Thursday against Cornell.”  

Last season, the Huskies won the Central Washington Athletic Conference Championship after defeating Grandview 2-0 in the district five 2A tournament. From there, they defeated Franklin Pierce 5-0 in the first round of the 2A state tournament before suffering a 3-2 loss to Columbia River in the quarterfinals.  

From that team, three starters are returning this season for the Huskies. Luis Farias, Johndel Garcia and Guillermo Chavez are back to lead Othello into another season. In addition to those returning starters, several players from last year's team are expected to take a step forward into leadership roles this season, Garza said.  

While reloading a roster with only three former starters can present challenges, the coach is confident the Huskies will be competitive this season. With Offensive Player of the Year Jose Cabrera graduating after last season, Othello will require more player involvement.  

“He’s a once in every 10-year type of player,” Garza said. “Different players are going to have to stand out (this season), not just one. Now it's going to be different roles (for) the players, like Luis has to be a guy to step up and (provide) leadership. So, it's going to be more of a team-oriented approach.”  

According to Garza, about 120 players tried out for the Huskies team this year for only 60 open spots.  

“We had to cut over 60 guys,” he said.  

The large turnout allowed Garza to be somewhat selective of where each player can play, as high as the varsity level or on the lower tiers like C-team and junior varsity. In the process of formulating this year’s roster, he has come across a few freshman players he anticipates having an impact on the varsity squad this season.  

Giovanni Tapia has emerged as potential candidate for goalkeeper. On the smaller end height wise, but he loves to fly around, Garza said. Tapia is one of two candidates for goalkeeper this season, which is an improvement from last season. 

“He reaches the upper corners, really good with his feet. I think we're locked in (more) defensively and goalie wise than we were last year,” the coach said.  

The Huskies will start their season against non-conference opponents like Connell, Moses Lake and Warden. Garza said that will be the time to figure out what the team is all about. Where their strengths are and where do they need to adjust.  

“When we go into the league play, we'll be rock solid. We'll know exactly (what to do), if my left middle is not very dominant, we’ll replace him with another guy, (or) our forward didn't turn out to be the way it should be, (then) we'll put another forward, and it’s kind of the way I use non-league games,” he said.  

The Huskies start their season on the road against Connell on March 12 at 6 p.m. However, their first home game is slated for March 14 against the Warden Cougars at noon. Garza believes he’ll have a confident group of players ready to go when the season starts.  

“The guys are confident. They're talking the talk that, ‘Hey, we're going to win a lot of games, and let's go back to the playoffs.’ They can talk the talk, but they got to walk the walk. They got to actually do what they're saying, so that's the excitement part of it,” Garza said.  

Make sure to pick up our March 12 edition for a full section supporting local athletes participating in spring sports. 

    Guillermo Chavez throws the ball back into play during a game last season. Chavez is one of three starters returning for the Huskies this season, according to Head Coach Bernie Garza.
  

    The Huskies’ Andrew Sorenson pushes the ball up the field during a game last season. Sorenson will likely be one of the returning players from last year’s team that will take on a bigger role with the team this season.
  

    Huskies players and coaches gather at the goal, holding their plaque and celebrating becoming district champs last season.