A 13-0 season. A state championship. Redemption.
After all of it, Ashton Demarest still hasn’t forgotten.
He still hasn’t forgotten the scene of Kalama overcoming a late deficit and topping Napavine in the 2021 2B state title game is still at the forefront of his mind, even after the Tigers made it back to that game and won the state championship last fall.
“It will always stick with you,” Demarest said.
Napavine once again enters the season as the 2B title favorites. This year, however, the target on the Tigers’ back is even larger than before.
“We’re gonna get everyone’s best effort every single week,” coach Josh Fay said. “How we prepare each week, and how we approach each opponent is gonna determine our overall success … Staying focused each week and figuring out how we’re gonna maintain that competitive edge is where our focus is at.”
Demarest isn’t the only key contributor from last year’s team returning. His top target out wide, Karsen Denault, enters his junior season coming off of a 900-yard, 14-touchdown sophomore campaign.
James Grose, Conner Holmes, Cayle Kelly, and Collin Shields return for the Tigers as well, meaning all of Demarest’s top five options last season are back this fall.
On the ground, Cael Stanley is back after a season where he tallied over 800 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns.
The departure of all-league offensive lineman Deacon Parker has left a hole, but Fay has been pleased with how some of the younger players on the line have stepped up.
With so much continuity among the offense, specifically at the skill positions, Fay says the team is already weeks into the playbook.
“Being able to do that in Week 1 is a pretty nice thing to be able to do,” Fay said.
Stanley will also lead the charge defensively, where he recorded 60 tackles last season, 12 of which were in the backfield.
There is more turnover on that side of the ball, as the Tigers will have to replace the production of Mario Lara, Max O’Neill and Jose Gaona. All three earned first-team all-league recognition last fall.
While acknowledging that it will be nearly impossible to truly replace the production of those four, he also said he is pleased with the depth throughout the defense, saying it will present challenges to opposing offenses, especially deeper in the season.
With 2022 now officially in the rear view mirror, the Tigers are chomping at the bit to return to the field and restart the process again.
“It’s awesome to win it,” Demarest said. “But you gotta do it again.”
