The Mossyrock Vikings did not have the return to the 2B classification that they hoped to have last fall, finishing 2-7 after a 10-2, league-title winning campaign in their final 1B season the prior year.
But under new head coach Robbie Dailey and behind a bevy of seniors, the Vikings believe a leap is coming this autumn as they install a new offense and defense.
“We have a lot of returning guys that have gotten a lot of playing time. That helps any situation,” Dailey, who was an assistant for the varsity team last fall, said. “When you have guys that come back and they’ve played a lot of varsity snaps, that gives you the confidence that you can move forward.”
Here are three takeaways from Mossyrock’s practice on Thursday afternoon.
The offense will be similar but flashier
Mossyrock ran a run-heavy offensive scheme behind workhorse tailback Easton Kolb last fall, but the new offense will feature plenty of misdirection and spread looks.
Sophomore quarterback Blue Sievers will be the signal-caller, with senior Kyle Brockway taking the bulk of carries out of the backfield. Senior slot receiver Freddy Solis and senior Gunnar Callies will make plays in the passing game.
Brockway and Solis love the style of offense the Vikings have implemented this fall.
“You could throw anything at the defense. If something’s not working, you could go a completely different route with it,” Brockway said. “You could run up the middle, run outside, pitches. You can do everything.”
“It keeps the opponent on their toes,” Solis chimed in. “They don’t know what’s coming.”
Competitive drive will not be an issue
Mossyrock coaches never had to encourage their players to bring a competitive spirit to the practice field, especially during 1-on-1 blocking drills. Players talked smack to rile each other up before lunging at each other’s shoulderpads.
For the final workout of the practice, players did 10 pushups, ran down the field and back, then did eight more pushups before another run, and so forth, the seniors still did what they called a “half gasser” to finish off the day.
New defense needs some work
Dailey hopes to establish a defensive identity where his players fly fast to the ball and make big hits. The first half of the Vikings’ practice Thursday was focused on tackling techniques, getting off blocks and taking the right angles toward ballcarriers.
After a campaign in which Mossyrock surrendered 36 points per game last year, the Vikings still have plenty of work to do to bring that mark down. Defensive coaches got after the unit for standing around on defense and not chasing the ball, eventually calling for them to do five pushups if they didn’t get back to the line of scrimmage quickly enough.
One coach remarked, “If you want to stand and watch, I’ll buy you popcorn.”
The defense does have some returners, including linebacker Brockway and defensive linemen Russell Eckloff and Waylen Huguenin, the latter of which flashed some sideline-to-sideline tackling ability during practice.
Mossyrock kicks off the season on Friday, Sept. 5 at home against Raymond-South Bend at 7 p.m.
