With the amount of success that W.F. West has had over the past three years, not much needs to be changed.
The Bearcats have made the state tournament three years in a row, and in 2022, they captured their first league title since 2014.
With several starters, including three captains, back from last season, W.F. West could be in for one of its best seasons yet.
“We feel like we got a great opportunity this season with a great group of kids,” W.F. West coach Dan Hill said. “When you’ve got the experience and the Friday night savvy that they’ve learned, now it’s just about fine-tuning the tools.”
Senior Gage Brumfield is back to lead the offense again under center, and he’s joined by fellow co-captains Tucker Land and Grady Westlund.
The talent in that trio alone will be enough to elevate the Bearcats in multiple games this season.
Brumfield was stellar on both sides of the ball last season, earning EvCo Offensive MVP honors and all-area honors at DB, while Land recorded 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks en route to being named an all-area defensive lineman. Westlund also had a great year on the D-line, earning second-team all-league honors.
“There’s just a lot of good senior leadership,” Hill said. “They’ve had a great offseason and a great summer, and you can tell they’re excited to be here.”
Defensively, Hill is moving Land to the Mike linebacker spot to better utilize his athleticism, while Westlund will be joined by Talon Meredith and Carlos Vallejo on the D-Line.
“It’s gonna be excellent watching them come in and manning that front four for us,” Hill said.
There’s no shortage of skill position players, as Declan McDonald is the only key contributor out of the fold from last year.
Connor Coleman is back to lead the wide receivers, as he led the Bearcats in catches (30) and receiving yards (422) last season. Seven starters are back on defense, a unit that’s looking to build on a strong finish in 2023.
In five of the Bearcats’ last six games last season, they allowed 14 points or fewer, including eight or less in three games.
“They’re pretty good at what they do back there,” Hill said. “We feel like we have got skill guys that can play with any skill guys.”
While the EvCo looks slightly different this year, the top should look similar barring a surprise breakout team.
Over the past few seasons, it’s been Tumwater and W.F. West battling it out at the top, and the winner of that matchup has gone on to win the league title. This year, the game will be in Chehalis on Oct. 25.
Before that, though, the Bearcats will have their hands full with a tough non-league slate. In addition to a pair of 3A schools, Timberline and Capital, W.F. West will also host 4A Battle Ground and head to North Kitsap to open the season.
North Kitsap topped W.F. West in the state semifinals two years ago, and the Vikings made it back to the 2A final four last season.
“It’s something the kids get excited for,” Hill said. “You know you’re gonna get high-level competition … Getting out there and playing teams you could potentially see later on in the year, it’s good for the guys to get that experience and confidence.
“Our guys are up for the challenge,” Hill said. “I’m expecting them to rise to the occasion.”
