Prep Football Preview: Home cooking for Twin Harbor teams to open season

Nine home games are on the slate for Week 1 of the prep football season on the Twin Harbors, highlighted by Montesano taking on a perennial playoff foe while Aberdeen will remember one of its beloved fallen legends.

La Center at Montesano

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Jack Rottle Field, Montesano High School

Players to watch: La Center – Wyatt Eiesland QB/MLB, Max Cooke OL/DL, Lincoln Cooley OL/DL, Jack Tyler OL/DL. Montesano – Tyson Perry QB/LB, Gabe Pyhala RB/LB, Mason Rasmussen WR/LB, Toren Crites RB/DB.

Montesano is a program that figures to be in the conversation of top 10 ranked 1A class teams week in and week out.

The Bulldogs open the 2024 season against an opponent with the same level of expectations when they host the La Center Wildcats at 7 p.m. on Friday.

La Center comes off a 2023 season where the Wildcats went unbeaten to win the Trico League and finished with a 10-1 record after being bounced in the first round of the state playoffs against Omak.

La Center had just four seniors in 2023, meaning the Wildcats are seasoned, playoff tested and led by a big offensive line boasting four senior starters.

Senior Wyatt Eiesland will make his first start at quarterback for the Wildcats after playing center and earning Trico League Defensive MVP honors as a linebacker a season ago.

Under head coach Terry Jensen, Montesano more often than not reloads rather than rebuilds, and if training camp was any indication, the 2024 campaign will be much of the same.

Junior Tyson Perry returns as the Bulldogs signal caller after being thrust into the starting spot last year after Jaxson Wilson went down with an injury early in the season. Perry has looked comfortable and confident in the role and has several offensive weapons to choose from, including arguably the best receiving combination in the class in Mason Rasmussen and Toren Crites.

The game may come down to how well Monte’s defense can control the sizable offensive line of La Center, which lists three players coming in over 6-feet and 240 pounds.

Monte’s linebacking corps – another strength of the team – will be hurt with the loss of senior Felix Romero, who is expected to miss several weeks after injuring his knee during summer camp. But the Bulldogs are deep at the position led by Pyhala, Rasmussen and company.

Olympic at Aberdeen

When and where: 7:30 p.m. at Stewart Field, Aberdeen

Players to watch: Olympic – Antonio Castorena QB, Riley McCoy RB/LB, Chace Webster RB/FS. Aberdeen – Micah Schroeder RB/LB, Luke Martin QB/S, Mason Hill QB/S, Legend Vessey RB/LB.

One season after one of the more successful campaigns in recent memory, the Aberdeen Bobcats open the season against the visiting Olympic Trojans.

Aberdeen graduated much of its offense last season and with the departure of several transfers, the Bobcats enter 2024 with new faces dotted across both sides of the ball.

One returning player expected to make waves this season is junior Micah Schroeder, who possesses the speed to be able to torch opposing defenses.

Olympic finished 5-5 a season ago and returns starting quarterback Antonio Castorena, who threw for over 1,000 yards last season but lost his five top receivers due to graduation.

Trojans will likely look to get the ball in the hands of leading rusher Chace Webster and X-factor senior Riley McCoy, who showed an uncanny ability to make plays on offense, defense and special teams last season.

Aberdeen will honor longtime Chain Crew Organizer John Delahanty before the game. The 20-year fixture at Aberdeen football games passed away in July and will be remembered with a moment of silence and memorials throughout the stadium.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Hoquiam quarterback Joey Bozich scrambles during the Montesano Jamboree on Aug. 30. Hoquiam faces Columbia (White Salmon) in a Week 1 game at 4 p.m. Friday at Olympic Stadium.

Columbia (White Salmon) at Hoquiam

When and where: 4 p.m. Friday at Olympic Stadium, Hoquiam

Players to watch: CWS – Matthias Posini OL/DL, Kai Brasuell WR/DL, Wyatt Stelma QB/DB. Hoquiam – Joey Bozich QB/LB, A.J. Young LT/DL, Kingston Case RB/FS.

Hoquiam opens its 2024 season against a Columbia (White Salmon) team that has struggled over the past few seasons, and may struggle again this year.

The Bruins were in the midst of an 18-game losing streak until a win over Fort Vancouver in the final game last season snapped the skid.

That didn’t help retain their upperclassmen as the Bruins have just six seniors after several didn’t show out for summer practice, leaving CWS thin up front aside from 6-foot-4, 250-pound senior Matthias Posini.

Hoquiam will look to Joey Bozich at quarterback to spark a once vaunted Hoquiam offense that has struggled to regain the form it had when it reached the state quarterfinals in 2018.

The Grizzlies’ line should be better with the growth of A.J. Young and Edgar Tobar while linebacker Winston Kaikaka and safety Kingston Case should help shore up the defense.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Elma’s Colt Landstrom (9) carries the football against Rochester during the Montesano Jamboree on Aug. 30. Elma hosts Centralia in the season-opener at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Centralia at Elma

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Davis Field, Elma High School

Players to watch: Centralia – Terrell Sanders QB, Kellen Rooklidge RB, David Daarud OL/DL. Elma – Isaac McGaffey QB/S, Ethan Camus WR/DB, Traden Carter RB/LB.

Elma opens its season much the same way it did in 2023, with a non-league matchup against the Centralia Tigers.

The Eagles defeated the Tigers in overtime last season, which was a sign of things to come for a Centralia team that finished 1-8 on the season.

The Tigers return starting quarterback Terrell Sanders and running back Kellen Rooklidge and are hoping the second season under head coach Jon Rooklidge will continue to show development.

Elma will have Isaac McGaffey step into the starting quarterback role after last season’s 1A Evergreen Offensive MVP Carter Studer graduated.

McGaffey saw limited time under center a season ago – filling in for a game and a half when Studer was injured – but saw plenty of time as one of Studer’s favorite targets at wide receiver and will continue to be the starting safety on defense.

McGaffey along with starting receiver Ethan Camus and running back Traden Carter are just a few of the Eagles that can flat out fly, which could cause problems for the Centralia defense and lead to some big plays.

Mossyrock at Raymond-South Bend

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Millam Field, South Bend High School

Players to watch: Mossyrock – Easton Kolb QB, Cameron Kuberth OL/DL, Maciah Collum OL/DL. RSB – Chris Quintana QB/DB, Chris Banker RB/LB, Isaac Schlueter RB/LB.

Raymond-South Bend hosts Mossyrock in an important opening-season game for both teams.

Similar to Ocosta and North Beach in recent seasons, Mossyrock made the switch to 8-man football four seasons ago, with the rare 11-man game mixed in due to WIAA playoff-qualification requirements.

This year, Mossyrock is back up to 11-man full time and will be led by returning starting quarterback Easton Kolb and linemen Cameron Kuberth and Maciah Collum.

Raymond-South Bend lost the bulk of its offense with the graduation of quarterback Austin Snodgrass and running backs Robbie Stigall and Ferrill Johnson.

Stepping up in their place will be senior quarterback Chris Quintana, who made the move over from his spot at wide receiver, and running backs Chris Banker and Isaac Schlueter.

Sawyer Duckworth, JJ Martinez-Caldwell and Nolen Miller will lead RSB up front and should be challenged by the strength of the Vikings: the offensive line.

Winlock at Pe Ell-Willapa Valley

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday in Pe Ell

Players to watch: Winlock – Landen Cline QB, James Cusson RB. PWV – Nathan Fluke QB/S, Cody Strozyk RB/MLB, Connor “Cheese” Keeton OL/DL.

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley opens its season against a Winlock team stepping up from the 8-man ranks.

Winlock has spent the past three seasons playing 8-man football and will be led by returning quarterback Landen Cline and running back James Cusson, with an offensive line returning three starters from a season ago.

PWV is slotted by many prognosticators to place second in the 2B Central-North League behind Napavine and with good reason.

The Titans return much of their offensive firepower and have experience at multiple positions, led by Nathan Fluke at quarterback and running back Cody Strozyk.

The nickname duo of Connor “Cheese” Keeton and Christian “Pablo” Escobar will anchor what should be a solid offensive and defensive front.

Other games

Oakville at Ocosta – Ocosta makes the move to 1B class 8-man football full time and kicks off the season against Oakville at 7 p.m. Friday in Westport.

Evergreen Lutheran at North Beach – North Beach moves to 8-man full time while Evergreen Lutheran moves up from the 6-man leagues in the Hyaks’ first game under new head coach Brent Wasche. Kickoff is 1 p.m. Saturday in Ocean Shores.

Wahkiakum at Taholah – The Chitwhins open the season with an 8-man game against Wahkiakum at 3 p.m. Saturday at Taholah High School.