Tekoa-Oaksedale is the principal contender to maintain Eastern Washington's dominance (15 of 19 state championships) in eight-man football. The Nighthawks return all but four players off a team that finished 10-1, losing 36-20 to state champion Inchelium in the semifinals last year.
Inchelium had rebounded from back-to-back 1-8 seasons to finish 11-0 last year thanks in large measure to the hiring of high school principal Pat Ena, who came to town with son Eti and nephew Aifala Ama — both seniors.
The younger Ena, at 220 pounds, and Ama, at 240, were large bruising running backs who had played for a Class 4A school in Orem, Utah. Both are now at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.
Inchelium had a nucleus of local talent but the addition of running backs bigger and stronger than most eight-man lineman was immense.
The enthusiasm of winning has brought 40 players out for practice, coach Ron Washington reported. Included at 11 seniors with game experience.
Quarterback is up for grabs among three players who shared backup duties last year — senior Larry Tonasket, junior Roger Finley and sophomore Randy Kheel.
Punkin Carson, Adrian Erickson and Silas Lane return on defense and the principal has one last son — Justin Ena — who is slotted to play tight end as a freshman.
"We haven't talked about state to tell the truth," Washington said. "I don't look at it as we have to defend anything. We won it last year, it's ours and nobody can take it away. Now we want to see if we can go out and get another ring.
But the Hornets are considered part of a balanced race with Davenport and Odessa.
Coach Skip Paul's Davenport Gorillas finished 10-2 last year, losing only to state finalists Inchelium and Pateros. "We're trying to get the Inchelium formula and get big meat up there," said Paul.
Touchet, beaten only by Tekoa-Oakesdale and Inchelium last season, returns only three players with game experience.
St John Endicott will open the season against Inchelium.
"Talk about good scheduling: Here's a team that didn't win a game opening the season with the undefeated state champs (Inchelium). They should fire the A.D. — and that's me," St. John Endicott coach Dick Behrens said.
Inchelium lost assistant coach Chuck Wyborney to the opposite shore of the Columbia River. Wyborney has become the head coach at Hunters, where he was a 1985 graduate.
Columbia — shades of Inchelium — went 1-7 last season. If Wyborney can turn the Lions into unbeaten state champs it will be with a small and quick, run-oriented team. Aaron Walker appears slotted for the backfield, Jesse Templeton, a two-year starter as a junior, displayed 4.7 speed in the 40 and QB Josh Rodenbough and center A.J. Hughes return.
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