Tides emphasize team concept

Offense to spread field, defense looks to get after the ball

Marques Hunter

of the Gateway

Gig Harbor Tides head coach Darren McKay and the rest his coaching staff have their hands full.

With more than 30 seniors graduating from a football team that reached the Class 4A state preliminary round last year, McKay will have the most inexperienced crew he’s coached since he came to Gig Harbor 10 years ago from Timberline High School in Lacey.

Three players return on offense, and the defense has lost some size and strength.

Yet, despite a number of challenges that includes a top-heavy schedule with five playoff-caliber football teams, the Gig Harbor football team plans to be in the mix for the Narrows League title.

The Tides, who have been one of the top two teams in the Narrows for several years, have relied on their defense to keep them in close games. Last year, they finished third in the classification behind Skyline and Olympia for fewest points allowed.

The football culture surrounding Gig Harbor’s history of success keeps the players’ chins high, and they’ll travel to defending Narrows League champion Olympia to open the season at 7 p.m. Sept. 4.

Olympia reached the first round of the state tournament last year before falling to another Narrows League team, Central Kitsap.

Although Gig Harbor will have a younger team than it has in the past, the players aren’t complaining about lack of experience.

Offense

The team will feature junior wide receiver Austin Seferian-Jenkins, a highly recruited 6-foot-7, 255-pounder who also will see time at tight end and outside linebacker. Seferian-Jenkins reportedly has verbal offers on the table from more than a dozen schools, including Florida, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and all but one Pac-10 school.

“It’s time for us to step up,” Jenkins said. “We’re putting in the work to be a good team.”

Jenkins acknowledged it may be tough this season.

“We’re going to take it one game at a time,” he said. “We have to keep working hard and try and win every game.”

The Tides’ other weapon is senior quarterback Barrett Schmidtke, who transferred from Class 1A Life Christian Academy in Tacoma. Schmidtke has thrown for more than 5,000 yards in his career and was third in the state for most passing yards as a junior.

“It’s a challenge,” Schmidtke said about the change in classification. “The players around me have stepped up and helped me figure things out.”

Schmidtke and junior Troy Castle will share the quarterbacking duties. Castle is more elusive and also will be featured as the Tides’ slot receiver.

“I’m very excited to show what we’ve got,” Castle said. “There are a lot of people doubting us. I’m looking forward to proving to everyone we have some talent.”

McKay said that because the team doesn’t have a dynamic quarterback or a speedy running back, every player must do their job.

“For us to be successful, the other 10 guys have to do their job,” McKay said, acknowledging Jenkins will be an offensive target.

The Tides will continue to run the spread-option offense, a scheme that was implemented last year. It’s up-style tempo that uses no-huddle techniques and some playcalling at the line of scrimmage.

McKay said his coaching staff feels more comfortable with a year of experience under their belts.

“We are more confident in terms of what’s effective,” McKay said.

Schmidtke ran a spread offense at Life Christian. Castle came in during lopsided games last year and has run the offense, too.

“The spread is fun to watch,” McKay said. “The kids enjoy practicing it.”

Defense

Gig Harbor linebacker Colby Jenkins said working as a team will lead to success.

“We’re going to try and put up as much effort and see where it takes us,” Jenkins said. “We don’t have too many players that stick out individually, but if we all come together as a team, we can do more things.”

Jenkins played with some of Gig Harbor’s talented core of linebackers who graduated last year, like Dalton Darmody, Jim Dahl and Drew Burkhardt. Safety Tanner Davis also was a key part to last year’s team.

Tides defensive end Trevor Harrison said that, in order to make up for being undersized this year, they must be physical.

“Work,” Harrison said about winning games this season. “That’s really all you can do. You just have to work hard.”

Gig Harbor Tides

Coach: Darren McKay

2008 Narrows League champs: Olympia (Gig Harbor finished second at 8-1)

Captains: Trevor Harrison, Troy Castle, Barrett Schmidtke, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Ethan Roberts.

Biggest upside: “Even though we are young, there is a winning tradition that the players are holding themselves to,” McKay said.

Prediction: “We will get better as our young players gain game experience,” McKay said. “There really is no substitute for that. Many played late in games last season, but Friday night is a lot different than Monday afternoon.”

Teams to watch: Central Kitsap, Olympia, Gig Harbor and South Kitsap.

Key losses: QB Chet Thompson; FS/WR Tanner Davis; LB Jim Dahl; RB Nico Youngren; LB Dalton Darmody; LB/RB Jeff Filmer; OL Nick Johnson; K Jay Ubben.

Top newcomers: Barrett Schmidtke, 6-2, 220, QB. Had nearly 5,000 passing yards the past two seasons at Life Christian in Tacoma; Jessy Leifi, 5-9, 290, NT. Solidifies the defensive line.

Key returners

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, 6-foot-7, 255 pounds, TE/DE. Has more than a dozen NCAA Division I offers, including Florida, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and nine Pac-10 schools with the exception of USC. Has made improvements in his strength and conditioning.

Troy Castle, 5-10, 168, QB, WR, PR.

Trevor Harrison, 6-1, 221, DE. Was the most consistent defensive lineman last season.

Coleby Jenkins, 5-11, 188, LB. Traded off as a starter last season and is the only returner at the position.

Corey Lovrovich, 6-0, 170, jr.

Austin Clague, 5-10, 175, jr.

Isaiah Bennett, 5-10, 165.

Gig Harbor football schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 4 at Olympia 7 p.m.

Sept. 11 vs. South Kitsap 7 p.m.

Sept. 17 vs. Central Kitsap 7 p.m.

Sept. 25 at Bellarmine 7 p.m.

Oct. 2 vs. Peninsula 7 p.m.

Oct. 9 vs. Foss 7 p.m.

Oct. 16 at Wilson 7 p.m.

Oct. 22 at Mount Tahoma 7 p.m.

Oct. 29 vs. Shelton 7 p.m.