Highclimbers bring experience to 2022

The Shelton Highclimbers football team has high hopes as they prepare for the 2022 football season.

Mark Smith, in his third season at the helm, said the transformation from the end of last year to this year was great. It was much better with a full offseason after having a shortened offseason following the spring 2021 COVID season and turning around three months later for a fall season.

"The first year, we played in February, March, so gave the kids off April so we basically had May, June, July to get ready for next year so it was pretty short deal," Smith told the Journal. "So it feels right from the standpoint, our kids retention has been good. Our conditioning's better, our strength's better, our numbers are better. From that standpoint, it's going real well."

Smith said the team has about 80 players, and they have enough players to have a JV and freshmen team.

On offense, senior Mason Goos returns as the starting quarterback in his senior season. Senior wide receiver Dante Trikoff is back, as is junior running back Jayden Fuller and senior offensive lineman Mario Boxley.

"Any time you've got a good core of offensive lineman and your quarterback back, and your running backs, that's a good start," Smith said. "We also have a couple receivers back as well. (I) feel really good about the experience level there."

Defensively, last year's captain Ryan Mackiewicz is gone, but the team returns senior defensive lineman Blaze Andrews and safety Bradley Eleton, who Smith tabbed as the defensive leader. Eleton led the team in tackles and was named first-team all-Evergreen Conference.

"Up front on the defensive line is a strength. We've got a couple new linebackers that we're working in and then we've got a couple safeties we're working in in the secondary," Smith said.

Smith said senior linebacker Carter Whitney, junior cornerback Cameron Huisingh and Andrews are all back and will be key contributors to Shelton's success.

The spread offense is still the same as last year and on defense, the Highclimbers like to showcase multiple odd fronts on defense.

Goos told the Journal camp has been great so far being back on the field with his friends. After the disappointing end to last season, the senior class is hungry to make the playoffs this season.

"There's more than 10 of us (seniors) and it just makes us hungry," Goos said. "We just want to make an impact on this place before we leave and just get Shelton back in the playoffs."

He's felt like a leader since he took on the starting quarterback role last season. He said being a senior, he must be more of a leader now because younger players look up to him.

Goos said he's comfortable with the playbook this season and there might be some different plays being showcased this season.

"You guys will see, I might run the ball a few times this year but yeah, I'd really like to run the ball this year," Goos said.

Goos said his quarterback style is like Drew Brees because they both wear No. 9 and he's always thought Brees was a great quarterback.

Shelton hired a special teams coordinator for this season and return senior kicker and punter Brendon Keizur.

"We're looking at trying not to lose games," Smith said. "The White River game, they blocked a punt on us and they scored a touchdown and they faked a punt, otherwise, we win that game. At the end of the year there against Aberdeen, we missed a couple field goals. We've just got to get better and do a better job there."

Smith said in his third full season, the team understands the culture Smith is trying to build.

"The kids are understanding where we got to get to and where we want to be," Smith said. "I wouldn't say it's completely arrived, yet but we are going in the right direction."

Shelton kicks off the season at home against North Mason. The Highclimbers still have the axe from the shortened 2021 season and have no intention of letting the Bulldogs take it home to Belfair.

"We're going to keep the axe," Goos said. "We're going to get after it and beat them as best we can. We're ready."

In the Evergreen Conference, it won't be easy for Shelton, going against state runner-up Tumwater and state playoff team W.F. West.

"Our league has done really well in the state playoffs," Smith said. "Obviously, Tumwater has been the class of the league and they'll be good again. Chehalis has a really experienced, good-looking team coming back. Aberdeen is returning a lot of kids. It's going to be a tough league again."

Shelton has shaken off the end of last season after falling to Rochester and Aberdeen in a Kansas tiebreaker in Centralia.

"If we just take care of what we're supposed to do, we won't have to put ourselves in that situation," Smith said. "We've just got to do what we're supposed to do."

Goos said the goal this season is to get to the playoffs.

"I just want to get to the playoffs and show the people of Shelton that Shelton football's back," Goos said.

Author Bio

Matt Baide, Reporter

Shelton-Mason County Journal & Belfair Herald
Email: [email protected]

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