FALL PREVIEW-Seaside Football
LEAGUE: Cowapa League (4A)
The Cowapa League retains six teams, dropping Rainier while adding Yamhill-Carlton. A good news-bad news situation for the Gulls: shorter road trip, stronger opponent.
HEAD COACH: Dave Foust (8th year, 25-36)
ASST COACHES: Joel Dierickx, Bill Westerholm, Chad Madsen, Justin BennettThough he's still looking for one more assistant, the core of last year's staff returns intact. While Foust still intends to spend the first half of games in the press box and will call the plays, Westerholm will manage the defense, while focusing on DB's and RB's. Dierickx will coach QB's, WR's and DE's, Madsen is the junior varsity head coach and coaches varsity LB's and Justin Bennett is the frosh/soph defensive coordinator and varsity line coach.
2005 RECORD: 6-4 (5-1 Cowapa League 2nd place)
PLAYOFFS:lost to Burns 26-12 at home
LAST LEAGUE TITLE: ?
LAST PLAYOFF WIN: 1994 state championship game-beat Brookings 27-14
The Seagulls have made just two state playoff appearances since Stubby Lyons' '94 champs topped Brookings-Harbor, both losses to Burns (the 2000 Kellen Clemens-led Hilanders squashed the Gulls 40-7). The Gulls also faced Burns in the first round in 1994, beating the Hilanders 33-14 before knocking off Molalla, Junction City and Brookings on the way to the trophy. Interesting note: Seaside's only loss that year was to Astoria, preventing a Cowapa League championship.
CURRENT COLLEGE/PRO ATHLETES: Ben Archibald (LT-New Orleans Saints), Matt Hendryx (2nd-team all-NWC catcher for Pacific baseball team), Josh McCord (BYU-Idaho track & field), Scott Lucia (LB, Eastern Oregon)
KEY GRAUDUATES/LOSSES: Lucia (1st-tm all-Cowapa LB), Ryan Spivey (hon. ment. all-state DB), Trevor Christensen (1st-tm all-Cowapa DE), Adam Poole (OG)
Spivey had a great year, but Lucia, a beast at middle linebacker and fullback, will be tough to replace. The Gulls lose a couple of good starting linemen from a deep pool of talent.
OFFENSE: wing-T DEFENSE: 4-3, multiple
RETURNING ALL-STARS: Ed Kauffunger (Jr., P-HM all-state), Kai Watts (Sr., DE-1st-team Cowapa), Daniel Copenhaver (Sr., OL-1st-team Cowapa), Ben Christianson (Sr., OL-1st-team Cowapa), Joe DeNotta (Sr., LB-1st-team Cowapa), Dennis Olstedt (Sr., RB-1st team Cowapa), Ross Knutsen (Sr., OL-HM Cowapa)
RETURNING STARTERS: lost total of nine starting positions
RETURNING LETTERMEN: 19
OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Dominick Walker (Jr., DB/WR/RB), Damian Olivar (Jr., WR/RB/DB), Matt Mizell (Sr., C/MLB), Bjorn McCord (Sr., OG/DE), Dave Dougherty (Sr., WR), Kai McCord (So., OL/DL), Mitch DeGandi (Sr., WR/DB), Brian Ulbricht (So.)
KEY NEWCOMERS: none
A gem of a class has reached its senior year at Seaside and the Gulls hope to reap the benefits in November and December.
Seaside returns a wealth of skill position talent with an experienced and athletic line that will average over 230 pounds. The wild card is at quarterback, where junior Ed Kauffunger could have a breakout season in a league featuring two Pac-10 recruits in Yamhill-Carlton and Scappoose and a highly-touted sophomore in Astoria. Kauffunger is 6-6 with mobile feet, a strong arm and a year of starting experience with a playoff team under his belt.
Kauffunger has a ton of weapons at his disposal, with the most athletic group of backs in the league, led by track star Dennis Olstedt, who will earn his fourth varsity letter. Forget Division I, Joe DeNotta has an N.F.L. body with an ivy league brain and Will Beatty, at 190 lbs. will play fullback but could slot in anywhere in the backfield. Those seniors are backed up by athletic juniors like Dominick Walker and Damian Olivar who will have plenty of time to shine next year. At tight end, Kai Watts is a 6-5, 270-plus pound freight train and Mitch DeGandi provides a long sure-handed target at wide receiver.
It all starts up front, where the Seaside line is anchored by senior tackles Daniel Copenhaver and Ben Christianson. Copenhaver will start for the fourth straight year and will likely suit up for a Division I school next year if his 4.0 grade point average doesn't lead him to the Ivy League instead. Christianson is a 3-year standout on the opposite side and packs a wallop at 255 pounds. Ross Knutsen is another 3-year starter at guard with an Adonis-like build and Bjorn McCord packed on 40 pounds to an already strong body to keep up with his teammates. Matt Mizell will complete the all-senior O-line at center and will take over for Lucia at middle linebacker on defense.
Watts and Knutsen man the defensive ends of Seaside's 4-3 defense with Christianson joined by Joey O'Brien on the inside. The Gulls will switch to 3-4 and 4-4 fronts when the situation warrants. DeNotta, one of several college prospects with eye-popping numbers in the classroom and the weightroom, continues a long line of outstanding Gull linebackers along with Beatty on the outside. As good as Olstedt is in the offensive backfield, the speedy, 6-1 long-armed senior might be better as a cover corner. Walker and Kauffunger will patrol the deep middle for the Gulls, while the junior Kauffunger is one of the state's top 4A punters. Olstedt is a game-breaker as a return man in the kicking game.
TEAM STRENGTH: unity, great high achieving kids who happen to be athletic
strong>WEAKNESS: depth, total turnout of 47
TOP COWAPA CONTENDERS: SCAPPOOSE, then a toss-up
PROJECTED FINISH: battle for playoffs with Astoria, Y-C, Tillamook
Four out of five Cowapa League coaches agree (O.K., 5 out of 5) that Scappoose is the team to beat until somebody knocks the Indians off. But nobody can top the combination of size, athleticism, experience and intelligence that Seaside brings to the table this year. The Gulls appear to be one of the three playoff teams and will give Scappoose a run for its money as the two teams meet at Broadway Field on Thursday, October 12th. The previous Friday, the Gulls visit Astoria's John Warren Field in the Cowapa League opener for both teams. It will be the most highly anticipated Clatsop Clash in at least ten years.
The Cowapa League retains six teams, dropping Rainier while adding Yamhill-Carlton. A good news-bad news situation for the Gulls: shorter road trip, stronger opponent.
HEAD COACH: Dave Foust (8th year, 25-36)
ASST COACHES: Joel Dierickx, Bill Westerholm, Chad Madsen, Justin BennettThough he's still looking for one more assistant, the core of last year's staff returns intact. While Foust still intends to spend the first half of games in the press box and will call the plays, Westerholm will manage the defense, while focusing on DB's and RB's. Dierickx will coach QB's, WR's and DE's, Madsen is the junior varsity head coach and coaches varsity LB's and Justin Bennett is the frosh/soph defensive coordinator and varsity line coach.
2005 RECORD: 6-4 (5-1 Cowapa League 2nd place)
PLAYOFFS:lost to Burns 26-12 at home
LAST LEAGUE TITLE: ?
LAST PLAYOFF WIN: 1994 state championship game-beat Brookings 27-14
The Seagulls have made just two state playoff appearances since Stubby Lyons' '94 champs topped Brookings-Harbor, both losses to Burns (the 2000 Kellen Clemens-led Hilanders squashed the Gulls 40-7). The Gulls also faced Burns in the first round in 1994, beating the Hilanders 33-14 before knocking off Molalla, Junction City and Brookings on the way to the trophy. Interesting note: Seaside's only loss that year was to Astoria, preventing a Cowapa League championship.
CURRENT COLLEGE/PRO ATHLETES: Ben Archibald (LT-New Orleans Saints), Matt Hendryx (2nd-team all-NWC catcher for Pacific baseball team), Josh McCord (BYU-Idaho track & field), Scott Lucia (LB, Eastern Oregon)
KEY GRAUDUATES/LOSSES: Lucia (1st-tm all-Cowapa LB), Ryan Spivey (hon. ment. all-state DB), Trevor Christensen (1st-tm all-Cowapa DE), Adam Poole (OG)
Spivey had a great year, but Lucia, a beast at middle linebacker and fullback, will be tough to replace. The Gulls lose a couple of good starting linemen from a deep pool of talent.
OFFENSE: wing-T DEFENSE: 4-3, multiple
RETURNING ALL-STARS: Ed Kauffunger (Jr., P-HM all-state), Kai Watts (Sr., DE-1st-team Cowapa), Daniel Copenhaver (Sr., OL-1st-team Cowapa), Ben Christianson (Sr., OL-1st-team Cowapa), Joe DeNotta (Sr., LB-1st-team Cowapa), Dennis Olstedt (Sr., RB-1st team Cowapa), Ross Knutsen (Sr., OL-HM Cowapa)
RETURNING STARTERS: lost total of nine starting positions
RETURNING LETTERMEN: 19
OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Dominick Walker (Jr., DB/WR/RB), Damian Olivar (Jr., WR/RB/DB), Matt Mizell (Sr., C/MLB), Bjorn McCord (Sr., OG/DE), Dave Dougherty (Sr., WR), Kai McCord (So., OL/DL), Mitch DeGandi (Sr., WR/DB), Brian Ulbricht (So.)
KEY NEWCOMERS: none
A gem of a class has reached its senior year at Seaside and the Gulls hope to reap the benefits in November and December.
Seaside returns a wealth of skill position talent with an experienced and athletic line that will average over 230 pounds. The wild card is at quarterback, where junior Ed Kauffunger could have a breakout season in a league featuring two Pac-10 recruits in Yamhill-Carlton and Scappoose and a highly-touted sophomore in Astoria. Kauffunger is 6-6 with mobile feet, a strong arm and a year of starting experience with a playoff team under his belt.
Kauffunger has a ton of weapons at his disposal, with the most athletic group of backs in the league, led by track star Dennis Olstedt, who will earn his fourth varsity letter. Forget Division I, Joe DeNotta has an N.F.L. body with an ivy league brain and Will Beatty, at 190 lbs. will play fullback but could slot in anywhere in the backfield. Those seniors are backed up by athletic juniors like Dominick Walker and Damian Olivar who will have plenty of time to shine next year. At tight end, Kai Watts is a 6-5, 270-plus pound freight train and Mitch DeGandi provides a long sure-handed target at wide receiver.
It all starts up front, where the Seaside line is anchored by senior tackles Daniel Copenhaver and Ben Christianson. Copenhaver will start for the fourth straight year and will likely suit up for a Division I school next year if his 4.0 grade point average doesn't lead him to the Ivy League instead. Christianson is a 3-year standout on the opposite side and packs a wallop at 255 pounds. Ross Knutsen is another 3-year starter at guard with an Adonis-like build and Bjorn McCord packed on 40 pounds to an already strong body to keep up with his teammates. Matt Mizell will complete the all-senior O-line at center and will take over for Lucia at middle linebacker on defense.
Watts and Knutsen man the defensive ends of Seaside's 4-3 defense with Christianson joined by Joey O'Brien on the inside. The Gulls will switch to 3-4 and 4-4 fronts when the situation warrants. DeNotta, one of several college prospects with eye-popping numbers in the classroom and the weightroom, continues a long line of outstanding Gull linebackers along with Beatty on the outside. As good as Olstedt is in the offensive backfield, the speedy, 6-1 long-armed senior might be better as a cover corner. Walker and Kauffunger will patrol the deep middle for the Gulls, while the junior Kauffunger is one of the state's top 4A punters. Olstedt is a game-breaker as a return man in the kicking game.
TEAM STRENGTH: unity, great high achieving kids who happen to be athletic
strong>WEAKNESS: depth, total turnout of 47
TOP COWAPA CONTENDERS: SCAPPOOSE, then a toss-up
PROJECTED FINISH: battle for playoffs with Astoria, Y-C, Tillamook
Four out of five Cowapa League coaches agree (O.K., 5 out of 5) that Scappoose is the team to beat until somebody knocks the Indians off. But nobody can top the combination of size, athleticism, experience and intelligence that Seaside brings to the table this year. The Gulls appear to be one of the three playoff teams and will give Scappoose a run for its money as the two teams meet at Broadway Field on Thursday, October 12th. The previous Friday, the Gulls visit Astoria's John Warren Field in the Cowapa League opener for both teams. It will be the most highly anticipated Clatsop Clash in at least ten years.
posted by Matt Richert at 2:16 PM
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