Fall Sports Preview: In 2012, Warriors look to build on comeback season

EWHS Coach John Gradwohl talks with quarterback Davis Giles during practice last week. (Photo by Char Blankenship)

By Ian Waldron

The always-competitive Edmonds-Woodway football team surprised fans last season as they got off to an unusually slow start, losing their first three games against Monroe, Marysville-Pilchuck and Meadowdale.

But a four-point win over Wesco South rival Mariner High School on Sept. 23 restored confidence in the 2011 squad, and they would go on to win their next four games straight before a disappointing loss to Lake Stevens in the Wesco 4A Championship game.

“Our first priority this offseason was to try to fill the places of the guys we lost [to graduation],” says head coach John Gradwohl. “We’re a run team, but our goal this year is to be more balanced. We’re going to see who steps up and fills those roles.”

The Warriors did lose some significant talent from the 2011-12 campaign to graduation, as wide receivers Josh Friemark, Spiral Horn and David Hansen, in addition to running backs Mark Coutee and Robbie Willcock, will not return in 2012. But Gradwohl should still be pleased with the pool of players he will send into battle Friday night.

“They may not be guys who are going to make the headlines,” Gradwohl said when asked about the offensive and defensive lines. “But we have some quality returning starters and leaders who are smart enough to make adjustments. It really comes down to the fundamentals, blocking and tackling, and we’ll find out how those guys do [Friday night].”

Edmonds-Woodway returns junior Davis Giles, who saw significant action at the quarterback position last year, and senior Desmond Young, who coupled with Mark Coutee in 2011 to produce a majority of the Warriors’ 230 rush yards per game.
And though the offense took some time to come together for Gradwohl and the Warriors, they would go on to finish 4-0 in league play and first in the Wesco South standings. The ups and downs of last season also provided valuable experience to Gradwohl’s squad, and the long-time head coach of the Warriors says he expects that to pay off for the team this time around.

“We are trying to build a foundation on chemistry,” he added. “The problem is, you don’t find out about chemistry until you are faced with adversity. So, we’ll find out tonight.”

Gradwohl and the Edmonds-Woodway football team begin the 2012ccampaign with a match-up at home tonight against Everett High School. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. You can listen to the game live on Warrior Radio.

Ian Waldron is a 2006 EWHS graduate.

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