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WHS PREVIEWS THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 9A Photos by Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Head coach Jim Hackwith delivers a message to the Warrenton Volleyball team in a preseason practice. WARRENTON BEGINS THE ‘EDWARDS ERA’ Hackwith back in the saddle again By GARY HENLEY The Daily Astorian Photos by Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian ABOVE: Warrenton Football Head Coach Jason Edwards talks to his team as they practice earlier this month, at Warrenton High School . BELOW: Gio Martinez throws the ball during drills as the Warriors football team practices at Warrenton High School . By GARY HENLEY The Daily Astorian A nother coaching change, youth at almost every position and the loss of fi ve all-league players. Can the Warrenton Warriors deal with all that, and still compete in 2016? It could be a rough September, but any- thing can happen in a four-game league season. The times, they are a-changin’ (again) for Warrenton football. The fi rst change starts at the top, where Jason Edwards takes over as head coach, replacing Tra- vis Freeman. Warrenton has not made the state play- offs since 2012, and hasn’t scored points in the state playoffs since 2009. The War- riors have also not had a winning record in league play since going 3-2 in 2008, slip- ping to 0-2 in the two-game league sea- son of 2014. And after 38 years of John Mattila (1974-2011), the Warriors are on their third coach in three years (Ian O’Brien, Freeman and Edwards). “I think the community is a little gun- shy, after seeing all the turnover after such a long legacy with Mattila,” said Edwards, who was an assistant on Freeman’s coach- ing staff last season. Still, “It’s a fabulous opportunity,” he said. “I love this community. I have the best job in the world.” Lewis & Clark League Clatskanie’s losses were Rainier’s gains in the off-season, while Portland Christian and Warrenton look for a top- two fi nish in the four-team league. The Tigers of Clatskanie were facing a major rebuilding job to begin with, then lost several key starters to the Colum- bians, as all-league lineman Job Karber and Cooper Blodgett have transferred to Rainier. Rainier also acquired Vernonia’s Steele Ware, who helped the Loggers to a North- west League title last year, but is now back with the Columbians. Rainier is the defi nite favorite for the league title. The No. 2 spot is up for grabs. WARRIOR FOOTBALL Coach: Jason Edwards, 1st year 2015: 4-5 (1-2 L&C) All-League Losses: Nathan Bighill, Anthony Cochran, Gavon McFadden, Eli Petersen, Hunter Wilson “I was an assistant and JV coach last year, so I’m familiar with everybody,” Edwards said. “I heard Clatskanie’s down and Rainier is up, and Portland Christian is Portland Christian.” Warriors All-League Returner: Devon Bowser, Sr. (OL/DL) 2016 ROSTER No. Name Position 4 Gio Martinez, So. QB/DB 15 Preston Miller, Jr. QB/DB 21 Ray Alcobendas, Sr. RB/DB 33 Brian Sheppard, Sr. RB/LB 38 Devon Bowser, Sr. RB/DL 42 Logan Fischer, Jr. RB/LB 51 Hayden Bingham, Sr. OL/LB 52 Jared Middleton, Sr. OL/DL 53 Caden Hans, Jr. DL/LB 54 Tim Warren, Jr. OL/DL 57 Collin Burchell, Jr. OL/DL 59 Beau Reynolds, Jr. OL/DL 70 Nathan Oseguera, Sr. OL/DL 85 Derek Ham, Sr. TE/LB “The numbers are a little down from last year, but we have a really good young core coming up,” Edwards said. “We’re going to be a young team this year. But the future is bright, and we’re rebuilding the foundation.” All the seniors — which isn’t that many — return. Edwards said the team captains will be Ray Alcobendas, Hayden Bing- ham, Devon Bowser and Brian Sheppard. Bowser is the only returning all-league player, as an offensive and defensive lineman. The Warriors played most of last year with a freshman quarterback (Gio Marti- nez), along with sophomore Preston Miller. On the plus side, “we’ve got talent all over the fi eld,” Edwards said. “Our work ethic is the strength of our team.” The Warriors will certainly be in shape, as Edwards had the group running hard in the August heat. On Edwards’ staff will be Lenny Brown, Craig Horton, Jim Kyme, Mike Larsen and Chris Sheppard. Warriors have large turnout for cross country By GARY HENLEY The Daily Astorian Warrenton cross country coach Hayley Espelund Rogers is hoping that bigger numbers result in higher fi nishes in the big meets this year, as the War- riors enter a new season. Every pre season, Rogers takes her runners to Central Ore- gon for a week of fun before the competitive running starts. “We just had the biggest cross country camp ever,” Rog- ers said, “and we have the most numbers out this year, and I am confi dent we will have a couple more join once school starts.” Which is defi nitely good news for the Warriors, who compete in the always-tough District 1-3A/2A/1A. The Warrenton boys fi n- ished ninth out of 10 teams in Daily Astorian /File Photo Taylor Owens will trade the hurdles for cross country this fall, as she will run some longer distances for the War- renton cross country team. last year’s district meet, while the Lady Warriors placed sev- enth out of seven teams. For the Warrenton girls, “we GIVE ‘EM YOUR BEST TEAMS! have Elle Schenbeck, Krista Morrill, Saran Pottschmidt, Rebecca Sprengeler, Ivy McCargish and Madison Kadera returning, as well as Taylor Owens, a transfer who has run cross country,” but not for Warrenton, Rogers said. “She did track and had a great season (placing at state in the hurdles).” New students include Trin- ity Womack and Alma Bolanos, and freshmen Kaisa Liljenwall and Anna Schenbeck. “Our girls’ team is the big- gest ever,” Rogers said. “And we have some leaders who have been around the team all their high school careers. I hope to see them not only mentoring our younger runners but getting some new PR’s and having fun while they’re at it.” Returning runners for the boys includes senior Luke Lil- jenwall, who placed 31st out of 83 runners in last year’s district meet. Warrenton has added Alan Martinez, “and we’re hoping Jeryd Lewis joins us, though he has had some injury problems,” Rogers said. Sophomore A.J. Schen- beck is returning, “and we have a new sophomore, Axel Martinez,” she said. “We also have a student who is transfer- ring from North Coast, Forest Bigelow. “All of these boys can run, so I’m excited to see what they do this season as a team and individuals.” Warrenton will also host its third annual “Wreck Race” in October, held in and around the parking area and beach near the Peter Iredale. Lewis & Clark League Lots of returning stars in the L&C. With fi ve private schools, plus Rainier, there usually is. The list of outstanding tal- ent includes league Player of the Year Breana Edwards of Rainier, back for her junior season. The Columbians lost a few all-league seniors off last year’s team, but Coach of the Year Mike Edwards will likely reload with another title-con- tending lineup. Oregon Episcopal (Belle Scott) and Portland Adventist (Sarah Halverson) return with fi rst-team all-league players. “Rainier should be very strong,” Hackwith said. “Port- Coach: Jim Hackwith, 1st year (10th overall) 2015: 5-6 L&C Playoffs: 1-1 in league playoffs All-League Losses: Ally Bentley, Libby Biel All-League Returner: Landree Miethe, Sr. land Christian is also going to be strong, and PAA and OES always seem to come up with good varsity teams.” Lady Warriors The fi rst task for Hack- with is replacing two of War- renton’s top hitters from a year ago, Ally Bentley and Libby Biel. All-everything Landree Miethe returns for her senior year, but Warrenton’s top all- around athlete will need help, and the Warriors will need to play a solid defense with their lack of height and hitters. “We’ll have to develop a very good defensive team,” Hackwith said. “We lost some of our good hitters — although we have a few who are com- ing along nicely. Landree is a strong outside hitter, and Mor- gan Blodgett is actually play- ing well as a middle and is also a strong hitter.” Regardless, “we’ll have to play strong a defense to disrupt the other teams, and as always hope to avoid the mistakes on offense,” he said. “And you can’t score points if you can’t serve.” The Warriors had fi ve seniors last year, and they’ve got fi ve more this season. Besides Miethe, the Fab Five includes Katelynn Blodgett, Cheyenne Harri- son, Asia Lambert and Sierra Lyons. Michelle Arney, setter Leah Durham and middle blocker Chloe Magranahan are War- renton’s trio of juniors; while sophomores Morgan Blodgett and Claire Bussert round out the roster. Asia Lambert, right, is one of five seniors on the War- renton volleyball roster for 2016. L IFE HAPPEN S... Tha t’s w hy w e’re here! Com e vis it us for your S ports P hys ica ls on ly $ 40 ! K eith K la tt, M D • S a lly B a k er, PA -C M a rk Ta b o r, PA -C • H o n ey M a rqu es , PA -C APPLIANCE AND HOME FURNISHINGS 529 SE MARLIN, WARRENTON 503-861-0929 503-325-0333 2120 Excha n ge S t., S u ite 111 Ho u rs : 9 AM - 7 PM Ope n 7 Da ys A W e e k! W a lk-in s W e lc o m e HOURS OPEN: MON-FRI 8-6 • SATURDAY 9-5 • SUNDAY 10-4 We Service What We Sell He’s baaaaack … a famil- iar face is returning to the side- lines for Warrenton volley- ball, as Jim Hackwith returns as head coach for the 2016 season, stepping in for Jenny Smith, who may or may not return next year. “I’m looking at it as a one- year thing, but that’s still up in the air,” Hackwith said. That being said, “It’s amaz- ing how many things can change in just a few years,” said Hackwith, who coached the Warriors from 2005 to 2013, after taking over for Dianne Dick following the 2004 season. “I don’t have to deal with Corbett or Valley Catholic like we did when I coached before, and now we have Portland Christian,” he said. Hackwith had lots of suc- cess during his fi rst tenure, with four state-qualifying teams from 2006-09, followed by three more winning seasons. But the Warriors have fallen on hard times lately, with league records of 2-9, 4-6 and 5-6 over the last three years. Warrenton opened the 2015 season with sweeps over Knappa and Seaside, then lost three of its fi rst four league matches. WARRENTON VOLLEYBALL A CCEPTING M OS T I NS URA NCE , O HP & M EDICA RE • 20% C A S H D IS CO UNT GO Tony Bogh • Owner 503.325.5000 CCB#188326 WARRENTON!