After a spring full of turmoil and change, the Auburn Mountainview football program is ready to take care of business.
Craig Spence, who led the Lions to a 4-6 overall record, 1-4 in the South Puget Sound League 3A last season, stepped down as coach this summer.
Jared Gervais, who has worked with the school’s junior varsity program, takes over the speedy, athletic and young Lions in hopes of leading them out of the league basement. The Lions open the Gervais era at Sumner on Friday. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Sunset Chev Stadium.
“We definitely have our hands full with them,” said Gervais, the nephew of state high school coaching legend Steve Gervais. “But the kids are confident going in. Everything is going well. We’ve got a few things we have to refine, but everything is in. We’ve just got to clean it up a little bit and we’ll be good to go.
”The Lions look to ignite an offense that has struggled to put the ball in the end zone, averaging only 14 points a game in 2010.
Junior Domenic Rockey (6-foot-2, 175-pounds) returns as an improved and poised quarterback ready to help drive Gervais’ spread offense.
“Domenic is a year older, and I think he’s kind of figured out ‘if I get rid of the ball quick, I’ve got this pretty good core of receivers,’” Gervais said. “Our receivers are the strength of the team, and I think he figured out that they are going to make plays and make him look like a really good quarterback.”
Rockey has plenty of swift targets in senior Skyler White (5-7, 180), juniors Devin Bryant (5-8, 160), Elliott Pelfrey (5-10, 165) and J.J. Lacey, as well as sophomores Ray Hardaway (6-0, 185) and Joey Cassano (5-9, 180).
“We’ve got a lot speed,” Gervais said. “And we have a couple of guys who are real steady, possession guys who catch everything thrown their way.”
On the ground, the Lions will turn to senior Victor Korchemniy (6-1, 215) to shoulder the load at running back.
“He’s just fast and studly,” Gervais said. “He’s the most ripped high school kid I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Korchemniy will run behind returning tackles, senior Willie Mack (6-2, 250) and junior Nick Aumua (6-2, 235), as well as first-year starters and seniors David Sarrett (6-0, 220) and Dalton Keene (5-11, 230) at guard.
“And (6-0, 265 senior) David Fowler and (6-4, 285 junior) Kijana Dyer have a nice little battle going for the center spot,” Gervais said.
Kevin Nishimoto was hired to coordinate a promising defense.
