PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Untested Ravens look to mature quickly

Experience is the key word for the Auburn Riverside football team this season.

The youthful Ravens, coming off a 4-6 season in their return to the South Puget Sound League 4A North Division last year, will look to develop quickly.

This season the Ravens will turn to leadership from a core of seniors, including tri-captains Jon Hakala, Brandon Hand and Jesse Menck.

Hakala returns as the Ravens’ starting quarterback – a year faster, smarter and more prepared, coach Bob Morgan said.

“He’s gotten stronger,” he said. “His arm is stronger. He understands the offense better. He did a lot of time in the weight room over the summer and is faster.”

Morgan said that Hakala’s maturation at his position opened up new options for the offense this season.

“We’re going to try to pass the ball more than we did last year,” Morgan said. “We’re still a running team. We run the option spread with maybe a 60/40 split.”

The Ravens also will look to Hand and Menck to anchor the line on both sides of the ball.

In addition to the team’s returning starters – five on offense, four on defense – Auburn Riverside will boast a bevy of newcomers eager to make their impact felt on the field.

“Cameron Grad is also one of our captains, even though he is a junior,” Morgan said.

Grad will look to make his presence felt at running back and linebacker.

Overall, Morgan said, he was most pleased by the team’s willingness to work hard, despite its inexperience.

“We’re going to be a little bit young,” he said. “Inexperience is obviously going to be a weakness. But over the summer there has been the best team chemistry we’ve had since I’ve been the coach here. There are no bad attitudes.

“I think chemistry is our biggest strength, that and having a returning quarterback that understands the system is a plus,” Morgan added. “Some of our newcomers are surprising. Happy surprises. Some of the younger players are doing really well.”

Morgan hopes that his team’s enthusiasm and work ethic will be enough to make up for the team’s lack of experience and size.

“We don’t have much size, but you can’t really improve on that,” he said.

“We’re small but quicker, and we’ll have to try and get off the line and be explosive.”

The Ravens will open their season at 7 p.m., Sept. 4 against Kent-Meridian at Auburn Memorial Stadium.

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AUBURN RIVERSIDE SCHEDULE

Sept. 4 – Kent-Meridian at Auburn Riverside

Sept. 11 – Tahoma at Auburn Riverside

Sept. 18 – Auburn Riverside at Beamer (nonleague)

Sept. 26 – Auburn Riveside at Kentwood

Oct. 3 – Auburn Riverside at Jefferson

Oct. 9 – Federal Way at Auburn Riverside