Being a Wildcat football player is literally in Colby Botten’s blood.

Botten, who will be a senior free safety and wide receiver this fall, is a third-generation Mount Si Wildcats football player. The uniqueness of the Botten family tree wasn’t lost on longtime Mount Si head football coach Charlie Kinnune during a spring practice session on June 6 in Snoqualmie.

“I would venture to say that you wouldn’t find many other kids in the Puget Sound area that are third-generation football players at the same school. Colby’s grandfather Dennis played for the Wildcats in the early 1960s. Colby’s dad Todd played for the Wildcats in the late 1980s,” Kinnune said.

Botten will be the primary target in the passing game this fall for the Wildcats. Jonny Barrett, who had 95 receptions for 1,568 yards and 28 touchdowns during the 2018 season, will continue his football career at Dartmouth College this fall, leaving a void in the Wildcats prolific passing game.

“It is a weird feeling because Jonny was usually the guy we would go to on every single play. It’s not just about me but it’s about all of our younger receivers, too. We have to step up because we know it will take everybody to fill Jonny’s spot. It will be a team effort,” Botten said.

Mount Si quarterback Clay Millen will step into the starting signal-caller spot in 2019. His older brother Cale will play for the University of Oregon Ducks football program this fall.

“We have a lot of star players leaving. Our young guys really got to step up to the plate. The receivers have perfect timing with Clay right now,” Botten said of spring practices. “We know where Clay wants us to be and Clay knows where he wants us to be. It is just great all around.”

Botten said he hasn’t forgotten the Wildcats’ 47-34 loss to the Puyallup Vikings in the 4A state quarterfinals last November.

“It goes through my mind every time I go into the weight room. That is our motivation. We just want to get past that spot,” Botten said of the state quarterfinals. “Every year we want to go further than the year before and get closer to the championship.”

Recently the Snoqualmie Valley Record had an opportunity to ask Botten some questions about his life away from the football field.

Snoqualmie Valley Record: What is your favorite movie of all time?

Colby Botten: It has go to be “Remember the Titans.” It is one of the first movies my dad showed me that was a football movie. It was really inspirational. I just loved the team effort.

SVR: What is your favorite eatery in the Snoqualmie/North Bend area?

CB: North Bend Bar & Grill. I used to work there. I just quit three weeks ago. I had to quit because of football season. I was a busser.

SVR: What kind of music are you listening to the most in your car right now?

CB: It is country music by far. Blake Shelton is my favorite artist.

SVR: Where do you see yourself in five years?

CB: I hope to either me at UW (University of Washington) or Eastern Washington University getting my degree in business.

SVR: What is something unique about you that nobody would know?

CB: I enjoy film making and photography. That is one of my main focuses right now. That is what I love to do.