New look Mount Si football team faces tough road in 2024

As far as heartbreaking defeats go, an 8-6 loss in the state tournament is right up there for the biggest gut punch you can have on the football field.

But as that game went, so did 26 seniors on the Mount Si High School football team — 21 of them starters.

Because of that turnover, there isn’t much baggage being taken with this Wildcat team in 2024. They are playing with clear minds and a clean slate as their week one opponent, Curtis High School, draws nearer.

“Every game this year is going to be week to week. We’ve got to get these guys looking at one step at a time and not looking too far ahead because they are going to be learning so much,” said Wildcats Head Coach Steve Botulinski.

This group has grown together though this difficult process of losing all those players and finding their roles.

“We’re all motivated to prove ourselves and deserve to be out there competing,” said senior Will Gregory.

Botulinski is pleased with how his program looked and acted, given the situation they are in. The staff and players saw it as an opportunity, and the week before games begin, they are acting on that opportunity with full force.

“It has been an interesting shift to a youth movement. That is what spring camp and everything is up to now, is getting them comfortable and confident and up to speed. They have attacked it every day,” Botulinski said.

The current crop of seniors see it as a challenge and a test to see how they have prepared for this moment.

“It is a big change and everyone is stepping up,” said senior Logan Knaevelsrud.

Knaevelsrud is the only returning starter. As a staff, they knew this year would come, and so far in camp, the players this year are fighting for those spots.

A position that gets more attention than anywhere else on the football field is the quarterback position. This year, the Wildcats are going with an underclassman to lead the offense, sophomore Jacob Flores. He is going to be the primary quarterback at the start of the season.

“We are excited about him and his development. He is a good athlete and got his wits about him,” Botulinski said.

Heading into the 2024 season, the WIAA had another reclassification cycle, and with it some leagues reorganized their leagues to be a bit more competitive. KingCo was one of them, and Mount Si football was placed in the top tier. Their schedule is one of the most difficult in the state. For the first time since the pandemic-shortened season, the Wildcats will take on the ever-dangerous 3A juggernauts Bellevue Wolverines on Sept. 27.

“We are all really excited… Being able to compete against them and ball out our buddies is going to be a fun game,” said senior leader Jack Hendricks.

These Wildcats have a chip on their shoulder this season with some big points to prove.

“I am really excited to see everyone play. We all haven’t really played a lot of varsity snaps. But seeing everyone grow from spring camp to now, I am excited to see how everybody performs,” Hendricks said.

Every year at the end of training camp before the first game week begins, the Wildcats host the Charlie Kinnune Scarlet and Gray Game, which allows community members to attend. It serves as an exciting event for parents and students, but also for the young players to get an opportunity to compete early.

“It is always cool to see the young guys out there… Its going to be fun, but we are also going to execute and ball out… It is going to be really exciting to see,” Knaevelsrud said.

The Wildcats catch the Curtis Vikings at home to open up their 2024 campaign. For Botulinski and his players, fall camp came and went.

“This whole fall camp has been a blur. I am excited for our young guys to get out there. September is going to be a big month for us,” Botulinski said.