The feeling of a Friday night football game on natural grass,
with Mount Si towering in the background invokes many emotions in local
fans and players. And despite a 2-win, 7-loss season in 1999, coach
Charlie Kinnune (39 wins, 34 losses, 8 seasons) hopes once again his team
will get noticed in a powerhouse league.
KingCo 3A football has gained respect in recent years. Last
year, league rival Sammamish made it all the way to the state
championship game, coming up short in the end.
This year, Skyline, in its fourth year of existence, has a good chance of
repeating the trip, and Kinnune is fully aware of the team’s capabilities.
“I won’t be surprised if they aren’t crowned the state champs,”
said Kinnune. “They only lost two or three to graduation, and I would be
disappointed if they weren’t voted in the top five in the state.”
Regardless of league powerhouses like Skyline, Mount Si will have
some strengths of its own, and they will be where it counts — in the trenches.
The Wildcats will boast a seasoned offensive line, and leading the line will
be a 6-foot-3, 235-pound Geoff Hise at tackle, along with returning tight
end Steve Botulinski (6-foot-3, 235 pounds).
“Hise has been a leader on and off the field for the last two years,”
said Kinnune. “And Botulinski will be playing tight end and has been a
great lineman for us the last three years.”
Adding to the strength of the offensive line will be Dylan Seubert
(6-foot-2, 215 pounds) and Paul Bartholomew (6 feet, 200
pounds), each playing at guard, with Jared Marquis (5-foot-11, 175 pounds)
backing them up. Adam Merritt (6-foot-1, 235 pounds) is battling Jim Joines
(6-foot-2, 215 pounds) at the other tackle spot.
“Brad Davis (6 feet, 200 pounds) is also right there, battling for a
tackle position,” added Kinnune. Getting the nod for hiking duties at center is
Brad Collins (6-foot-1, 200 pounds), who will be backed up by Jason Smith
(5-foot-7, 180 pounds). “We are deep and we are good,” the coach said.
“They are going to be rested, and we won’t think twice about giving our starters
a rest,” he added.
But along with the offensive line is a talented pool of skill position
players, which has been the target of intense coaching.
“We had such a great group the year before last year that we
didn’t adjust very well to last year’s young skill group,” said Kinnune.
“That young skill group isn’t young anymore, and they are ready to go.”
Adding to the excitement of the offensive is the potential of three
quarterbacks, led by senior Jon Odom (6-foot-2, 175 pounds). Backing
up Odom will be Logan Ratcliffe and Byron Dill, both capable of leading
the team.
“Any of those kids could start just about anywhere in our league,
other than maybe Skyline,” said Kinnune. “We are at a point where, if one
isn’t producing, the next one goes in.”
Targets for the quarterbacks this year are also well versed in the
fundamentals of football. On top of the list is Brett Bergstrom (6-foot-3,
170 pounds). “He is going to be a star in this league,” touted Kinnune.
Also at the receiver spot is veteran Eddie Horstman (6-foot-2,
170 pounds), Tyler Osborn (5-foot-8, 160 pounds), Jeff Stone (5-foot-7,
160 pounds) and Chad Mills (5-foot-9, 160 pounds). “We are two deep
there, along with Jeremy Bess (5-foot-7, 160 pounds),” said Kinnune.
An interesting footnote to the season is the idea of a third
generation playing for Mount Si. Prior to this season it had been players like
Dan Forsythe, whose grandfather, Charlie, and father, Mark, had both played
for Mount Si. This season it will be Chad Mills, whose grandfather, Eldon,
and father, Mark, both spent time wearing the Wildcat uniform.
The only place on the team where depth is a concern is at running
back and tight end. Leading the rushing efforts again this year will be
Mike Dollinter (6 feet, 180 pounds), who has set his sights on Mount Si’s
rushing record of 1,475 yards by Aaron Binger in 1998. To do it he will
need in excess of 100 yards a game this season.
“We think he is capable of anywhere between 1,200 and 1,500
yards if he stays healthy,” said Kinnune.
Backing up Dollinter is Pat Carter (5-feet-8, 170 pounds). “Pat is
doing a nice job and he is also starting on defense,” Kinnune said.
Fullback duties will be handled by Austin Bachelder (6 feet, 195
pounds), a returning letterman. “If we can
keep him healthy, he will be one of the best fullbacks in the league, if not the
best,” said Kinnune. Bachelder will also see action as tailback and is touted as
one of the fastest athletes on the team. “It will be fun to see him run,”
added Kinnune. Also pulling fullback duty will be Brad Connor (6-feet-1,
245 pounds) and Tim Holen (6-feet-1, 175 pounds), with Connor also a
standout on the defensive side of the ball.
“We have different options and the ability to keep people rested,”
said Kinnune, “and if we control the ball, I think we are going to have a very
good offensive group.”
“We aren’t going to be as cute as we were when we were
champions, but we are going to be a little more deliberate and be very physical.
There are going to be times when we are going to be a smash-mouth
team where you will know what we are going to run by our formation,”
the Mount Si coach explained, adding, “Then go ahead and try to stop it.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the front line is again the strength
of the team. At defensive end will be Hise and Botulinski, with Davis
and Connor as tackles.
“Those are four guys that can start in any front in the league,”
said Kinnune.
Linebacker duties will be handled by Seubert, Bartholomew and
Carter, with all having shown a lot of progress since last season. Cornerbacks will
be Bergstrom and Hiram Tame (5-feet-9, 170 pounds). Backing them up
will be Stone and Osborn, with Ratcliffe at free safety.
“We have Mills and Dollinter battling it out at strong safety,”
said Kinnune. “We are solid, and our defense is capable of being the best
defense in the league. It’s a run-oriented league, and we think run defense
is going to be our strength.”
Contributing to the strength of the program this year is the combined
successes of last years “C” and JV teams.
“The kids that played on those teams, when they step on the
field, they expect to win. You can’t deny that feeling they have. And it is what
you want as a coach, that winning attitude. We are just hoping it is habit
forming,” said Kinnune. This year, 42 freshman tried out for the team,
the largest group of freshman since Kinnune took over nine years ago.
The increase in numbers will also force the system to develop a true
freshman team, where in past years, sophomores may have played down.
But Kinnune also knows that the league in general will be
extremely strong beginning with Mount Si’s first opponent, Mercer Island, which
boasts two future NCAA Division 1 athletes. Then there’s Skyline, the
Wildcats’ second opponent, and the rest of the league can’t be counted out.
“Teams like Bellevue, Sammamish, Newport, are always going to be tough,
and Cedarcrest looks much improved over last year,” said Kinnune of his
cross-Valley rivals.
“One thing about Art’s players, they come out and hit you hard
every Friday night,” he ad
