FORKS — The Forks Spartans football team graduated a lot of seniors last year, but also brings back a ton of freshmen and other returners from last year.
The 2023 team was an interesting mix of eight seniors, 15 freshmen and five sophomores. Most of those 20 young players are back, bigger and with more experience.
It will be tough to replace some of the all-Central 2B North performers on the team such as Sloan Tumaua, Walker Wheeler, Gunner Rogers and Nate Dahlgren.
“That was definitely a phenomenal class of athletes and parents last year,” said coach Trevor Highfield. “But now it’s a whole new era and a new guard.”
Highfield is excited that there were four freshmen on the defense that went up against powerhouse Onalaska, holding them in check during the second half of a district playoff game. That experience will pay off this year, he said, as this will be a very sophomore-heavy team.
The biggest returning name is last year’s starting quarterback, Bubba Hernandez, who is now a sophomore. Hernandez had a spectacular season for a freshman with 900 passing yards and 14 touchdowns and another 700 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. Add to that another 120 yards returning kicks and that’s more than 1,700 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns.
“Our offense has the ability to grow as he grows,” Highfield said. “And he has a great group of receivers to work with.”
“[Hernandez] is exactly what we want for the offense we have,” Highfield said.
Highfield said returning sophomore Cashtien Barajas will be a big target for Hernandez. Junior Landen Olson is another returning receiver and he will also play outside linebacker. “He’s taking over for [all-league] Gunner Rogers,” Highfield said.
The team will have to replace a lot of rushing yardage as Dahlgren, Rogers, Brody Laushce and Landin Davis combined to rush for more than 1,200 yards last year.
Kade Highfield, a member of that large sophomore class, returns as a running back and linebacker, while Kaden Ward and Landon Thomas return as linebacker and offensive linemen.
DeAnthony Davila, also a soccer star, is one of the senior leaders on the team. He will be busy as a receiver on offense, a defensive back on defense and the team’s kicker. Other senior leaders include Sawyer Graham, an outside linebacker, and Daniel Ferreyra as an offensive and defensive lineman.
Highfield said a couple of the younger players that he thinks will step up this year are Noah Foster as a receiver and defensive back and Gage Willenbrink, also at receiver and defensive back.
Lausche would have been one of the senior leaders for the team, but unfortunately, he is lost for the season with an injury, Highfield said.
“That’s a tremendous loss for us both on the field and off,” he said.
In all, the team has 30 players out, Highfield said.
The Spartans will play an interesting schedule with a lot of nonleague games as there are only five league games in the Central 2B North League.
They start by playing a pair of Olympic Peninsula 2A rivals, Sequim on Sept. 6 and Port Angeles (in Forks) on Sept. 13.
They play Kittitas and Meridian to round out their nonleague schedule, then head into a brutal Central 2B North League. Last year, the Spartans were very stout in that league, going 7-3, getting ranked in the top 10 in Ratings Percentage Index and making the postseason. Napavine out of the Central North went all the way to the 2B championship game.
The Spartans finish with a game at Napavine. Highfield also expect Pe Ell-Willapa Valley to be tough again this year. Last season, Forks won a 21-18 thriller over PEWV.
Forks Spartans
• Head coach: Trevor Highfield (27-16 record)
• Last year’s record: 7-3, made postseason
• Key returners: Bubba Hernandez, So., QB; Landen Olson, Jr., WR/DB; Cashtien Barajas, So.; WR/DB; Sawyer Graham, Sr., OL/DL; Daniel Ferreyra, Sr., OL/DL; DeAnthony Davila, Sr., WR/DB/PK; Kade Highfield, So., RB, LB; Noah Foster, Jr., WR/DB.
• Newcomers: Landon Thomas, So., OL/LB; Kaden Ward, So., OL/LB; Gage Willenbrink, Jr., WR/DB.
• Strengths: Lots of returning freshmen from last year. Hernandez was a dynamic playmaker his freshman year and will likely be that much better with more experience. Lots of wide receiver targets for Hernandez to throw to.
• Areas to improve: Graduated some very important seniors in Gunner Rogers, Walker Wheeler, Sloan Tumaua and Nate Dahlgren. Also lost Brody Lausche to a season-ending injury. Lost more than 1,200 rushing yards from last year’s team that has to be replaced.
• Outlook: Forks looks to have a dynamic offense and may throw the ball more this year with a roster full of receivers. The Central 2B League North is always very tough with Napavine, which went to the state 2B championship game last year, leading the league. Forks looks to keep the momentum up from a 7-3 season last year and plays four tough nonleague games, including games against both Sequim and Port Angeles.
• Schedule: Sept. 6, 7 p.m. at Sequim; Sept. 13, 7 p.m., Port Angeles; Sept. 21, 2 p.m. at Kittitas; Sept. 27, 7 p.m., Meridian; Oct. 4, 7 p.m. at Ilwaco (league game); Oct. 11, 7 p.m., Adna (league game); Oct. 18, p.m. at Pe Ell-Willapa Valley (league game); Oct. 27, 7 p.m., Raymond-South Bend (league game); Oct. 31, 7 p.m. at Napavine (league game).
