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  • November 20, 2009

    Watch Live Video Of Mark Morris At Ellensburgh


    John Hamlik of www.hamlik.com will be broadcasting LIVE video of Mark Morris’s 2A Quarterfinal game vs. Ellensburg from Yakima starting about 6:55 pm tonight.


  • Mitch Saylor Article On WashingtonPreps.com


    WashingtonPreps.com Article I wrote on Mitch Saylor

    WashingtonPreps.com has an article I wrote about Austin Dodge on their home page. Washington Preps is a part of the Rivals.com network of web sites and has very good national coverage. The article on Austin requires a paid membership to read it, but since I wrote it, I will let you read it here for free. (read it at washingtonpreps.com) If you know of any other local high school football players who are going to be playing college football and you think they deserve an article about them on WashingtonPreps.com, let me know. bryan@gshlfootball.com

    Here is the article

    Playmaker Saylor Leading Union on Play Off Run

    One year ago this weekend Mitch Saylor made quite possibly the biggest play in the history of Southwest Washington Football.

    The 11-0 Union Titans were locked in a battle with the visiting 11-0 Ferndale Golden Eagles in a WIAA 3A State Quarterfinals match up.

    The game was tied at 14 with only 14 seconds remaining. After a Ferndale time out, the Golden Eagles lined up for the game winning field goal. The over 4,000 fans at McKenzie Stadium stood in silence, then it happened.

    Titans DB Dex Homer charged off the edge, dove in and blocked the kick. The ball bounced right up into the waiting hands of Saylor with nothing but 65 yards of green Astroturf standing between his team and a trip to the Tacoma Dome. As the crowd went crazy, Mitch Saylor darted into the end zone and the rest is history.

    Thankfully for football fans in Southwest Washington, Saylor was only a Junior.

    The 2009 Union Titans sit at 10-1 as they get ready to host yet another Quarterfinals game. They are again loaded with talented players. Possibly none more than the 6’6″ 202lb Saylor.

    Titans Head Coach Cale Piland feels blessed to have him on the team.

    “Mitch is an exceptional athlete. He possesses a rare combination of size, speed, agility, and strength. He is also a very smart football player. As a result, we are able to move him around and create match-up problems for defenses.” said Piland.

    Following the Titans’ only loss of the season, Saylor put together a huge game for Union. Mitch had 5 receptions for 108 yards and a TD in their 56-13 domination of district rival Heritage. Saylor got the team rolling, a roll that has yet to be slowed down.

    “He is a big time threat. When you defend us, you have to have a plan for him on every play.” Union Head Coach Cale Piland.

    While his numbers as a receiver in 2009 (29-575, 5 TD) have not equaled his of 2008 (45-765, 15 TD) simply being on the field, needing to be accounted for, mostly with double coverage, had paid huge dividends for the Titans.

    All-State Linebacker, Senior Taylor Nelson (6’3″ 215) moved from Tackle to TE this year and has flourished. Nelson has 15 receptions for 342 yards and a TD. There usually is no over the top help from a safety when he sneaks off of the line. A safety who has to sit over Mitch, or pay the price.

    Senior Nathaniel Penaranda (5’11″ 192) has also benefited from Saylor’s presence. Peneranda has 25 receptions for 525 yards and 9 TD this season.

    Saylor might have seemed as though he was lying low this season, but Piland said “Big time players have a knack for making big plays in big games.” And that is exactly what Mitch Saylor is, a big time player.

    Mitch has more than proved that in the last 3 weeks. With the league title on the line in week 9, Saylor and the Titans found themselves down 24-7 on the road to arch rival Camas. Saylor knew it was time to make something happen. And that he did.

    The five previous Camas kickoffs had sailed into the end zone for a touch back. However the sixth one did not and Saylor made the Papermakers pay.

    Taking the ball at the one, he headed straight up field where he ran into a pack of Camas defenders near the 20, but Saylor was not going to be stopped, and sprung loose, broke one final would be tackle at the 35 and then like he did to Ferndale, darted 65 (more) yards to the end zone and a 99 yard TD.

    That cut the score to 24-14 at halftime and helped the Titans in their 35-31 comeback victory. A win that gave them the chance to host three playoff games this season.

    The next week in the first post season game, Saylor again sparked his team with a return for a TD. However, this time he did it a little earlier, and twice. The visiting Olympic Trojans went three-and-out to open the game and then learned what everyone in Southwest Washington already knows, don’t kick to Mitch Saylor. Mitch took the first punt of the game 61 yards up the home sideline for a quick 7-0 Titans lead.

    Following a Trojans field goal, Olympic again made the same mistake, they kicked to Mitch. Saylor got the ball at the Union 11 and literally ran untouched right up the middle of the field 89 yards for the score.

    Not only was Saylor not touched, but two of his three lead blockers were also untouched, and the one who was ‘touched’ flattened the Trojans kicker at the Olympic 35.

    Last week, in the first round of the playoffs, Saylor turned a 1 yard pass into a 44 yard TD and a quick 7-0 lead over visiting Capital.

    Later in the second quarter, Saylor again took a 1 yard pass and made it into a 40 yard gain deep into the Cougars’ territory. Union scored on that drive to go up 16-0, a lead they would not relinquish in a 30-12 win.

    When asked about Saylor’s ability to get the Titans sparked, Piland said, “Mitch has shown throughout his career an ability to step up when his team needs him the most.” And as the Titans make another run for a 3A state championship, expect Saylor to do just that, step up and make a big play.

    This article was written by Bryan Levesque: Visit his Site at: bryan@gshlfootball.com www.gshlfootball.com

    Other articles I have written for Rivals.com

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