Greater St. Helens League Football

Union RB Brandon Brody-Heim (#43) had the top overall SPARQ rating of 104.79 and was named Top Rising Senior Performer at The 2011 Nike SPARQ Combine in Honolulu, Hawaii - Photo by Miller Lowe

If you follow Greater St. Helens League Football, then you already know Union Titans Running Back Brandon Brody-Heim is very good.

Now, after a day of hard work in Hawaii, the rest of the country knows as well.

Saturday the 2011 Nike SPARQ Combine Tour kicked off in Honolulu, Hawaii with over 360 athletes from 5 states competing at the famous Saint Louis School.

Each athlete competed in 4 events; 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, vertical jump and power ball throw.

Brandon Brody-Heim had the top overall SPARQ rating 104.79, a full 2 points higher than Ikaia Nawahine’s  (Chaparral High School in Scottsdale Arizona) score of 102.69, and was named the Top Rising Senior Performer.

Brody-Heim ran a 4.63 40 yard dash, 4.15 20 yard shuttle, had a 38″ vertical jump and threw the power ball 30’8″.

If you are wondering what a kid from Vancouver Washignton was doing 2,500+ miles away in Hawaii at a Nike Combine, he is a native of Hawaii and attended Saint Louis School prior to moving to Vancouver 4 years ago. That, and his mother is a flight attendant and he was able to hitch a ride with her.

This summer in Yakima 3 local players will be participating in the 17th annual Earl Barden All-Star Football Classic.

Lumberjack big man Julio Barrera will make the trip east and represent R.A. Long. Barrera, a 6’1″ 290 Offensive and Derfensive Lineman was a 2010 2A GSHL Coaches All-League First Team Offensive Lineman along with being selected to the First Team Daily News All-Area Team and Second Team GSHLFootball.com All Level All-Star Team, both as an Offensive Lineman.

“It is always nice for your football program when players are acknowledged in league, area, and especially all-state teams,” said Erik Bertram, R.A. Long head football coach. ”We relish the opportunities for our players to go and represent RALong and Longview with the best players in the state.”

R.A. Long DL Julio Barrera

Barrera helped lead the Jacks offense which averaged 25.1 points and just under 300 yards per game, helping them win 7 regular season games for a second straight season.

“Julio and the team are very excited about his being selected to the Earl Barden Classic,” said Bertram. “Julio is a great teammate and has worked very hard to become the player he is, although he and I both realize he has a lot of unfulfilled potential.”

That potential is just what Barrera will get to show off in Yakima as the award winning Offensive Lineman is slated to play Defensive Line. That’s not new to Barrera who also started for the Jacks on defense in 2010 where he had 19 total tackles and 1 sack as R.A. Long only allowed 14.7 points per game, held their opponents out of the end zone 3 times.

Barrera is the first R.A. Long player ever selected to the Earl Barden Classic, which features the top players from the states 4 smaller classifications (1B, 2B, 1A & 2A). The last Lumberjacks players to play in an All-State football game were QB Mike Peck and WR Luke Fowler back in 2006 when R.A. Long played in the 3A GSHL.

“We relish the opportunities for our players to go and represent R.A. Long and Longview with the best players in the state,” Bertram continued. “We are very appreciative for this chance for Julio as well as, Jerry Graham being chosen on the AP All-State first team. It speaks to the hard work these kids have put in and it is a nice reward for our program and all the hard work that all the players and coaches have put in to the R.A. Long football program.”

Joining Barrera will be a pair of Mark Morris Monarchs, Dan Feeney And Zach Tackwell.

Mark Morris LB Dan Feeney

Feeney and Tackwell were voted as the 2010 2A GSHL Coaches Players of the Year. Feeney the Offensive Player of the Year, and Tackwell the Defensive Player of the year.

The hands down heart and soul of the 2010 Mark Morris Monarchs was Dan Feeney. At times it appeared that the 6’0″ 240 Feeney was carrying the team on his back as they marched deeper and deeper into the 2A state playoffs.

Along with being voted the 2A GSHL Coaches Offensive Player of the year, Feeney was also selected as The Daily News Most Valuable Player for their 2010 All-Area Team, he was a 2-time GSHLFootball.com Player of the Week, 2010 GSHLFootball.com All Level All-Star Team First Team Linebacker, and AP All-State Honorable Mention as a Running Back.

“Making this game was a huge honor,” said Feeney. “Being one of the football players selected means a lot to me. It’s a neat thing, and I am really excited to play.”

Although Feeney’s offensive output garnered a lot of media coverage this year, finishing the season with 1241 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, he is slated to play linebacker this summer. He was 2nd on the team in 2010 with 85.5 total tackles including 12 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a sack.

“It was a goal of mine to be selected to this game,” said Feeney. “I had hoped that my level of play would get me here, and it did. I am very pleased with that.”

Monarchs Defensive End Zach Tackwell is also slated to play on the defensive side of the ball in this years Classic.

Mark Morris DE Zach Tackwell - Photo by Mike Hamlik

Besides being voted the 2010 2A GSHL Coaches Defensive Player of the Year, Tackwell was also selected as a First Team Defensive Lineman on the 2010 Daily News All-Area Team, and Second Team Defensive Lineman on the 2010 GSHLFootball.com All Level All-Star Team.

At 6’3″ 185, Tackwell was 5th on the Monarch defense with 58.5 total tackles, including 8 tackles for loss in 2010 and led the team with 13 sacks.

Tackwell set the tone just seconds into the 64th Civil War when he picked up a R.A. Long fumbled hand off and ran it back 32 yards for a touchdown just 9 seconds into the game, helping lead the Monarchs to a 22-11 win and their second consecutive 2A GSHL Championship.

The Earl Barden All-Star Football Classic features seniors from the 2A, 1A, 2B and 1B classifications and will be held on Saturday June 25th at Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima with a 1pm kickoff.

NOTE: GSHL players will be playing for the East team this season. Our players had been playing for the West in the past. The 4A/3A All-State game also has players from the GSHL play on the East team due to an unbalanced number of schools in the Seattle Metro area.

Here are the full rosters for both the East and West squads.

East

Head coach, Mike Morgan-Colfax
Assistant coaches, Greg Whitmore – Lind/Ritz; Ed Ashworth – Brewster; Jason Smith – Toppenish

West

Head coach:  Sid Otten, Tumwater
Assistant coaches: Pat Alexander – Tumwater, Josh Fay – Napavine, Bob Ames – Meridian

With National Letter Of Intent Day just 6 short days away, the top players from the Greater St. Helens League class of 2011 have some big choices to make.

It’s never an easy decision to decide where you want to spend the next 4 or 5 years of your life. Where do you want to go to school? What do you want to learn while in school? Who do you want to play football for?

2010 GSHLFootball.com All Level All-Star Offensive Player of the Year Zak Browning of Union has offers from Portland State and Southern Utah

All of this of course depends on who wants you to play football for them.

Decisions, decisions.

While this decision is still up in the air for a hand full of local GSHL football players, some of them have already made that choice, and now have to wait a week before getting to sign their name on the dotted line.

Back in early December, Skyview’s Ellis Henderson, this years most sought after prospect, got things rolling when he took an official visit to Hawaii and committed on the spot. So far Henderson is the only GSHL football player to accept an offer from a Division 1 school.

Earlier this week Defensive Lineman Odin Coe and Safety Addison Owen of Camas decided to become in-state rivals. Coe, the 2010 GSHLFootball.com Defensive Player of the Year accepted an offer from Montana State, while Owen accepted an offer from Montana.

Heritage standout Offensive Lineman Nolan LaValley decided to accept an offer from the University of Mary yesterday, while teammate Defensive Lineman Andy Bemis accepted an offer from Central Washington.

Joining Bemis at Central Washington will be Kelso speedster, Safety Cedrique Chaney.

Union’s big 2, Linebacker/Running Back Zak Browning and Tight End T.J. Boatright are both still undecided. Browning has offers from both Portland State and Southern Utah and is leaning to Southern Utah. Boatright has offers from Eastern Washington and Portland State and also has a Pac-10 school close to offering.

Along with Henderson at Skyview, a few other Storm players will be signing on Wednesday. Offensive and Defensive Lineman Cody Fields was accepted into the Merchant Marines Academy, something in and of itself is quite impressive, and offered a football scholarship. Fields is leaning towards the Academy but has yet to give a verbal. Kicker Nick Phillips has an offer from Minot State as well as a few preferred walk-on offers. Phillips is leaning towards MSU as free school is hard to pass up. Wide Receiver Karl Graves is headed up to Central Washington for his official visit this weekend and is still undecided.

Ellis Henderson, Skyview - Verbal commit to Hawaii

Odin Coe, Camas - Verbal commit to Montana State

Addison Owen, Camas - Verbal commit to University of Montana

Nolan LaValley, Heritage - Verbal commit to U. of Mary

Andy Bemis, Heritage - Verbal commit to Central Washington

Cedrique Chaney, Kelso - Verbal commit to Central Wash.

On December 31 2010, long time R.A. Long football coach Gary Eckegren, aka Coach Ek, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.

Eckergren was the head football coach for the Lumberjacks from 1980-1989. In those 10 years the Jacks went 47-44, with 5 winning seasons, a co-league championship in 1987, and a post season berth in 1980. R.A. Long also went 9-5 versus cross town rival Mark Morris in The Civil War.

Every year the Seattle Times puts out it’s list of the top 100 college prospects from the state of Washington’s graduating class.

Skyview's Ellis Henderson is the only GSHL player listed as a Red Chip prospect in the Seattle Times 2011 Top 100 Chip List

The list is broken up into 3 groups, Blue Chips, Red Chips and White Chips.

This years list has 5 players in the Blue Chip group, what most consider to be can’t miss BCS Conference Division 1 talent. Kasen Williams a 6’2″ 200 lb WR from Skyline, Austin Seferian-Jenkins a 6’7″ 250 lb TE from Gig Harbor, Bishop Sankey a 5’10″ 190 lb RB from Gonzaga Prep, Tani Tupou a 6’3″ 265 lb DE/DT from Archbishop Murphy and Danny Shelton a 6’3″ 285 lb DT from Auburn comprise the 2011 Seattle Times Blue Chip list. All 5 of this years top players have given a verbal commitment to the University of Washington and plan on singing their National Letter of Intent next Wednesday.

A Red Chip is a player who is “Capable of starting in a major conference such as Pac-10 or starring in a lesser conference.” There were 15 players this year who the Seattle Times listed as Red Chips.

Skyview’s Ellis Henderson was the only Greater St. Helens League football player among the Red Chip athletes.

Henderson gave a verbal commitment to the University of Hawaii in early December, picking the Warriors over a handful of other Division 1 schools including Washington State, Southern Methodist, Idaho and Air Force.

The other 80 players on the list are considered White Chips.

6 GSHL players were among the list of White Chips. Zak Browning (5’11″ 215 LB) and T.J. Boatright (6’5″ 225 TE) from Union, Odin Coe (6’3″ 260 DL), Logan Grindy (6’2″ 205 QB) and Addison Owen (6’2″ 205 DB) from Camas, Karl Graves (6’3″ 190 WR) from Skyview and Gage Townsend (6’4″ 230 DL) from Kelso.

The last GSHL player to be listed as a Seattle Times Blue Chip prospect was Hockinson Offensive Lineman in 2008. Cody, currently playing at Oregon, was the first GSHL player since Brett Pierce of Columbia River was selected as a Blue Chip recruit in 1999.

Complete Seattle Times 2011 Top 100 Chip List

Blue Chips

Kasen Williams WR 6-2 200 Skyline
Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE 6-7 253 Gig Harbor
Bishop Sankey RB 5-10 190 Gonzaga Prep
Tani Tupou DE/DT 6-3 265 Archbishop Murphy
Danny Shelton DT 6-3 285 Auburn

Red Chips

Charlie Hopkins DE 6-6 240 Gonzaga Prep
Rahmel Dockery DB/WR 5-11 165 Curtis
Jarett Finau TE/LB 6-3 235 Juanita
Max Hersey LB 6-3 240 Curtis
Marcus Henry OL 6-4 275 Bellevue
Ellis Henderson DB/WR 6-0 170 Skyview
Kellen Clute TE 6-5 220 Mount Spokane
Dexter Charles OL 6-5 270 Stanwood
Connor Cree DE 6-4 230 Skyline
Jamaal Jones WR 6-2 180 Graham-Kapowsin
Kendrick Van Ackeren DB 6-2 185 Bellevue
Chandler Jenkins RB 5-10 175 Liberty
Tana Pritchard LB 6-4 205 Clover Park
Daniel Sullivan K 5-10 180 Jackson
Cameron McKernan RB 5-10 204 Kentridge

White Chips

Odin Coe DL 6-3 260 Camas

Odin Coe - Camas

Evan Peterson WR 6-1 180 Issaquah
Michael Foreman DB 6-0 170 Bellevue
Thomas Vincent QB 6-0 191 King’s
Nick Holt LB 6-1 210 Seattle Prep
Nik Landdeck LB 6-1 210 Issaquah
Joe Farmer TE 6-5 225 Mount Si
Trey Wheeler QB 6-1 195 Liberty
Jake Bainton WR/DB 6-3 229 Liberty
Justin Lane QB 6-2 195 Lakewood
Jordan Simone WR/DB 6-0 170 Skyline

Zak Browning LB 5-11 215 Union

Zak Browning - Union

Diondre Toms DB 6-1 160 Lindbergh
Alphonse Wade RB 5-11 185 Auburn
Luke Proulx RB 5-10 187 Bothell
Kyle Lappano RB 5-11 195 Eastlake
Alec Martin OL 6-5 245 Wenatchee
Drew Loftus WR 6-3 185 Kennewick
Dalton Blackmore LB 6-2 230 Kentwood
Jack Bonner WR 6-3 200 Glacier Peak
Mikell Everette DB 5-10 170 Kentwood
Connor Lane LB 6-0 196 O’Dea

Logan Grindy QB 6-2 205 Camas

Logan Grindy - Camas

Michael Ford DB 5-10 172 Skyline
Tyler Sundberg RB 5-11 195 Capital
Nick Vincent LB 6-2 205 Chiawana
Hunter Torset K 6-3 190 BurlingtonEdison
Zack Berg LB 6-1 202 Edmonds-Woodway
Braden Foley QB 6-4 185 Bothell
Cody Treddenbarger OL 6-1 280 Juanita
Elree Carter DE 6-3 240 Bothell .
Valentino Coleman DL/OL 6-1 240 Garfield
Tim White WR 6-0 190 Kamiakin

T.J. Boatright TE/LB 6-5 225 Union

T.J. Boatright - Union

Suliasi Tamaivena DB 6-0 215 Juanita
Tyler Jamison QB 6-1 170 Curtis
Matt Malos QB 5-10 175 Interlake
Chris Lider P 6-1 185 Sammamish
Alex Donnelly RB 6-0 198 Lake Washington
Nic Cooper RB 5-10 175 Kamiak
Duke Dolphin RB 6-1 198 Lake Stevens
Tanner Southard WR 6-3 193 Glacier Peak
Riley Stockton WR/DB 6-3 190 Ferris
Brian Hutchison OL 6-6 250 Roosevelt

Karl Graves WR 6-3 190 Skyview

Karl Graves - Skyview

Griffin Boudia DL 6-2 215 Olympia
Joe Dahl DE 6-4 235 University
Julius Tevaga DL 6-2 305 Archbishop Murphy
Cornelius Edison OL 6-3 260 Curtis
David Jones ATH 6-1 195 Kent-Meridian
Eddie Releford DT 6-2 270 Lakes
Thomas Gomez OL 6-3 275 Graham-Kapowsin
Dallas Gosselin DL 6-0 254 Bothell
Brett Wittenberg OL 6-3 274 Olympia
Lamar Madkin DE 6-4 240 Mount Vernon

Addison Owen DB 6-2 206 Camas

Addison Owen - Camas

Austin Marshall WR 6-1 195 Bonney Lake
Lawyer Tillman RB 5-10 170 North Thurston
Teran Togia WR 6-1 175 Skyline
Kai Jandoc RB 5-8 180 Skyline
John Herrington LB 6-3 220 Skyline
Matt Uhlar LB 6-4 220 Eastlake
Al Gray OL 6-2 238 Eastlake
Elan Richard LB 6-2 200 Bellevue
Evian Richard WR 6-3 200 Bellevue
Kyle Warner DB 6-3 180 Tumwater

Gage Townsend DL 6-4 230 Kelso

Gage Townsend - Kelso

Jay Deines OL 6-5 255 Issaquah
Taylor Wyman RB 5-9 170 Issaquah
Jackson Wargo DL 6-3 285 Montesano
Oliver Taylor OL 6-3 270 Gig Harbor
Jeremiah Laufasa ATH 5-10 205 Juanita
Korey Wasser OL 6-4 240 Gig Harbor
Sitiveni Tamaivena LB 6-0 218 Juanita
Ryan Romeis DL 6-3 237 Bothell
Sir Thomas Jackson DL 6-1 230 O’Dea
Austin VanderWel DB 6-2 194 Archbishop Murphy
Mitch Haldane LB 6-1 200 Mountlake Terrace
L.J. Jennings LB 6-0 200 Kennedy Catholic
Jordan Bumgarner LB 6-2 215 Hazen

Hudsons Bay interim head football coach Will Ephraim went 2-7 in 2010. 7 of the last 8 Eagles head football coaches have had a losing record in their first season.

After just one season on the sidelines for Hudson’s Bay, former Interim Head Coach Will Ephraim won’t be back for the Eagles in 2011.

Previous Hudson’s Bay football coach Steve Stebbins stepped down as the Eagles head man in late May of 2010 just weeks before the start of spring practice. Shortly there after Ephraim, an assistant under Stebbins, was hired on an interim basis for the 2010 season.

Ephraim knew he had a tough job on his hands and focused on changing the culture of Hudson’s Bay football, or what he called “Old Bay”.

Despite having  the highest player turnout in years at Hudson’s Bay, Ephraim was not picked up as the future full time head football coach.

While the win-loss record for the Eagles in 2010 was nothing to write home about, it certainly was not abnormal for a first year Hudson’s Bay football coach going back some 30+ years.

Since Hugh Wyatt was hired to lead the Eagles in 1980, Hudson’s Bay has had 8 head coaches in 31 years. 7 of the 8 had losing records in their first year, 6 of those winning 3 or less games. Only Dwight Jensen had a winning record in his first year, and that was 5-4.

Over that time, Hudson’s Bay has only had 9 winning seasons, 5 of which came in Jensen 8 years at the helm, including the schools only league championship (1999 3A GSHL) and all 3 of their postseason appearances.

Ephraim will however still be walking the sidelines of Greater St. Helens League football games this fall. Mountain View Athletic Director and head football coach Adam Mathieson quickly added Ephraim to his Thunder staff shortly after Hudson’s Bay chose not to bring him back.

Hudson’s Bay 1st year football coach’s struggles continue

Union Titans head football coach Cale Piland went 9-0 in 2008 with the Titans and also coached Evergreen to back-to-back 9-0 regular seasons in 2003 and 2004.

Historically speaking, one Greater St. Helens League football team has stepped up every other year and rolled through the regular season unblemished.

2010 was no different as the Camas Papermakers went 9-0 winning the 3A GSHL.

Even years have been kind to the GSHL dating back to the mid 1990′s. Starting with Columbia River’s 9-0 campaign in 1998, one school from the GSHL has completed 9-0 regular season every even year since. Camas making the 7th school in-a-row. When you throw in  Washougal’s 9-0 season in 1994, that’s 8 of the last 9 even years.

A perfect regular season is not unattainable during an odd year, just a lot more historically unlikely. Since 1994, only the 1995 Ridgefield Spudders, 2003 Evergreen Plainsmen and 2005 Camas Papermakers have pulled off the 9-0 feat.

Evergreen completed back-to-back undefeated seasons in 2003 and 2004 the first since Kelso did it in 1986 and 1987.

The mid 2000′s saw a stretch of 5 straight seasons with a undefeated GSHL squad, 2002-2005, all of which were “big schools” (3A or 4A). Thats 1 more “big school” undefeated season than the 1980′s and 1990′s combined.

If we have a 9-0 GSHL school in 2011, it will be the first odd year undefeated team since Camas in 2005.

So we ask…

Odin Coe and Logan Grindy of Camas were each awarded a $3500 scholarship by the National Football Foundation for their achievements as scholar-athletes.

Wednesday night at Hudson’s Bay High School the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Clark County Branch had their 19th annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet.

29 local high school senior football players were honored for their success in the class room and community along with success on the football field.

Each football player not only had to excel on the field, but also had to have at least a 3.0 GPA and be both leaders in their high schools and community.

Each year the NFF gives out 6 scholarships. 3 each for both backs and linemen. The third place award is a $1500 scholarship, the second place award is a $2500 scholarship and the first place award is a $3500 scholarship.

This years top winners were Odin Coe of Camas for the lineman and Logan Grindy of Camas for the backs. Both Odin and Logan were awarded a $3500 scholarship.

“It’s an honor,” said Coe. “There a lot of good guys represented in that group and it’s an honor to come out on top.”

Drew Bryant of Mountain View was awarded the $2500 scholarships for lineman while Sam Ferenchak of Union was awarded the $2500 scholarship for the backs.

Cody Fields of Skyview was awarded the $1500 scholarship for the lineman while the $1500 scholarship awarded to the backs was split between Zachary Castro of Stevenson and Conner Warner of Columbia. Each was awarded a $750 scholarship.

The NFF also gave out the John Hadley Award to long time Washougal football assistant coach John Carver. The Hadley Award is given out to an assistant coach who has shown loyalty, been a positive influence on young people, and an integral part of the success of their football program.

This years class had an overall GPA of 3.6. The cumulative GPA of scholar-athletes nominated from 1993-2010 was 3.4.

Each athlete nominated for this award should feel very proud of their efforts. Great job guys!

2011 Scholar-Athlete Nominees

Ingo Arrozal, Hudson’s Bay
Dylan Axtell, Prairie
Drew Bryant, Mountain View*
Jeff Carmody, Mountain View
Zachary Castro, Stevenson*
Odin Coe, Camas***
Kevin Cotter, Columbia River
William Davis, Woodland
Ryan Erdwins, Washougal
Sam Ferenchak, Union**
Cody Fields, Skyview*
Daniel Gillock, Kings Way
Logan Grindy, Camas***
Colton Harper, Hudson’s Bay
Justin Jenks, Columbia River
Cole Johnson, La Center
Chase Lawrence, Evergreen
Sam Lowe, Union
Jacob Maki, Evergreen
Christopher Mayola, La Center
Oliver Moss, Woodland
James Oman, Ridgefield
Dylan Rabinowitz, Columbia
Abraham Slifer, Prairie
Richard Vansiclen, Fort Vancouver
Conner Warner, Columbia*
Lucas Wiseman, Kings Way
Dylan Young, Ridgefield
Tom Zink, Skyview

*** First prize scholarship winners ($3500)
** Second prize scholarship winners ($2500)
* Third  prize scholarship winners ($1500)

Union Titans RB/DB Brandon Brody-Heim has a very nice highlight video on Youtube. I have embedded the videos below. Please note, this video was not produced by www.gshlfootball.com but by Lionel Coleman.