Ferris Saxons Set Their Minds On Bettering 1995 Season
If the Ferris Saxons keeping following Jeff Dahmen, they’ll be in good shape. The 6-foot, 190-pound senior is the anchor of the offensive line, and if his teammates allow their center to lead, the Saxons could live up to the expectations they have for this football season.
“We all knew we had to be in the gym and lift every day if we were going to be competitive, and most of us did that,” Dahmen said about the Saxons’ determination to improve on last year’s 3-6 record, 3-5 in league play.
“He was here every day, despite playing Senior Legion (baseball), and they played something like 60 games,” Ferris coach Clarence Hough said. “That alone speaks for itself.”
By working out all summer, the Saxons were hoping to lift their running game and defense to match the Greater Spokane League’s best passing attack.
“If we can run the ball, that makes us unstoppable because we have a quarterback who can throw the ball,” Dahman said.
Quarterback Justin Bursch returns after throwing for more than 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior. Junior Jonathan Parker had 23 catches for 385 yards in six league games when he tore up a knee, but he is back at full strength.
The running attack was non-existent after Tim Benton hurt a knee in the third game. Ty Williams, who finished sixth in a national decathlon competition last summer, is expected to be the featured running back.
Receiver Sam Pernell also has experience, and Tommy Servine, a 6-foot-4 basketball player, has come out to bolster the receiving corps.
The offensive line has a lot of young players who gained experience last year. Senior Tom Farrell (210 pounds) and juniors Todd McCoy (202), James Missel (206) and J.P. Dowling (211) all can be considered returning starters, according to Hough.
“I’m the senior with the most experience on the line,” Dahman said. “I’ve been on varsity for three years. I’ve got to lead by example.
“If they see me mess up, they’re going to tend to follow. I just have to play close attention to what I do.”
Hough said Dahman doesn’t have to shoulder the burden alone.
“He’s the center and deep snapper … a veteran guy who started every game last year,” the coach said. “(But) there’s not just pressure on him. There’s pressure on the team because we do have expectations.
“Pressure comes with that. We’re trying to do this as a group.” The big change will be run blocking. “It forces us to execute more,” Dahman said. “We have to make sure we glue on blocks and keep pushing back. We can’t do that hit-and-run stuff.
“If you come off low and keep driving, you can open holes.”
Though Dahman is smaller than some quarterbacks in the league and will face defensive linemen who weigh up to 100 pounds more, he’s enjoys being a lineman.
“I get to play. I’m out here having fun,” he said. “It’s a physical challenge. You have to stay low on them.
“I’m a small guy, and I’m in better shape. A bigger guy wears out faster.”
Defense is another matter. The Saxons gave up more than 30 points a game last year.
“The strength of the defense is all the linebackers are coming back. That’s got to help right there,” Hough said.
“The defense was porous against the run. We have to win some of those third downs, and we have given up way too many points. We have to slow some people down.”
Dahmen, a backup defensive end, believes that is possible.
“We have the linebackers and defensive line guys to do it. We have some experience. That’s the thing,” he said.
The veteran linebackers are junior Isaac Carter and seniors B.J. Wilkerson, Joel Soter and Richard Cassens.
On the line, Brandon Riordan (262) and Dave Eastham (210) return, and Jeff Lampert, K.C. McVey and Brent Molsberry have experience in the backfield.
Hough thinks a preseason ranking of No. 10 in the state by one magazine might be a little generous, as is putting the Saxons among the league favorites, but a top-four GSL finish and playoff berth are real possibilities.
“These seniors have won six games since they’ve been here,” Hough said. “They have a chance to break that habit because they have a good group behind them.”
All they have to do is follow the center.
“We’ll be as good as our execution,” Dahman said. “We’ve shown we can do it in practice.”
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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Saxons-Tigers matchup South Hill rivals Ferris and Lewis and Clark kick off the 1996 Greater Spokane League football season Friday at Albi Stadium. Game time is 8:30 p.m. Since the GSL was formed in 1976, the Tigers have built a 12-7-1 advantage in the series. LC’s 22-6 victory last year was its second straight. Ferris last beat LC in 1993.