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League Tries New Lineup Without Dayton Southeast B-11 Football Preview

By Chris Derrick chrisd@spokesman.com(509) 459-5515

Few tears spilled when Dayton left its Southeast B-11 brothers.

Dayton subjected the league and every other B-11 team to sheer terror last year by putting up a 12-0 record on the way to a Kingbowl title.

The Bulldogs burst their seams, however, and have joined the Class A ranks. Waitsburg has grown from B-8 to B-11, keeping the SEB-11 a six-team league.

Dayton may be a memory, but traversing the league is still precarious.

“Now that Dayton’s out, it should open things up just a bit,” said Garfield-Palouse coach Andy Bush, who returns to the Vikings after a two-year hiatus. “But there’s so much talent in the league, it’s hard to be at the top of the pack.”

“Obviously, the quality at the top end is going to change a little bit,” said Tekoa-Oakesdale coach Marv Wigen.

Wigen selects Pomeroy as the team to beat, while Bush leans toward DeSales because of its storied history.

The first clues will be revealed when league games begin Oct. 6.

From this angle, DeSales will ace out Asotin for the title. Pomeroy, Gar-Pal, T-O and Waitsburg - in that order - will follow.

, DataTimes MEMO: Two sidebars appeared with the story: 1. SOUTHEAST B-11 Garfield-Palouse Vikings 1994 record: 1-4, 3-5; tied fourth Coach: Andy Bush Years coaching: 13th; 10th at Gar-Pal Coach’s record: 59-31 Top returners: B.J. Hill, 6-0, 185, sr., FB/LB; Sean Thurston, 6-2, 180, sr., QB/ LB; Adam Miller, 5-7, 165, sr., RB/DB; Jeremy Fox, 6-1, 165, jr., R/DB; Marc Gearhart, 6-3, 180, jr., R/DE; Jake Cloninger, 5-9, 190, sr., OG/DT; Jens Hegg, 6-0, 170, sr., C/LB. Top newcomers: Issac Lariviere, 6-2, 225, sr., T; Brad Bischoff, 6-1, 170, soph., R/LB Quick kicks: Bush returns after two years, during which he taught at Gar-Pal and assisted John L. Smith at the University of Idaho. Former Vikings coach Tim Kimberling went to Kellogg, Idaho, where he is an assistant coach and substitute teacher. Coach’s comment: “We’ve made the playoffs, I think, six times while I’ve been at Gar_Pal. All of our skill people are very strong.” Outlook: Pomeroy and Gar-Pal are said to have the league’s best backfields. Quality efforts from the offensive line and tight end could equate to a top-two spot.

Tekoa-Oakesdale Nighthawks 1994 record: 1-4, 2-7; tied fourth Coach: Marv Wigen Years coaching: 16; 12th at T-O Coach’s record: 66-41 Top returners: Curtis Smith, 6-0, 180, sr., FB/LB; Nathan Perrins, 5-7, 140, sr., RB/DB; Tim Freeburg, 5-9, 155, sr., WR/DB; Trevor Fox, 6-0, 155, jr., WR/DB; Chris Palmer, 6-1, 235, sr., OG/DT; Shad Gumm, 6-0, 230, sr., OT/DT; Jason Gardner, 5-7, 150, sr., C. Top newcomers: John Wall, 6-2, 180, soph., QB Quick kicks: Junior quarterback Billy Graffis transferred to Lewiston, Idaho, squelching Wigen’s plans to open up the offense right away. Coach’s comment: “This year our senior group is strong … and we have sophomores we hope will come on.” Outlook: Much will depend on how quickly Wall learns to read defenses. An upper-division finish will take some doing.

2. SCHEDULE Sept. 8 T-O at Gar-Pal, 7 Sept. 15 T-O at Freeman, 7:30 Gar-Pal at Colfax, 7 Sept. 22 T-O at Davenport, 7 Sept. 29 Wallace at Gar-Pal, 7 Pomeroy at T-O, 7 October 6 Waitsburg at T-O, 7 DeSales at Gar-Pal, 7 October 13 Gar-Pal at Pomeroy, 7 T-O at DeSales, 3:30 October 20 Gar-Pal at T-O, 7 October 27 T-O at Pomeroy, 7 Asotin at Gar-Pal, 7 November 3 Gar-Pal at Waitsburg, 7 Asotin at T-O, 7

Two sidebars appeared with the story: 1. SOUTHEAST B-11 Garfield-Palouse Vikings 1994 record: 1-4, 3-5; tied fourth Coach: Andy Bush Years coaching: 13th; 10th at Gar-Pal Coach’s record: 59-31 Top returners: B.J. Hill, 6-0, 185, sr., FB/LB; Sean Thurston, 6-2, 180, sr., QB/ LB; Adam Miller, 5-7, 165, sr., RB/DB; Jeremy Fox, 6-1, 165, jr., R/DB; Marc Gearhart, 6-3, 180, jr., R/DE; Jake Cloninger, 5-9, 190, sr., OG/DT; Jens Hegg, 6-0, 170, sr., C/LB. Top newcomers: Issac Lariviere, 6-2, 225, sr., T; Brad Bischoff, 6-1, 170, soph., R/LB Quick kicks: Bush returns after two years, during which he taught at Gar-Pal and assisted John L. Smith at the University of Idaho. Former Vikings coach Tim Kimberling went to Kellogg, Idaho, where he is an assistant coach and substitute teacher. Coach’s comment: “We’ve made the playoffs, I think, six times while I’ve been at Gar_Pal. All of our skill people are very strong.” Outlook: Pomeroy and Gar-Pal are said to have the league’s best backfields. Quality efforts from the offensive line and tight end could equate to a top-two spot.

Tekoa-Oakesdale Nighthawks 1994 record: 1-4, 2-7; tied fourth Coach: Marv Wigen Years coaching: 16; 12th at T-O Coach’s record: 66-41 Top returners: Curtis Smith, 6-0, 180, sr., FB/LB; Nathan Perrins, 5-7, 140, sr., RB/DB; Tim Freeburg, 5-9, 155, sr., WR/DB; Trevor Fox, 6-0, 155, jr., WR/DB; Chris Palmer, 6-1, 235, sr., OG/DT; Shad Gumm, 6-0, 230, sr., OT/DT; Jason Gardner, 5-7, 150, sr., C. Top newcomers: John Wall, 6-2, 180, soph., QB Quick kicks: Junior quarterback Billy Graffis transferred to Lewiston, Idaho, squelching Wigen’s plans to open up the offense right away. Coach’s comment: “This year our senior group is strong … and we have sophomores we hope will come on.” Outlook: Much will depend on how quickly Wall learns to read defenses. An upper-division finish will take some doing.

2. SCHEDULE Sept. 8 T-O at Gar-Pal, 7 Sept. 15 T-O at Freeman, 7:30 Gar-Pal at Colfax, 7 Sept. 22 T-O at Davenport, 7 Sept. 29 Wallace at Gar-Pal, 7 Pomeroy at T-O, 7 October 6 Waitsburg at T-O, 7 DeSales at Gar-Pal, 7 October 13 Gar-Pal at Pomeroy, 7 T-O at DeSales, 3:30 October 20 Gar-Pal at T-O, 7 October 27 T-O at Pomeroy, 7 Asotin at Gar-Pal, 7 November 3 Gar-Pal at Waitsburg, 7 Asotin at T-O, 7