Defensive DeSales presents challenge for Reardan
Look through Washington’s 11-man high school football record book and one school just keeps popping up.
DeSales.
The Walla Walla Catholic high school’s name appears in every career or season passing record listed. Career passing, three of the top five from DeSales. Season passing, three of five. Career completions, three of the top eight. Season completions, three of four. Career passing touchdowns, two of the top three. Season touchdowns, four of five. Career receiving yards, four of five. Career receptions, three of six. Career receiving touchdowns, four of five. Season receiving touchdowns, three of four.
The picture is clear: DeSales has a tradition of excellence in passing.
So what is the Irish’s strength going into today’s B-11 State title game with Reardan?
If you answer passing, you would be off by the length of a football.
“Our defensive front has been our strength for the last three years,” said Kim Cox, in his 14th year as the Irish’s head coach. “Our offense kinda gets more credit than probably what it deserves, and that’s largely because of history.”
This year’s DeSales defense is what has kept the school’s excellence from passing.
“Without a doubt this is the best DeSales defense,” Reardan coach Eric Nikkola said. “That’s what makes this club so dangerous. People don’t score on them. Even Colfax (the only team to defeat DeSales this season, 6-0), they beat them with six points. My goodness, how do you beat a team with only six points? This is their strength.”
It’s Nikkola who must figure out a way for his Indians (10-1) to attack the DeSales defense, and he has to get them to do it today, in the State B-11 championship game at the Tacoma Dome (4 p.m. start). His plan is twofold.
“They’re so well coached, we’re going to have to probably just have to say on first down, ‘OK, 3 yards is good,’ ” Nikkola said. “On second down say, ‘Another 2 or 3 yards, OK, that’s what we do.’ If we can do that continually down the field, then we will be successful.”
To get that, Nikkola knows his front must compete with the Irish’s defense front.
“A draw would be good, then our backs would have to break that initial tackle for that 1 or 2 additional yards we need,” said Nikkola of what he wants from his offensive line and backs. “They can’t go down on that first hit, they have to fight a little bit and use some elusiveness to get 2 or 3 yards.”
As good as DeSales (11-1) defense is, Reardan’s isn’t bad. But the Indians have a tough task because, though the Irish offense hasn’t been as prolific this year, it’s still good – and a lot more balanced.
“Every time you scout this team, it’s a little bit different,” Nikkola said of the Irish offense. “You know they are a passing team but this year, with that front line, two quality running backs, they are able to move the ball successfully. Pretty soon you’ve got your linebackers and your DBs scooting up, trying to make sure you are stopping that run. By the time that happens, they are throwing the fade over the top of you.”
The rushing attackfeatures freshman Bryce Hayunga (787 yards on 138 carries) and senior Zac Ebding (262 on 50).
“We have a good secondary, overall, so I’ll get matched up one of their better receivers, but I have confidence in the rest of our secondary,” said Reardan defensive back Brad Alberts. “You don’t just have one (receiver) to worry about, you have more than one, which is a little more difficult.
“I feel confident our defense is going to do a good job. Our defense is doing really well this season and I don’t see anything different happening on Saturday for any particular reason. They do pass more than any team we’ve seen so far, so that should be different.”