They came a long way last year.<\/p>\n
No more the soft spot on everyone\u2019s football schedule, the Kent-Meridian Royals instead became a formidable roadblock.<\/p>\n
Still, they were far from satisfied.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like we accomplished a lot. But we can accomplish much more,\u201d said senior Va Lagotala, who plays fullback on the offensive side of the ball, and nose guard on defense. \u201cWe may not have the size, but from my experience, we definitely have heart. We have the ability to do what needs to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n
What the Royals got done in 2007 under first-year coach Trevor Roberts was their first .500 league season since 1995. Rather than getting buried in the South Puget Sound League North Division cellar and falling out of contention before midseason, they stayed in the playoff hunt right down to the finale against Kentridge.<\/p>\n
Now, despite graduating more than 20 seniors \u2013 including 10 all-leaguers \u2013 Kent-Meridian wants to prove that it really is the real deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were potentially in every ball game. What hurt us was our own mistakes,\u201d Roberts said in looking back. \u201cBut going 5-5, doing something the school hadn\u2019t done (in a long time) was a pretty big thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cGoing into the Kentridge game (in the North finale) and going in at halftime just 7-0 (down), the scoreboard ultimately didn\u2019t go our way,\u201d Roberts said, as the Chargers ultimately prevailed, 28-0. \u201cBut the kids started to feel like they belonged. They continued to understand what it took.\u201d<\/p>\n
What it will take this year in a North Division that has gotten significantly tougher with Auburn and Auburn Riverside rejoining the 4A ranks will be several new names stepping into the spotlight. They\u2019ll have to replace such departed standouts as defensive all-league first-teamers Andre Moore and Johnny Wilson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe lost a lot of good players but we also gained a lot of quality talent,\u201d said senior Isaiah Walker, an offensive tackle and defensive end. \u201cWe were good at bringing the team together last year. Just from the start of the season during practice, we strived for excellence, and it showed on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the quality talent that K-M gained is Artise Gauldin, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior running back and cornerback who was a first-team All-SPSL North defensive back at Kentwood last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a program coming up. We hope to make the playoffs this year,\u201d Gauldin said. \u201cThe talent on this team is endless. You can just tell with every single person right by you.\u201d<\/p>\n
During several years when the Royals not only struggled to win, they struggled even to be competitive, talent wasn\u2019t necessarily the problem \u2013 \u201cYou ask any coach and they\u2019ll tell you we\u2019ve always had the talent,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n
However, a revolving door of coaches and systems left that talent constantly changing directions. Last year was another change with Roberts taking the helm. But he quickly sold the team on his direction, and this fall, the program has grown to about 90 players \u2013 and everyone knows which way they\u2019re going.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids had been through so much \u2026 it wasn\u2019t an easy thing for them to do, just the constant letdown,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cFor them to believe in the system we installed and the philosophy of striving for excellence helped (our way) snowball and kind of build.\u201d<\/p>\n
The finer points of X\u2019s and O\u2019s notwithstanding, senior fullback\/linebacker Chravis Fuimaono figures the secret to K-M\u2019s continued forward progress is no big secret at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just need to stay on task and go hard every practice,\u201d said Fuimaono, who\u2019s 5-10 and 210 pounds.<\/p>\n
Just as the Royals are no longer a breather on the schedule, neither is anyone else in the North Division. Defending champion Federal Way, along with Auburn, which went to the 3A state playoffs last year, generally are regarded as the favorites. Kentwood, Kentridge and Tahoma are perennial postseason candidates, and Auburn Riverside made it to the 3A regional round last fall.<\/p>\n
But Logotala isn\u2019t setting his sights on any one of them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t like to pick a team (as a favorite),\u201d he said. \u201cJust play every down, and as long as we have fun, we should be able to do whatever comes our way.\u201d<\/p>\n
ROYALS AT A GLANCE<\/p>\n
\u2022 Coach: Trevor Roberts, 2nd year.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Last season: 3-4, tie 5th in SPSL North; 5-5 overall.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Offense: Multiple.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Defense: 5-2<\/p>\n
\u2022 Returning players (Year, name, position, height\/weight): Sr. Isaiah Walker, OT\/DT, 6-4\/235; Sr. Nathan Smith, OG, 6-2\/260; Jr. Va Logotala, NG, 5-7\/215; Sr. Chravis Fuimaono, LB, 5-10\/210; Jr. Thomas Reinhart, OLB, 6-1\/190.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Key newcomers: Sr. Artise Gauldin, HB\/CB, 5-10\/180; So. David Jones, QB, 6-0\/190; Jr. Ronald Molere, WR\/DB, 5-10\/185; Jr. Saiipele Siafuafu, OL\/DL, 6-1\/235.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Outlook: Most teams graduate 20-plus players and talk about rebuilding. Not only is that word nowhere to be found in K-M\u2019s camp, there seems to be a quiet confidence that the Royals can do even better than last year in spite of losing some top talent. No one here is a household name yet, but that could change quickly. Some young ones definitely will be getting their chances. \u201cWhen we reload with young kids, that hurts your depth. Our sophomore class is really going to have to step up to do that,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Can\u2019t-miss game: The Royals open at home on Sept. 4 against Auburn Riverside. These two teams are similar in that both are on the way up and no longer are the breather on anyone\u2019s schedule. While season openers are important to everyone, the winner here could go far in setting a tone for a run at the postseason. The annual Taylor Trophy game against Auburn is Sept. 19 at French Field, with K-M out to snap a nine-game losing streak in that rivalry. The other circle-the-calendar contest will be the following week, Sept. 26 at Tahoma. The Royals pulled off a 14-8 upset last year.<\/p>\n
LAST FIVE YEARS<\/p>\n
YEAR RECORD<\/p>\n
2007 5-5<\/p>\n
2006 3-7<\/p>\n
2005 2-8<\/p>\n
2004 0-10<\/p>\n
2003 0-10<\/p>\n
SCHEDULE<\/p>\n
DATE OPPONENT<\/p>\n
9-4 vs. Auburn Riverside<\/p>\n
9-12 at Kentlake<\/p>\n
9-19 vs. Auburn<\/p>\n
9-26 at Tahoma<\/p>\n
10-3 at Kentwood<\/p>\n
10-9 vs. Spanaway Lake (NL)<\/p>\n
10-16 vs. Jefferson<\/p>\n
10-24 at Federal Way<\/p>\n
10-30 vs. Kentridge<\/p>\n
Home games and all Kent opponents at French Field.<\/p>\n
All games 7 p.m.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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