Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009

Apple Cup notes: River View grad leads with 14 tackles

By Howie Stalwick, Special to the Herald

SEATTLE -- The Washington Huskies have yet to return to their glory days of the past, but first-year coach Steve Sarkisian likes to think that Saturday's convincing 30-0 Apple Cup win provides one more encouraging sign that good times are on the horizon.

Sarkisian only wishes the seniors could be along to enjoy the ride.

"These guys, what they came to envision their college careers here obviously hasn't happened," Sarkisian said. "But I think we've given these guys and they've earned some great moments their senior season here.

"Those are moments they're going to have for a lifetime. That (postgame) celebration there with the Apple Cup trophy and the seniors taking pictures, they're going to have that memory forever."

-- Sophomore Mike Ledgerwood, who started the past two games at inside linebacker after the Cougars dropped their four-man front in favor of a three-man look due to a manpower shortage on the line, led both teams with a career-high 14 tackles.

Ledgerwood had six tackles in the first quarter alone.

"I was just running my (tail) off," the former River View standout said. "I was in the zone the whole time. I was playing for the seniors."

-- Washington State went 2-11 last year in Paul Wulff's first season as coach. This year, the Cougars finished 1-11.

The 11 losses are the most in a single season at WSU. The 22 losses in two years are the most in Pac-10 history.

Even after being shut out in the final game of the season, Wulff and his players were surprisingly upbeat.

"To keep their attitude as positive as it's been has been remarkable," Wulff said.

"It's a bright future," freshman wide receiver Gino Simone said. "I mean, I believe that wholeheartedly."

Senior center Kenny Alfred said he has "no regrets" about coming to Washington State.

"I love the university, I love the professors, I love the fans that understand what's going on ... But more than anything, I love the team," Alfred said. "I love who I've become because I came to Washington State."

-- Wulff revealed that WSU medical personnel now believe that talented running back James Montgomery will be able to play next year after suffering a leg injury that required life-saving surgery.

"We have wonderful news," Wulff said. "It look like we've going to have him back. It's a blessing."

-- Washington junior quarterback Jake Locker has focused more on his passing game since Sarkisian came on board, but he supplemented his 196 passing yards with a season-high 94 rushing yards.

"There's got to be that balance," Sarkisian said. "We keep fighting for it with him and trying to find out where it fits and how it's going to fit, and that fine line of keeping the vision and trying to making that throw, compared to pulling it down on third and 6 or third and 8 and running it in.

"I think he's still finding his way through it. It doesn't just happen overnight."

-- Add Washington offensive tackle Drew Schaefer to the long list of opponents who have been impressed with the grit of the injury-ravaged Cougars.

"They definitely brought everything they had," Schaefer said. "They played great up front on defense. They played really hard and they wouldn't quit."

-- Dwight Tardy, who ran hard to gain 37 of WSU's 47 rushing yards, became the first Cougar known to have led Washington State in rushing four straight years.

"It's definitely a good accomplishment I can leave here with," Tardy said.

Tardy, operating behind an offensive line that often lacked depth, experience and talent because of injuries, ran for a career-low 417 yards this season. He finished sixth in WSU history with 528 career carries and seventh with 2,241 career rushing yards.

-- Junior Reid Forrest broke George Martin's 1994 record for punting yards in a season when he finished with 3,718. Forrest's 86 punts ranks second only to Martin's 95 in 1994.

Forrest ranks third at WSU with 309 career punts and 8,755 career punting yards.