Here is a preview of the River View Panthers for the 2011 SCAC football season:
Coach: Brett Jay (4th year, 18-14).
Last league title: 2001 (split with Wahluke, Royal).
Last playoff berth: 2009.
Home field: River View High School, Finley.
Projected starters
OFFENSE POS YR HT WT
Austin Weatherby QB Jr. 5-9 205
Braden Thomas RB Sr. 6-0 170
Cody Hand WR So. 6-2 170
Dylan Thomas WR Jr. 5-11 155
Josh Marshall WR Jr. 5-11 165
Aaron McGaughey TE Sr. 6-0 160
Miguel Vargas C Sr. 5-9 210
Jerry Beaver G Sr. 5-11 220
Wyatt Beeler G Jr. 5-9 235
Spencer Combs T Jr. 6-3 280
Kyle Hall T Jr. 6-3 270
Alonzo Mendoza K So. 5-10 165
DEFENSE POS YR HT WT
Spencer Combs DE Jr. 6-3 280
Kyle Hall DT Jr. 6-3 270
Miguel Vargas DT Sr. 5-9 210
Yarik Tyutyunnik DE Sr. 6-2 190
Jerry Beaver LB Sr. 5-11 220
Austin Hoch LB Sr. 5-11 180
Kody Bartlett LB Jr. 5-11 160
Josh Marshall CB Jr. 5-11 165
Jeff Leachman CB Jr. 5-8 155
Alonzo Mendoza SS So. 5-10 165
Cody Hand FS So. 6-2 170
Alonzo Mendoza P So. 5-10 165
Others to watch: TE/LB Ruvim Tyutyunnik, Fr., 6-0, 185.
Quick hits
* With leading rusher Chance Watt gone to graduation, the Panthers will go with a running back by committee. Braden Thomas, Mendoza, Bartlett and Leachman will all see time in the backfield.
* River View graduated 20 seniors and only has two starters back on offense, so much will be expected of Weatherby, including more production in the passing game.
* Defensively, the Panthers have a lot back, including at linebacker and on the line. Combs and Hall have the ability to take over games up front.
* Coach Jay expects big things out of the linebacking corps of Hoch, Bartlett and Beaver.
* The Panthers' secondary must replace Tucker Hamlin, who set the school interceptions record last season.
Outlook
River View is young this season, but Jay is convinced that his team has come together and is ready to get the Panthers program back to where it was earlier this century.
Weatherby will have to play beyond his years to lead an inexperienced offense -- which lost Kris Welch and Eric Farnworth -- if the Panthers hope to compete with Connell and Royal for the top spot in the league.
