CWAC splits, but Prosser still the team to beat

The Prosser Mustangs have never been ones to back down from a fight. To make sure they are prepared for what the season brings, they seek out the best competition they can find.

The Mustangs, who came in at No. 10 in the first prep poll of the season, will open their season Friday against the Kennewick Lions at Lampson Stadium, then host Zillah the following Friday before the CWAC season gets under way Sept. 15 with a road game at Othello.

“The CWAC is going to be competitive this year, same as last year,” Prosser coach Cory Ingvalson said. “Selah and Toppenish in our division are going to be tough, and on the other side Ellensburg and Othello always present difficult challenges. Our nonleague schedule is pretty stacked as well versus Kennewick and Zillah. We will find out very quickly how we are out of fall camp.”

The CWAC will be split into two divisions this season, with Prosser, Grandview, Toppenish, Wapato and Selah in the South, and Othello, Ellensburg, East Valley, Ephrata and Quincy in the North.

“This gives us the opportunity to schedule additional nonleague games,” Grandview athletic director Scott Parrish said. “We play everyone in our half once, and we have a couple of crossovers with the other side. It also gives us a few days when we would have a tiebreaker and then a playoff game.”

Prosser, which finished 8-3 and lost a playoff crossover to Pullman to end the season, has a new man under center in junior Will Weinmann. He replaces all-league quarterback Tanner Bolt.

“I think we have a few guys who, given the opportunity, could make some plays this fall,” Ingvalson said. “Wide receiver Jordan Garcia has had a great spring, summer and fall camp. It’s a very coachable group, willing to work and learn. It was a tremendous offseason for our team, a lot of growth. I think we have the ability to do multiple things with similar personnel and hopefully provide balance offensively.”

Defensively, the Mustangs graduated linebacker Kolby Swift, the CWAC defensive MVP, but have a few returning kids who could full the gap.

Tyler Durbin, Kord Tuttle, JR Coleman and Moses Yanez (second team CWAC) will be at linebacker, while Chase Courtney will be in the secondary.

Courtney also will play wide receiver (19 receptions, 217 yards, 5 touchdowns, honorable mention CWAC last year), while Tuttle will come out of the backfield (54 carries, 379 yards, 4 TDs, honorable mention CWAC), but there still is work to be done.

“We need to continue to get better at our craft, individual technique and trying to get into that mastery phase of our offense and defense as soon as possible,” Ingvalson said. “The great teams get into mastery phase and react versus think. We are trying to get there.”

Othello Huskies

Othello will be tested early with its preseason schedule, taking on Connell on Friday and traveling to Royal on Sept. 8 to play the defending 1A state champion Knights.

The Huskies have eight key returning players, including senior quarterback DJ Guzman and senior wide receiver Kyler Villarreal (second team CWAC), and three senior linemen in center Adriel Gutierrez, tackle BJ Martinez and tackle Anthony Pastor. They also return linebacker Sam Azevedo, who was an honorable mention pick last year.

“They have the potential to have a successful season,” Othello coach Roger Hoell said. “They have been practicing with a purpose.”

The Huskies finished 7-2 in CWAC play last year and 7-4 overall. They lost to West Valley (Spokane) 21-6 in their Great Northern League crossover game. Hoell believes they can be just as successful this season.

“If we continue to improve every week, we feel we can make a run into post-season play,” Hoell said.

Grandview

The Greyhounds are young this season, but coach Rick Ramos said they have put in a ton of work this summer.

“Offensively, I like how we are understanding the terminology and our depth chart is starting to grow,” Ramos said. “Defensively, it is simple and I think that is what makes our defense quicker this year. Less thinking means less confusion, and the boys can fly around more confident. We will definitely improve our attitude of winning. Our community has been very supportive and, God willing, deserves some winning programs.”

Senior Ricky Abarca (5-10, 165) returns to the backfield and the secondary, while senior two-way lineman Anthony Alcantar (5-10, 210, honorable mention OL) returns up front. They are joined by linebacker Obed Orozco (sr., 5-10, 170) and senior Roy Campuzano (TE, DE).

The Greyhounds were 4-6 last season.

“We hope to be a lot more competitive than last year,” Ramos said. “All we can do is play one game at a time, and the good Lord will oversee that we all come out safe and healthy in the end. It definitely helps not having the past schedule of Ellensburg, East Valley, Selah, Othello and then Prosser. We are fortunate and glad that our league is as tough as it is, but right off the bat, it discourages some of the younger players.”

This story was originally published August 30, 2017 at 4:45 PM with the headline "CWAC splits, but Prosser still the team to beat."