The Centralia football team has new helmets this season, with a black base color and orange stripes evenly spaced throughout.
That new-helmet feeling is similar to how the Tigers look on the field, with new pieces hoping to stand out and make the rest of the 2A classification take notice.
It’s the second season for head coach Jeremy Thibault and he has to replace plenty of heavy lifters from 2017.
The biggest void comes at running back, with workhorse Jose Pineda lost to graduation and a half-dozen players trying to get the nod.
“If we have to go committee, we go committee. Those kids have been the ones pretty dedicated in the weight room,” Thibault said. “I don’t think you necessarily replace a kid of Jose’s ability. I think he’s probably one of the best kids I’ve coached, as far as just being a natural athlete, and we don’t have anyone that’s remotely close to him this year. That’s going to change the style of our offense. … Jose did everything for us.”
Whoever winds up running the ball will do so behind a promising offensive line, led by junior Justus Kuykendall and, Thibault said, likely featuring three juniors.
“The offensive line looks good. Justus is obviously the leader, but everybody else has grown around him and I want to say those guys probably (attended the most) workouts,” Thibault said. “They’re still getting there, but (coach) Joey (Tivnan)’s a good coach and they do a lot of good work.”
Senior Tanner DeMonbrun is expected to start at quarterback.
“Tanner has done fine. We work with him on his feet and his own self-confidence. He has a lot of want,” Thibault said. “He has the ability, he just has to know that he can do it and just go out there and execute and do what he naturally can do and he’ll be fine.”
The defense is established with some returners, with Blaine Wass, Tyler Milton and Colby Sobolesky-Reynolds all returning to solidify the back end of the defense. The Tigers were also able to learn from Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright during an offseason youth camp in March.
Centralia was 2-7 last season, defeating Mark Morris in the non-league schedule and earning a 42-35 win over Rochester for its lone Evergreen 2A Conference victory.
The EvCo doesn’t look to be any easier this season.
“It’s always going to be tough. Aberdeen might have lost their guy (running back Kylan Touch) but they’re still Harbor kids, and they still have a chip on their shoulder. Tumwater is always going to be Tumwater, Black Hills is talented, Chehalis always has a ton of kids,” Thibault said. “Rochester, I thought that guy (John Moorhead) did a great job in his first year there. They’re only going to get better. Who knows. It’s a tough league.”
Thibault hopes the team can stay healthy and believe in themselves, which should be a recipe for success in 2018.
“Stay healthy, stay competitive, stay relevant. Get these kids to believe in themselves and that we can compete with people,” Thibault said. “Obviously, we’re not going to overnight compete with everybody but they’re getting there.”
