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MORTON — For as long as Lee Metcalf has been a coach at Morton-White Pass, he’s had stronger offensive lines.
Take the 2022 squad, which was the last time the Timberwolves finished above .500. They had six guys that were over 215 pounds and six over 6-foot. Or the two-time Class 2B state runner-up groups in 2011-12 that had a boatload of experience.
With every player back in the trenches this year, including all five starters, Metcalf admits it’s not the biggest or strongest. Their strength is something else.
“Technique-wise, we’re right there; probably a little more mobile,” Metcalf stated.
The Timberwolves are banking on the football IQ of both lines to push them back into the playoffs in their final year of playing 11-on-11 football and in the C2BL.
Come the 2026 season, Morton and White Pass will split into their own separate athletic teams and both will be in Class 1B 8-man football.
For the nine seniors, their entire prep career has been grinding through one of the toughest leagues in SW Washington. Now, they’re hopeful for the cherry on top.
“I want to go above .500 this year, it is a goal for us,” one of those seniors Kohen Ingalsbe said. “We’re looking pretty good. I’m excited.”
The line is captained by seniors Brayden Fleetwood and Doug Seavers plus junior Kyzen Binkley. Senior Aiden Blake also returns as does plenty of depth behind the upperclassmen.
Of the 25-plus players on the roster, over 50 percent of them are linemen or tight ends.
“That quickness is to our advantage,” Metcalf said.
“It is going to be a big help,” Ingalsbe added.
That leaves plenty of protection for new quarterback Logan Mays.
The junior got some reps behind Judah Kelly, but is the unquestioned starter this year. Mays did most of his damage on the ground to the tune of 536 yards and seven touchdowns, second most behind Kelly.
“He helped me a lot and gave me a lot of confidence,” Mays said of Kelly.
Ingalsbe added five scores in just over 400 yards on the ground. Those two will anchor the skill positions for a run-first unit. MWP reached the 2B crossover round behind a running attack that averaged 218 yards per night.
“Our big thing is to remain balanced and split the workload up a little bit,” Metcalf said.
Fleetwood is moving from linebacker to defensive line while Liam Pelletier, a freshman who earned defensive MVP honors at an eighth grade showcase over the summer, will be in the linebacker room. The secondary could feature up to three seniors.
“We’re a tough team,” Mays said.
The primary objective for the Timberwolves is another playoff game. They finished fourth in the C2BL East and had to hit the road and face Napavine. What ended up mattering was the league game versus Rainier, who finished third.
Metcalf feels this group, even with having to replace Kelly, is capable of finishing top-three in the league.
“We should be very similar to last year, kind of in the same place,” he said. “I feel very good about our starters. We’re not very deep. As long as our health stays good and our line is able to continue to progress, we should be in a good spot.”
Ingalsbe and Mays share the same sentiment.
“All these kids got to stay strong,” Ingalsbe said. “Teams like Napavine, just can’t believe they’re going to beat us. Got to go out there and try.”
