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LEBAM — Pe Ell/Willapa Valley’s practice on Tuesday was a football purist’s dream.
After 30 minutes of conditioning, the lineman and skill position players split up into two groups, and both groups worked on the fundamentals of the Wing-T offense.
Running backs rotated through a drill focused on hitting the right gaps, while the linemen rotated through blocking drills after taking on the sled minutes prior.
“It’s football in a phone booth,” PWV coach John Peterson said. “We’re just gonna try to be really disciplined in what we try to do.”
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s practice.
Familiar face leading the way
Peterson, a Willapa Valley graduate, is no stranger to the sidelines in Menlo and Pe Ell.
Peterson was an assistant coach with the Vikings when they won state titles in 1996 and 2001, and he was an assistant on the PWV staff for nine years before stepping away in 2022. When the PWV job opened up, he was excited to apply, and he was thrilled to take the job when offered.
“I’m really excited,” Peterson said. “It’s been very positive.”
Rebuilding the trenches
A return to the Wing-T means that the Titans will rely even more on building a strong foundation in the trenches, specifically on the offensive side of the ball.
That foundation is being built on the fly, as four of the five starting lineman from last year are gone, as are both tight ends who anchored both ends of the line in tight sets.
Several linemen have gone through drills through the first set of practices, and Peterson has been happy with the progress they’ve made.
“We’re making some lineman,” Peterson said. “I like our guys.”
Depth in the backfield
Behind the O-line is where PWV should thrive.
Spud Swogger, Eddie Clements, and Lucas Lusk headline a talented backfield, and Blane King is also expected to get touches in creative ways after earning a first-team all-league spot last fall.
Brody Ritzman, who is expected to be the team’s starting quarterback, will also likely get carries.
“I’m a big believer of ‘the best guys are going on the field,’” Peterson said.
