MORO – Back after a four-year break from coaching, Mike Somnis took a look at the size and physicality of his offensive line and knew he wanted to instill a three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust philosophy.
With a line that averages 211 pounds, he wants his line to play a tough brand of football to open gaping holes for running backs Jeremy and Chris Ballesteros and Reese Blake, and fullbacks Bradley Moe and Treve Martin, to run through, and give senior quarterback Jacob Justesen extra time to operate.
“There are a few new wrinkles that we will bring out this year, but our main thing is that we are going to do a lot of pounding the ball, have a lot of time-consuming drives and use a gritty and tough style of play,” said Justesen, a 2016 all-state winner. “We want to be more physical and really dominate up front. At the same time, if the big play is there, we will take it.”
Last season, the Huskies racked up 2,907 yards and 51 touchdowns on the ground, and tallied 1,766 yards passing with 23 more trips to the end zone on an offense that finished fourth in the state with 592 points scored.
One of the biggest voids the Huskies need to fill is running back, where all-state winner Maverick Winslow put up 1,186 yards and a team-leading 23 touchdowns.
Under the scheme Somnis has implemented, Martin and the rest of the running backs can put up similar numbers, especially since Martin fills the role of previous standout fullbacks Tate Eakin and Scot Stroud.
“I am excited about Treve. He is going to be carrying the ball a lot,” Justesen added. “There are not going to be many people that will be able to bring him down. He’s huge, he’s tough and he is fast, so it is going to be very hard for other teams to stop him once he gets going. You also got the speed in the backfield with Reese and Chris. They are very fast, they are quick, they can make a cut and they are gone.”
On defense, the Husky defense gave up 194 points, good for fourth in the state, for an average of 17.6 points a game, but allowed 58 points in six league games, with two shutouts.
But graduated seniors Max Martin, Isaiah Coles and Winslow played a key role in those defensive numbers, but defensive linemen Jared Fritts, Treve Martin and Kyle Hensley, linebackers Makoa Whitaker and Moe, along with defensive backs Blake and Justesen are hoping to make a difference in defensive coordinator Kyle Blagg’s game plans.
“We got to take every play like it is our last, we got push deep into the backfield, we got to run people over and we got annihilate them to be straight honest,” Treve Martin said. “If we come out early like we can, we will have a lot of success. I see a lot of us, especially our defensive line, that will take care of business. I don’t see a lot of teams running over us this year. A lot of teams are going to be scared to play us and we are going to establish that from the very start.”
During the past four campaigns, the Huskies have posted a 32-13 overall record and a 20-3 mark in league action with one Big Sky crown. The team also scored 2,075 points over that span, including 592 last year under former coach Bill Blevins.
As rosters have changed, however, one constant for the Sherman program has been assistant coaches Steve Bird, Joe Justesen and Blagg.
Added to that staff are Lee Jensen and Gary Lewis.
“The biggest thing that I am really happy about coming back is the consistency of the coaching staff, minus Todd Swan, who was a great asset,” Somnis said. “We have Joe, Steve and Kyle back, and we are adding both Gary and Lee, two guys that have 20-plus years of varsity high school football experience to help out and run our junior high program, so we have a wealth of knowledge on this coaching staff. With all the assets we have in this program, it is very exciting.”
Last year, the Huskies, who ended up ranked sixth in the state, lost their first game of the season, 36-34, to Crane, but then won nine in a row, one by forfeit, to vault into the playoffs.
On Oct. 21, Sherman clinched the Big Sky Conference championship for the first time since 2011 after a 62-22 romp over Perrydale.
The Huskies defeated Triad in their state opener, by a 66-34 margin, but ended up losing by a 50-42 margin in a quarterfinal contest played against North Douglas.
Although Sherman lost Kyle Fields, Max Martin, Winslow, and Coles, they are plenty of athletes returning that have achieved success in several sports over the years.
That is one of the biggest reasons why Moe, one of 10 seniors, wanted to come back and be a part of something special.
“I am extremely proud to be part of this team,” Moe said. “I feel like everyone comes to practice with a goal in mind of winning a league title and competing for a state championship. I am normally a baseball guy, but I wanted to come out here with my brothers and help them achieve a common goal that we are dedicated to. We are hyping each other up out here and that is what you get when you play in Sherman County. You are never alone in anything. We are a family. That’s what makes it more special.”
The Sherman Husky football squad kicks off its regular season schedule with a game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the final matchup of the Dufur Eight-Man Classic against Triad.
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