An experienced Wildcat football team returns
August 27, 2010
By Dan Catchpole
NEW — 6:00 a.m. Aug. 27, 2010
Mount Si football players run sprints during a preseason practice. The Wildcats have a team full of veteran players returning to a league stacked with talent. (Photo by Dan Catchpole)
Under a bright August sun, Mount Si High School’s football team ran sprints between yard lines.
Under their pads and helmets, sweat ran down the players’ heads. It stung their eyes and tasted salty in their mouths.
But they have tasted it before. They have run the sprints before.
This team is not a novice one. It is one stocked with veteran starting players and understudies.
Last year, the Wildcats had to replace 10 starting players. This year, only five starters are new.
“Our experience is worth its weight in gold,” said head coach Charlie Kinnune, who returns for his 19th year as Wildcats coach after a 6-5 season last year that included a trip to the state playoffs.
The returning seniors bring with them years of experience, including playoff games.
One of the new starters, quarterback Ian Ilgenfritz, even picked up playing time in the playoffs last year when he replaced Chris Clark.
Alec Deichman will return as the team’s center. Helping anchor the offensive and defensive lines will be Kasey Channita, Josh Mitchell, Taylor Mitchell, Joe Farmer and Jarrett Adams.
“Our offensive line — we’re nailed,” Kinnune said confidently.
Same goes for the defensive line, he added.
The Wildcats do have to replace some receivers, though.
The team lost some of its top running backs and wide receivers, including Rossco Castagno and Jordin Kinnune.
But it does have talent and experience in its backfield, led by veteran seniors Max Bankston, Zach Storm, Kaleb Huerta and Shelby Williams. Bankston and Williams will be critical parts in the team’s running game, as they were last year. Storm and Huerta will be key to the Wildcats’ passing game.
After showing talent on both the junior varsity and varsity teams last year, Huerta has continued to impress in preseason practice.
Joining the backfield are several promising players, including senior Aladdin Schirmer, junior Connor Deutsch and sophomore Trent Riley.
Kinnune is sure the team can nail down its receivers.
“We’ve got the kids to do it,” he said. “They’ve just got to prove they can do it on Friday night.”
Ilgenfritz said he trusts his receivers.
“Our wide receivers are catching the ball great,” he said. “Our line is incredible this year.”
He said he feels strong with his throwing, but needs to work on reading the defense.
That will be critical in a league that doesn’t offer any easy passes.
“We’ve got all the pieces,” Kinnune said. “The issue is so does our league.”
The KingCo 3A/2A league includes Bellevue and Liberty high schools. Bellevue beat Liberty in the state championship game last year.
Bellevue also squashed the Wildcats’ postseason hopes with a first-round defeat in the state tournament.
Nonetheless, it marked the third time in the past four years that Mount Si has been one of the 16 teams to advance to the state tournament.
“We’re always there at the end,” Kinnune said.
He said he expects the same this year, but thinks the team can go deeper than it did last year.
First game:
- Woodinville, 7 p.m. Sept. 2, at Pop Keeney/Mary Murphey Stadium, Bothell
Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.
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