23 Replies to "Friday night high-school football: Tough night for all 3 teams"

• Stadium Neighbor September 17, 2010 (8:23 pm)

  Whichever marching band was just playing in the stadium did a great job of covering Black Sabbath! Not to mention it was pouring while they were playing. Great work!

• Under_Achiever September 17, 2010 (8:33 pm)

  Forfeited? Okay, I know I’m an old guy, but never in my life have I heard of foreiting a high school football game. What lesson does teach? The more I think of forfeiting the more confused I get. When the going get tough the quitters go to the showers? I’ve lost in my life but I’ve never given up.
  .
  My heart goes out to the WSHS players.

  • WSB September 17, 2010 (8:38 pm)

    Co-publisher Patrick Sand talked with at least one coach afterward and there were serious concerns including injured players and truly hammering rain. (I was out there for a little while till Patrick could get over after the Sealth game ended downtown, and I can vouch for the rain.) We will be adding more to the story. – TR

• Stunned September 18, 2010 (4:53 pm)

  I felt so bad for the players and the entire West Seattle team last nite. They tried their best to play a very disturbing game of football that seemed to lack any direction or play planning whatsoever. So greatly outsized and confused one has to wonder what the coach is thinking to have unprotected players at risk of injury out on the field. Wow To the comment about Forfeit stated above. I would definitely not blame the kids..That blame would lie directly on the Coach

• stunned September 18, 2010 (5:06 pm)

  I posted a comment on here re the game last nite and it does not show it was clean and direct with out any profanity or reason to screen and not post wondered what the policy is here??

• Appalled September 18, 2010 (5:15 pm)

  “Co-publisher Patrick Sand talked with at least one coach afterward and there were serious concerns including injured players and truly hammering rain.”

  I, for one, doubt Mr. Sand received an honest answer. Please do not “cherry-pick” this posting for being so candid, as it addresses a serious safety issue.

  If concerned for his players, why the munchkin O line? A bona fide giant or two looking on from sidelines as QB scrambles for his life on snap after yard-losing/injury resulting snap??!!

  Hammering rain excuse may have something to it however: Tough to get your ego beaten down in the driving rain when you have no answers…

  I am SERIOUSLY concerned about safety of the poor WSHS players. Is WSHS administration going to address what I would describe as a serious safety concern??

  Regime change?

  I am all for it.

• Concerned September 18, 2010 (7:18 pm)

  Weather, Injuries and the Outcome not in doubt. There is something about quitting that sticks in my craw but I am not sure that taking the Forefeit to protect the kids wasnt the right decision.

  A couple other posters are asking the right question. How did they end up in this situation? What should be done to get things fixed?

• Curtis September 18, 2010 (11:26 pm)

  Under_achiever. It wasn’t so much quitting as the fight being stopped. If you told me that it was the officials who stopped the game, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least. The weather excuse is nonsense and it disturbs me that the coaching staff would say that. What I can tell you is that the game was literally uncomfortable to watch. The kid who was playing QB could barely stand up and there is no suitable back up. If I had been that kid’s parent, I might have walked onto the field and stopped the game myself. He had no business on a football field – he was literally carried to the locker room!

  If you weren’t there, it’s hard to describe. The game had to be stopped. I, for one, wouldn’t be completely stunned if WSHS simply played a JV schedule the rest of the year. I’m 100% serious – the situation looks to be THAT bad.

• Lou K September 18, 2010 (11:27 pm)

  It definitely helps to have an athletic “giant” on your line but if you have a big kid who is slow or can’t move his feet, he may be worse then a “munchkin.” I’ve observed very successful lines without size. But they must have technique, agility, and strength…

  Which is lacking here.

  The most glaring general problem for our high school teams on the westside is in the strength department. Other teams are having success by being more physical.

• Stunned September 19, 2010 (11:45 am)

  In response to the “strength and personal training coach” .. Not a very good moral Booster to throw the boys on the sidelines under the bus like you did with your demeaning comments. As we watched from the sidelines they seemed more than eager to get in and protect their guys out there so they could make a better effort of getting their jobs done..Again there is a lot to be said for size. It was certainly evident on the opposing teams side of the field. My heart goes out to the WS team. They got out there and tried with what they had to work with..

• indian September 19, 2010 (12:16 pm)

  If West Seattle High is at that huge of a disadvantage and poorly prepared, the Athletic Director should have contacted Odea and canceled the game on Thursday. The coaches know if they have enough players prepared to play. The AD should always be aware of the situation. Does anyone know why the backup QB started? What happened to the regular season starter? The kids need to keep playing. They will only get better by playing. Good luck to them. I don’t think anyone is throwing the kids under the bus. In fact I think what the person is stating is with proper coaching of technique and strength conditioning, players smaller in size can be very good HS football players. GO INDIANS! You Can Do It!

• A Little Common Sense September 19, 2010 (12:17 pm)

  @Lou: You have ann excellent point here. Strength and conditioning certainly are in question here.
  The coaches/trainers working with these kids are clearly failing them on a number of levels.

  The “technique, agility, and strength… Which is lacking here.” are somehow not being taught or communicated to the kids.

  “Other teams are having success by being more physical.” This is like saying other teams are succeeding by scoring more points… or “winning games is key to a successful season.” Stating the obvious is easy, but what is needed here is addressing the issues. Firings? Rebuilding the program?

  Certainly the coach could give himself a severely overlooked opportunity to assess what the team can do if he were to play some of these larger players (man vs man instead of man vs boy)… at least once he has let the game get out of reach…
  There seems to be plenty of that this season.
  Opposing players may find it harder blowing through the 6’6″ 300 lb player to nail the qb than it is against the smaller children.
  WESTSIDE might just find themselves having success by being more physical.

  WSHS is currently 0-3 with 168 scored against their 38. The O’Dea game was 0-48 by the half. Whatever the current philosophy is, it has so far yielded failure, injury, and embarrassment. I am with “Appalled” on the regime change idea… if not for success, for SAFETY.

  As for the forfeit, it is truly shameful it has come to this. I feel bad for the WSHS kids.

• Curtis September 19, 2010 (2:13 pm)

  Indian – you are correct – this game should not have been played and I suspect that the WSHS Varsity season may very well be cancelled. Folks commenting here who have not attended the games really have no idea what really is happening.

  The starting quarterback has been expelled.

  From the two games I have witnessed, WSHS simply does not have enough healthy upperclassmen to field a Varsity level team.

  Again, if you weren’t there, you just don’t know. All the platitudes about not quitting and all just don’t apply. This game had to be stopped.

• Stunned September 19, 2010 (3:10 pm)

  I don’t think there is any question that the game needed to be stopped. SAFETY first…my concern is what exactly lead to this.. Most are aware of the fact the starting QB was expelled but why wasn’t there a TRAINED back up QB to take over. ..No team should ever count on one player to control the game!! That is why it is called a TEAM The poor kid that was forced to play the QB position (untrained) was one of the teams best WR’s and that leaves no one to throw the ball to..DUH!

• Lou K September 19, 2010 (4:32 pm)

  Thanks “Indian,” definitely not throwing anyone under the bus. Just saying size isn’t everything…more or less.

  ALCS – Yes. You would think “being more physical” would be stating the obvious. However, the players in our area appear to rely solely on speed and elusiveness because it’s reinforced by their cohorts. Then when they run into someone just as fast (or faster) who also get in the weight room – then you have “possum in the headlights” and even worse – injuries.

  Also, you are right. Intuitively you would think opposing players would have a harder time with the 6’6” 300lb player. But…

  …you will have more success with a 5’8” 145lb athlete who plays aggressive, stays low, and uses his hips then the taller and bigger player who stands straight up on the snap and is scared of contact. I’m not sure this is what WSHS has on their sideline, but I have witnessed it in other places.

  I also don’t know if it’s all on the coach at WSHS. They’re just coming off of a pretty successful season in-league last year. He may be doing the best he can with what he has.

• Curtis September 19, 2010 (5:46 pm)

  Stunned – I’m trying really hard here – My kid is a Freshman as I’ve already said and I haven’t tried to be all that anonymous. I don’t want to pile on too much more, but I think it’s clear that I have concerns. I am open to answers from the coaching staff and I would hope that WSB might even pursue this story a bit. That said, here I go. You said “The poor kid that was forced to play the QB position (untrained) was one of the teams best WR’s and that leaves no one to throw the ball to..DUH!” and all I will say is that this is the second week that this young man has attempted to play the position – without backup. I could get really football minded here but I won’t. In simple terms, I would have expected an offense designed around the available personnel. That is as critical as I am willing to be in this forum.

  The main reason for my earlier posts was to answer the folks who seemed to be commenting just based on the story, not from attending the game.

• A Little Common Sense September 19, 2010 (5:48 pm)

  @ Lou:
  “Also, you are right. Intuitively you would think opposing players would have a harder time with the 6′6” 300lb player. But…

  …you will have more success with a 5′8” 145lb athlete who plays aggressive, stays low, and uses his hips then the taller and bigger player who stands straight up on the snap and is scared of contact. I’m not sure this is what WSHS has on their sideline, but I have witnessed it in other places.”

  I quote Monty Python:
  “It’s not a question of where he grips it! It’s a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.
  “

  I do not believe it gets much clearer than that…
  PROTECT YOUR QB!!!

• Concerned September 19, 2010 (8:40 pm)

  I heard a comment about a very surprisingly large number of players being expelled or suspended. What is going on?

  If true, I agree that the coach and AD should have cancelled the game. Or been forced to go out on the field themselves! O’Dea is one of the most physical 3A teams in the State. No one should have had delusions that the underclassmen could hold their own or even be safe on the field with these guys.

  I have tremendous respect for the players who went out there. I hope they came away with more respect for themselves than for the people responsible for putting them in that position.

• Curtis September 19, 2010 (8:53 pm)

  @concerned – I only know of one expulsion. I am not exactly an “insider” so perhaps there are more than I am aware of. FYI – The week prior to the O’Dea Game, WSHS had only 15 Varsity players play against Nathan Hale.

• Stunned September 19, 2010 (8:59 pm)

  This will be my last post on this thread it is getting a little childish and if WE are all adults WE should try to set a better example for the youth that may read this. A lot of us do know or have family on the team so I find it offensive to read petty remarks like “they’re just the fat guy putting on a uniform.” I am sure all the boys on that team have put their heart and soul into practice and play. Get your facts straight and try to move on. And no the entire team was not EXPELLED!! Thankyou to ALCS for posting the Monty Python quote at least it made me smile. We all need to lighten up. Bless the team

• Curtis September 22, 2010 (9:46 pm)

  for anyone still geting the rss feed – here’s a link to the times’s story. A chance, if nothing else, for the Coach to present his side of things.

  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/highschoolsportsblog/2012969895_west_seattle_copes_with_low_nu.html

• stunned September 23, 2010 (8:16 pm)

  Read that piece and feel for all of the team but felt tho the coach said no one was to blame..I think a good coach would at least take some of it for letting it go that far.

  • WSB September 23, 2010 (8:19 pm)

    Stunned, we actually talked to Coach Lura about the situation, and this week’s game, this morning. The story’s been delayed because of the shooting coverage; we hope to publish something tomorrow morning – Tracy

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