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2006 Football Preview

King's sets sights higher after last year's success
By Tony Dondero Enterprise writer


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Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW
ing's junior fullback Baron Quan kneels as he listens to coach Jim Shapiro talk to the team at practice Aug. 29.

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Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW
King's senior running back Spencer Clark sprints ahead during drills at football practice, Aug. 28 at King's High School.

King's Knights

Head coach: Jim Shapiro, 10th

season at King's

Last year: 4-2 in league, 8-4 overall


2006 Schedule

9/1 Cleveland(@Chief Sealth)5 p.m.

9/8 Friday Harbor 7 p.m.

9/15 @ Sultan 7 p.m.

9/22 Lakewood 7 p.m.

9/29 South Whidbey 7 p.m.

10/6 @Cedarcrest 7 p.m.

10/13 Coupeville 7 p.m.

10/20 Archbishop Murphy 7 p.m.

10/27 @ Granite Falls 7 p.m.


Players to Watch

Spencer Clark, sr. RB/SS

Greg Uhrich, sr. QB/FS

Sean Webb, sr. WR/FS/K

Matt Thorsen, sr. OL/LB

Baron Quan, jr. FB/LB


2006 Snapshot

The Knights moved down to Class 1A this season but they'll get some good tests in Cascade Conference play. The Knights return the conference's leading rusher, senior Spencer Clark, who has his sights set on reaching 2,000 yards. Junior fullback Baron Quan leads the way for Clark and also can catch the ball out of the backfield. Senior Greg Uhrich, a third-year starter at quarterback, brings a wealth of experience and has athletic senior wideout Jonathan Blauert to throw to. King's lost three starting linemen so that is the squad's biggest question mark. However, the defense should be formidable with nine starters back.


SHORELINE -- Last year, King's coach Jim Shapiro wanted his team to think like winners. This year, he wants them to play like champions.

The difference, Shapiro and his players say, is that champions find ways to win games consistently. They do whatever it takes to win even when they're not playing their best.

The Knights played some impressive games last season en route to an 8-4 overall mark and 4-2 record in the Cascade Conference. It was King's second-best season record-wise in nine seasons under Shapiro.

A stunning 28-21 upset over Meridian in the district playoffs last year highlighted the season before it ended with a 35-6 loss against Elma. But there were a few bumps in the road. Sultan blew out the Knights 35-0 after their 4-0 start.

To become champions, the Knights must treat every game like it's the state final in the Tacoma Dome, Shapiro said.

"We all have the same goal," said senior Sean Webb. "We want to get to the T-Dome."

King's opens against Cleveland at Chief Sealth High School tonight, Sept. 1, and then hosts 1A powerhouse Friday Harbor on Sept. 8.

Senior running back Spencer Clark (5-10, 175), who led the conference with 1,767 rushing yards and racked up 16 touchdowns, returns to anchor the rushing attack. Clark's goal is to reach 2,000 yards this season. Clark believes he's put in the hard work in the offseason to do it. He'll also count on three new starters on the offensive line plus junior fullback Baron Quan (5-9, 220) and senior quarterback Greg Uhrich (6-4, 200) to help him get there.

"I want to exceed what I did last year," Clark said. "If I do it it's a team thing."

Like last year, Clark will have a cast on his right hand for part of the season. In July, Clark broke his right wrist when a lineman fell on him during an alumni scrimmage. He's expected to wear the cast until the fifth game of the season, a Sept. 29 contest against South Whidbey.

Uhrich, a third-year starter, will throw to senior slotback John Foote (6-1, 180) and senior wide receiver Jonathan Blauert (6-2, 180), a talented athlete who blossomed last track season. Junior Erich Fuhlendorf (6-4, 215) and senior Austin Bowlin (6-4, 200) share tight end duties.

Uhrich said the Knights expect to run 60 to 70 percent of the time while putting the ball in the air about 15 times a game.

Three starters graduated from the offensive line, leaving it the biggest question mark to Shapiro. Right tackle Webb (6-4, 215) and senior right guard Matt Thorsen (6-0, 200) are the returnees. Junior center Keegan Stotsenberg (5-8, 195), junior left guard Jake Lyon (5-10, 180) and junior left tackle Karl Frisk (6-2, 225) round out the line.

Defense is the team's strength with nine returning starters. The defensive line includes ends Webb and Bowlin and tackles Thorsen and Quan.

The linebackers include Lyon in the middle and junior Elliot Bowman (5-10, 170) and senior John Park (5-10, 195) on the outside.

The secondary consists of Foote and junior Alex Lehman (5-9, 165) at cornerback, Blauert at free safety and Clark at strong safety.

Finding a replacement for kicker and punter Andrew Lutton, who is starting for Azusa Pacific University this season, is another challenge, Shapiro said.

There are only 54 players in the entire program and the team lacks across-the-board depth.

The mental aspect of the game could make or break the Knights' season, the players said. "If we let down it's going to be our own fault," Clark said.

The players were required to complete 60 training sessions in the offseason to make the varsity.  "It's a big thing for us to be more conditioned than the other team," Uhrich said.

The workouts also built team chemistry, the players said.

As far as the Cascade Conference shakes out, Archbishop Murphy lost quite a few key players but has to be the odds-on favorite to repeat. After that it's anyone's guess, and the Knights should be right in the thick of things.

"I think it's one big question mark in the Cascade (Conference)," Shapiro said.