Prep football preview: Young Hawks have potential

HOUSTON — Don’t let Norm Bouchard hear you call the 2009 season a rebuilding year for the Houston Hawks.

Although the Hawks graduated 16 seniors from a 2008 squad that advanced to the 3A state playoffs, Houston returns a solid corps of athletes that includes a large and talented sophomore class.

“This is a two-year team,” Bouchard, Houston’s six-year head coach, said on Thursday. “This is a young team, but we’re not rebuilding. We’re going to prepare this team to make a playoff run and see what we can do.”

The Hawks — who finished 5-4 during their first season in the Northern Lights Conference last year — don’t have many seniors and there are a fair amount of juniors, but it’s the underclassmen that could end up standing out.

“We definitely do have a future with this group,” Bouchard said.

With the loss of 16 seniors, the Hawks will have a void to fill at every position. But Bouchard is confident Houston has to the tools to be successful.

“These are good kids. Rather than having that elite group, we have a lot of kids on the same level. And that’s not a low level,” Bouchard said. “They’re not way behind. It’s just a matter of getting the right kids in the right spots.”

The longtime football mentor said the overall athletic ability of his team is very good, and in terms of speed, the Hawks are as fast as they’ve been in a while. Most of all, Bouchard has loved the effort displayed by the Hawks during the team’s first week of practice.

“In terms of flat out working and kids coming to play, it’s the best I’ve had,” Bouchard said. “I love the athletic ability. I love the effort.”

Captain Zack Qual leads a small senior class. He’s a returning starter in the defensive backfield, and is competing for the starting job at quarterback.

“He’s our go-to kid, our leader,” Bouchard said of Qual, who also captains the Houston boys’ varsity basketball team.

Three underclassmen, who are expected to anchor the Houston offensive line, lead what Bouchard thinks may be a standout sophomore class. Kevin Daly-Nieme, Todd Lee and Phillip Pease should all start up front, Bouchard said. Daly-Nieme started at center as a freshman, and could play either center or guard. Lee could also be used at different positions up front.

Pease, meanwhile, is looking like the right tackle who will pave the way for the Houston running game. Bouchard calls the 6-foot-4 sophomore one of the best linemen, in terms of college potential, come through Houston High.

“He’s a great lineman,” Bouchard said. “He’s 6-4, has good speed, good footwork.”

Another sophomore Bouchard is excited about is Colton Buzby. Colton and younger brother Charlie, a freshman, should both play defensive end and tight end.

“They’re good athletes,” Bouchard said.

Yet another sophomore, Beau Frank, is also in the running for the starting quarterback job.

The young talent on the offensive line, combined with the loss of standout quarterback Jordan Webb to graduation, has Bouchard and his Hawks headed back to a more familiar style of football.

With Webb and wide receiver Bryan Mason, Houston opted to throw the ball often. Webb finished the season among the elite quarterbacks at the small school level with 62 completions, 793 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior. Mason snagged 25 balls for 372 yards and five scores.

But with that duo gone, Bouchard said it’s time to get back to running the football.

“It’s old Bouchard football,” the head coach joked.

The back expected to see the bulk of the carries is junior Brandon Dukes, who was one of five players to gain 170 yards or more last season. Dukes posted 187 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore, but did all of that damage in two games. He rushed for 87 during a lopsided win over Delta, and hit the 100-yard mark against Ketchikan.

Last season’s leading rusher, Kyle Sumner (523, 5 touchdowns) graduated and the Hawks also lost Micah Ranum, who will step off the gridiron to pursue a junior hockey career.

“He loves playing football, but he knows where his future is going to be,”

Bouchard said of Ranum, an incoming junior.

While Dukes is the man at tailback, Bouchard said competition for the fullback start is, “wide open.” And in Houston’s offensive system, the fullback will not only have to block, but also carry the ball, he said.

On defense, Qual will be the leader in the backfield. Other than Qual, Bouchard said he is looking for younger players to step in and establish themselves on the defensive side of the field.

Colton and Charlie Buzby will see time at defensive end. Pease will be in the middle, and Daly-Nieme should find himself in one of the linebacker spots, Bouchard said.

Regardless, Houston fans will see many of the same athletes on both side of the ball.

“We’ll be playing real iron man football,” Bouchard said.

Off the 11 starters on offense, nine of those will also start on defense, Bouchard said.

Bouchard made an addition to the coaching staff during the offseason. Former Wasilla head coach Joe Gardner is the team’s new offensive coordinator. Jared Barrett, Houston alum, returns to lead the defense.

Houston will make its 2009 debut in a nonconference match against the 4A Eagle River Wolves at Chugiak High School Aug. 8 at 2 p.m. The Hawks begin Northern Lights Conference play the following week at Kenai Central.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.