Sophomores, juniors lead Houston

HOUSTON — Calling the 2009 edition of the Houston Hawks “young” would be an understatement.

With only five seniors and six juniors on the roster, longtime Houston mentor Norm Bouchard spent last season working with a group of veritable hatchlings. But this year, Bouchard believes his Hawks are ready to fly.

“They’re still young kids, but that freshman and sophomore group is a little bit stronger, little bit quicker,” Bouchard, Houston’s head coach, said prior to practice on Friday. “We’re feeling pretty good so far.”

It might be tough to label the Hawks an experienced team overall. But Bouchard said his young talent did put in work over the offseason.

“They stepped up over the summer, got a little better,” Bouchard said.

Houston’s senior class is slightly larger than last year, but not by much. Despite a lack of senior depth, Bouchard feels he has a few 12th-graders ready to take leadership roles on the team.

One of those seniors is Brandon Dukes, who led the Hawks with 381 yards rushing as a junior. Dukes, who topped the 100-yard mark in back-to-back games against Ketchikan and Kodiak last season, has been a part of the Hawks offense since he ran for 187 yards in a reserve role as a sophomore.

“He’ll be able to bring a lot of experience to the table this year,” Bouchard said of Dukes, who will also play outside linebacker on defense. “He’s one of those kids who really stepped up over the summer. He got stronger, a little bit faster.”

Seniors Aaron Richardson and Brett Lapham also return. Both should be mainstays at receiver and defensive back for Houston. At 6-foot, Lapham also provides some size for Houston.

The group expected to make the greatest impact over the next two seasons is the Houston junior class.

Houston had 17 sophomores on the 2009 roster, and many of those 10th-graders not only started, but played significant roles for the Hawks. Beau Frank started at quarterback, Todd Lee earned second-team all-conference honors at center, and Colton Buzby and Tyler Barron proved to be top players on both sides of the ball.

All of those players return to a squad that will be made up of mostly sophomores and juniors this year.

Frank will once again take the helm at quarterback after posting 61 completions for 658 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore. Frank enjoyed a career day during the final game of the season against Skyview, completing 15-of-23 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He continued to progress during the offseason. Bouchard said Frank attended a camp at Boise State University during the summer and earned most improved honors at the camp.

“He moved up on their depth chart from the high 30s to the low teens,” Bouchard said. “The coaches said he really took to what they were saying. He had a really good camp.”

Bouchard expects Barron to make an impact on both sides of the ball, at running back and linebacker.

“He’s bigger, stronger, a little more aggressive,” Bouchard said of Barron.

Lee will anchor a junior-laden offensive line that also features 11th-graders Phillip Pease, Isaac Shephard, Jake Davis and Theo Stone-Jirik.

The Hawks also have junior Russell Ruta back.

“Russell Ruta is one of those kids you just love. He gives you everything he’s got all day long,” Bouchard said.

Bouchard said Ruta is a utility player who can line up at a variety of positions.

Another intriguing junior, Bouchard said, is Greg Mecus, a first-year football player.

“He’s really going to help us on the offensive and defensive line,” Bouchard said.

Arguably the backbone of the team is junior Colton Buzby and his younger brother, sophomore Charlie Buzby.

“They’re just fantastic,” Bouchard said.

Bouchard said both siblings bring strength, size and speed to the Hawks. Charlie has the speed and quickness that gives him versatility.

“He can pretty much play anywhere,” Bouchard said.

Colton provides a little more bulk to go along with his speed.

Both with have significant roles in the Houston offense and will line up as bookend defensive ends on the other side of the ball.

Among the other players Bouchard noted were senior Kevin Daly-Niemi, who will provide depth on the line, and sophomores Kaleb Hendricks and Dalton Hurn.

At 6-3, 380, first-year senior Randy Barrett will provide much-needed size on the interior defensive line for the Hawks.

“He and Mecus in the middle, that’s what we’ve needed against the (Soldotna) and the Kenais,” Bouchard said. “We haven’t had that girth in the middle.”

The Hawks start the season with a nonconference games before jumping into action in the perennially tough Northern Lights Conference. Houston travels to Valdez during the opening week and will host Ketchikan in Week 2. The Hawks play the Buccaneers on Aug. 7 and the Kings on Aug. 14.

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