SPREADING THEIR WINGS

HOUSTON — With the old, the Houston Hawks are ushering in the new.

The Hawks return a good group of upperclassmen and a solid senior class, and will debut new offensive and defensive systems when they kick off the season against the Kodiak Bears on Friday.

The Hawks will even be playing on Friday night under the lights at Houston High for the first time in school history.

“We’re coming in nda doing things a little bit different than the past,” Houston head coach Norm Bouchard said. “We’re doing a lot of learning.”

The Houston coaching staff is introducing the veer offense and switching to the 5-3 on defense.

“We’ve got a lot of good seniors coming back,” Bouchard said. “We felt like it was a good year to make the transition. We’ve got some pretty good players, smart enough to understand the changes.”

Beau Frank, Colton Buzby, Tyler Barron, Russ Ruta, Phillip Pease and Todd Lee are among the seniors back to help the Hawks make those changes and try to break into the top tier of the always-tough Northern Lights Conference.

Bouchard said he feels both systems will allow the Hawks to better utilize their talent. The longtime coach is excited to see what his players can do in the veer, an option attack.

“We have some pretty good athletes,” Bouchard said. “This type of offense will allow us to get the ball to more kids.”

Frank is back for another season as Houston’s starting quarterback. Last season he threw for more than 500 yards and three touchdowns, but this season, in the veer, Frank will have to carry the ball more.

“He’s looked good. He’ll have to run the ball more. He hasn’t done a lot of that,” Bouchard said. “But he’ll figure it out and do a nice job.”

The Hawks will also have a variety of options in the veer. The Hawks graduated leading rusher Brandon Dukes, but Barron, Ruta, Colton Buzby and junior Charlie Buzby are all back.

Barron, Houston’s fullback, rushed for 331 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Barron will get his carries, and Bouchard said the veer will allow the Hawks to use Ruta and Charlie Buzby more.

Colton Buzby should line up at tight end and wide receiver.

A new addition to the squad, Jake Wells, could also help spark the new offense, Bouchard said.

Bouchard said Wells is a hockey player who is in his first year of football, and will add speed to the team.

“He has fantastic speed,” Bouchard said. “Right up there with Charlie and Colton.”

Defensively, Bouchard said Wells should be an asset at cornerback.

Pease, who stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 275 pounds, will lead the Hawks on the line on both sides of the ball. On offense, Pease will line up at right tackle and team with Lee, the center, to lead the offensive line.

“He’s 6-5, big shoulders. He’s got everything you want out of a lineman,” Bouchard said of Pease. “He’s really worked hard, been hitting the weight room. He came out this year and looked really good.”

Bouchard said Houston also has younger linemen, such as sophomore Luke Wagner, who will step into major roles with the team.

Lee will help lead the defense and call the plays from his middle linebacker spot. Pease (defensive tackle), Barron (outside linebacker) and Ruta (safety) will also help lead the Hawks 5-3. The Buzby brothers will be the bookend defensive ends in the new defense.

Matthew Barron, Hunter Smith and senior Jake Davis are also expected to play key roles on defense.

Houston open the 2011 season Friday, hosting Northern Lights Conference rival Kodiak at 7 p.m.

** Editor’s note: This is the third piece of a four-part series previewing the 2011 prep football season. See the Palmer and Wasilla previews at frontiersman.com/sports. See the Friday edition for the Colony preview. Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.