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HOUSTON — In 2016, the Houston Hawks advanced to a prep football state title game for the first time. Since making school history, the Hawks football program has graduated large senior classes after each of the last two seasons.
Just two years removed from its appearance in the Division III title game, the 2018 preseason has been a work in progress for the Hawks.
Late last week, Houston head coach Glenn Nelson said the Hawks only had about 20 players on the practice field.
“We’re hoping for 40,” Nelson said. “We hope to get a few more after school starts.”
After boasting teams with big senior classes in 2016 and 2017, Nelson said the Hawks are junior-heavy this year. Houston. That junior class includes a few of the players the Houston coaches are looking to as team leaders. The list includes twin brothers Gavin and Owen Mulhaney. On offense, Gavin will play quarterback and Owen will line up at running back. Both will play outside linebacker on defense.
“They’re pretty athletic kids,” Nelson said.
Junior Kennedy Fono is Houston’s team captain in 2018. Fono will play running back on offense and middle linebacker on defense. Nelson said he hopes Fono can step up and be the type of leader and contributor graduated senior Noah Plumb was for the Hawks last year.
Nelson also noted the speedy Apete Sasiu.
“He’ll be exciting to watch,” Nelson said.
Nelson said the Hawks will look to a pair of seniors, Shawn Graham and Wakefield Kremer, to be leaders on the line. On offensive Graham and Kremer will start at right guard and right tackle.
Graham is Houston’s lone returning starter.
Houston opened its 2018 season Friday with a 42-12 loss to Eagle River.
“They say iron sharpens iron. We want to play the tough guys right off the bat,” Nelson said after the loss.
Nelson said he hopes the Hawks can learn from the loss and apply the lessons to future game plans. Houston makes the trip north to face Division III rival Monroe Catholic in Fairbanks next week.
** Editor’s note: this is part of a series previewing the seasons of the five prep football teams in the Valley. Contact Frontiersman editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com
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