Hazen marches forward with help from underclassmen
September 2, 2010
By Tim Pfarr
Hazen running back Isaiah Talley works on his footwork at practice Aug. 23. Talley will be a threat with the ball as well as blocking. By Tim Pfarr
Coming off a 7-4 record last year, the Hazen High School Highlanders are looking to have another winning season.
However, with the loss of graduating seniors, such as running back James Holland, tight end Tyler Searles and linebacker Ryan Martin, the team will rely on its younger players to help.
“It’s hard to replace a James Holland,” head coach Drew Oliver said, adding that Holland now plays for Army. “Inheriting that team, I didn’t know what I lost in those seniors until they were gone.”
Oliver is entering his second year leading the Highlanders, and he has already displayed promise as coach — he turned Hazen’s losing record to a winning one and led the team to the postseason last year.
“It shows kids that they can achieve at that level,” Oliver said. “A lot of it was mental and about the belief last year.”
Leading the team this year will be senior linebacker Jordan Bumgarner and senior running back Isaiah Talley.
Oliver said Bumgarner, a team captain last year, is arguably the leader of the team, and he will likely be an all-league player this year. He said Bumgarner is also an upstanding individual.
“He’s the guy you’d want your daughter to take home,” Oliver said.
Talley said he and his teammates learned from a talented senior class last year.
“Last year, we had a whole bunch of people that made an impact,” he said. “They kind of dropped some knowledge and helped the underclassmen with the technique and the mentality that you should have.”
He said the team’s practices have become more intense, and he and his teammates are now reviewing film to prepare for their opponents.
Oliver said Talley is one of the best blockers the team has in the backfield, and he will make a big impact come game time, whether he has the ball or not.
Quarterback Travis Johnson will be back to lead the offense in his senior season as well.
“Our biggest goal is to beat Lindbergh first and then beat Kennedy,” Johnson said. “Those are our two biggest opponents right now, and we’re preparing more for them than any other games.”
He said one of the team’s biggest strengths this year is its athleticism.
Other players to watch include sophomore tight end and defensive end Cody Moorhead, sophomore guard and linebacker Drew Kelly, senior fullback Keith Carlson, sophomore lineman Tyler Wicks and sophomore safety Kyle Nelson.
Talley said Moorhead, who played varsity as a freshman, will be dangerous this season.
“This year, he went to camp and he was just dominating every single person out there,” he said. “He’s dominating some of the seniors.”
Bumgarner also said Moorhead has improved, as has Kelly.
“They’re really looking good,” he said. “They’re in our starting defense, starting offense. They’re stepping it up and really filling in those gaps that those seniors left last year.”
Johnson also said young players have made the line stronger.
“As far as the line goes, we’re pretty solid,” he said. “We have some young talent.”
The team will be without senior running back Reggie Harvard, who tore his ACL in a pick-up basketball game last spring.
The team’s most significant game will be Sept. 18 on the road against division powerhouse Kennedy Catholic, which the team defeated 28-14 last year.
Oliver and 24 players attended a weeklong summer camp at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, Ore., in July. Oliver said the camp helped the team bond and prepare for the season. Last year at this time, Oliver and the team were just getting to know each other.
Bumgarner said the seniors are ready for the season.
“Working off last year, we’re really excited and want to go as far as we did last year and further,” he said.
Hazen’s 2010 schedule
(All games start at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted.)
- Sept. 4 — 1:30 p.m. vs. Evergreen
- Sept. 10 — at Cedarcrest
- Sept. 18 — at Kennedy
- Sept. 25 — 1:30 p.m. vs. Lindbergh
- Oct. 1 — vs. Evergreen
- Oct. 7 — vs. Highline
- Oct. 15 — at Foster
- Oct. 29 — at Renton
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