Larson ready for big return

Lewi Larson runs through the play over and over again in his head.

He’d done it a thousand times before.

This time, however, a missed block turned a routine three-step dropback pass into a mad dash for Kentlake’s 6-foot-1, 210-pound quarterback.

It was a mad dash that Larson would lose. And one that ultimately would cost him his junior season.

“I scrambled to get out of the way, but the guy caught me. When he landed on me, my (right) clavical popped out,” Larson said of the play, which came in the final quarter of a 20-12 nonleague loss to Bethel in the second week of last season.

Larson, now a senior but who shared starting duties in each of his two previous years, missed the following six weeks with the injury.

“It’s probably the worst thing that could happen to any football player’s season,” said Larson, who also stars in baseball and basketball at Kentlake. “It all went shooting down after the second game, when (the injury happened). I tried coming back, but it was too little, too late.”

Indeed.

Even so, the Falcons made a valiant push for the playoffs, remaining in the hunt for a berth late into the season. They ultimately fell short as Larson was just one of several key players who lost time to injury.

“When (Larson) got hit against Bethel, everybody was in shock,” said running back Travis Felchlin, an all-league second-team selection last year. “We didn’t know how to respond.”

Mike Shepard, who’s heading into his third season as head coach, agreed.

“Matt Smith did a great job filling in, but our offense had to change when Larson got hurt,” Shepard said.

The result was plenty of close games that didn’t end up in Kentlake’s favor as it finished with a 3-4 South Puget Sound League North Division record. Literally adding insult to injury, four of the losses were by eight or fewer points, including pivotal defeats to Tahoma (14-7) and Kentridge (14-9). Turn around just two of those four losses, and the Falcons would’ve flown into the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

That being the case – and with a healthy Larson back in fold this season – Kentlake is looking for a better response this time. And the Falcons get an immediate test in the season opener on Sept. 5 at French Field against traditional playoff contender Kentridge.

“I think as Lewi goes, Kentlake will go,” Shepard said. “I am not trying to disrespect my other two quarterbacks, but we will be a different team with Lewi on the field.”

Such was the case in last year’s season finale, when Larson connected on 5 of 11 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in a 35-14 nonleague thrashing of Beamer.

It’s that kind of potential Larson flashed both as a sophomore and junior, but has yet to have the opportunity to do so full-time.

Health pending, that changes this fall.

And though Larson holds the key to this year’s season, the laid-back 17 year old is feeling optimism rather than pressure.

“We’re going to make a run for the playoffs and, hopefully, win a couple games from there,” said Larson, who completed 30 of 58 passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns in three games last fall.

Sure, every team has reason for optimism before the opening kickoff. But for the Falcons, there’s legitimate reason to believe as they return eight starters on both sides of the ball, including Larson and Felchlin on offense and all-league linebacker Stephen Morse on defense.

Felchlin, a senior, remains the linchpin of the running game. But the 5-10, 195-pounder will have plenty of help with Taylor Angevine also back in the mix.

The key to the offense?

“It’s the passing game and the line play, for sure,” Larson said.

The Kentlake quarterback will have plenty of options at his disposal, too, including wide receiver Tyler Wright and tight end Carson Crooks.

“We have the best corps of receivers the school has ever had,” Shepard said. “We’re going to miss Raphael Hall, but we have speed all over the place.”

Much of that speed doubles on defense, where Morse will lead a linebacking crew that should be among the North Division’s stingiest.

What now remains paramount is the health of Larson – and, of course, getting this group to believe after four straight losing seasons.

“We have as good of talent as we’ve ever had,” Shepard said. “If I can get these kids to believe, the sky’s the limit.”

KENTLAKE FALCONS

AT A GLANCE

• Coach: Mike Shepard, 3rd year.

• Last season: 3-4 in SPSL North, tied for fifth place, 4-6 overall.

• Offense: I-formation.

• Defense: 3-4.

• Top returners (Name, year, position, height/weight): Tyler Wright, jr., WR/CB, 5-10/175; Carson Crooks, sr., TE/OLB, 6-4/205; Jon Parker, sr., OG/DL, 6-0/225; Mike Holzberger, jr., C, 6-4/240; Ryan Esping, sr., WR, 5-10/180; Travis Felchlin, sr., FB, 5-10/210; Taylor Angevine, sr., TB, 5-9/170; Lewi Larson, sr., QB, 6-1/205; Cody Arp, sr., S, 6-0/180; Mitch Harb, sr., S, 5-8/170; Dallin Grover, sr., LB, 6-4/215; Stephen Morse, sr., LB, 6-0/180; Alex McMahon, sr., LB, 6-0/180.

• Key newcomers (Name, year, position, height/weight): Sam Brooks, so., OLB, 6-0/185; Derek Straus, sr., DE, 6-2/190; Tyler Jewett, so., OT, 6-3/240; Cody Duncan, FB, 5-5/200; Nick Kramlich, so., TB, 5-8/170; Warren Powell, jr., OL, 6-4/240.

• Outlook: This team has plenty of reason for optimism, winning more games last season (four) than the previous two years combined. And with a little luck, the Falcons likely would’ve won a couple more games a year ago as they lost four times by eight or fewer points. Injuries really hampered this team last fall as it lost quarterback Lewi Larson in Week 2 to a dislocated shoulder and had to piece together a few other positions as the season wore on. Larson has the arm and the accuracy to be one of the North’s elite quarterbacks. All he needs is a clean bill of health, which he currently has. Larson should get plenty of help, as well. Running back Travis Felchlin came into his own late last season, rushing for 94 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-10 victory against Thomas Jefferson in Week 7. In addition, linebacker Steven Morse, a second-team all-league selection, led the entire SPSL in tackles last season with 84.5. Meanwhile, Kentlake didn’t graduate too much top-shelf talent and returns enough skill-position players to be a factor in the playoff race.

• Can’t-miss game: Take your pick. For a team on the rise, every game is big. However, even though it’s the season opener, the Falcons should get a good idea of how they’re going to fare when they kick off on Sept. 5 against Kentridge at French Field. Kentlake dropped a 14-9 heartbreaker to the Chargers in Week 6 of last season, a game that didn’t officially put the Falcons out of the playoffs, but made reaching the postseason nearly impossible. A win here would go a long way in helping Kentlake re-establish itself as a North Division contender.

LAST FIVE YEARS

YEAR RECORD

2007 4-6

2006 2-8

2005 1-9

2004 3-7

2003 9-2

SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT TIME

9-5 at Kentridge 7 p.m.*

9-12 vs. K-Meridian 7 p.m.*

9-20 at Jefferson 7 p.m.**