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the times
September 5, 2013
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By DAN BROOD
The Times
TIGARD — The past two seasons, the Tigard High
School football team has been the Pacific Conference pow-
erhouse.
This year, with a strong core of proven returnees, and some
promising, hard-working newcomers, the Tigers just may be
just as powerful.
“We’re excited,” fifth-year Tigard coach Craig Ruecker said.
“Potential in anything is a terrible word, but we have good po-
tential. But we know we’re going to have to go out there and
play hard on every play.”
Tigard comes into the 2013 season as the two-time defending
Pacific Conference champion, having gone 7-0 in conference
play in each of the past two seasons.
The Tigers also return a strong group of players from last
year’s squad that went 11-2 on the season while reaching the
semifinal round of the Class 6A state playoffs.
Defense
Tigard looks to be extremely powerful on the defensive side
of the ball heading into action this season.
“We feel good about things on defense to this point,” Ruecker
said. “We’re fortunate, on both sides of the ball, to return some
key players. And we are returning more on defense.”
Leading the way for the Tigard defense will be senior line-
backer Jake Biglow (5-foot-11, 220 pounds), whowas a first-team
All-Pacific Conference selection last year, when he led the Ti-
gers with 51 total tackles, including nine tackles for losses.
“He’s been the heart of our defense for the last two years,”
Rucker said. “He’s an outstanding football player.”
Senior A.J. Hotchkins (6-0, 230), who was a first-team all-
conference pick on the defensive line last year, when he had 10
1/2 tackles for losses, will play at inside linebacker this year.
Senior Cameron Yarnell (6-1, 185) is Tigard’s third linebacker.
“He’s done a great job preparing,” Ruecker said.
Up front, Tigard returns both starting defensive ends from
last year in seniors Nick Duron (6-4, 205) and Joe Lobbato (6-3,
210). Last year, Duron led the Tigers with nine quarterback
sacks while earning second-team all-conference honors.
Senior JacobMullen (5-8, 205) returns at defensive tackle. He
also was a second-team all-league pick last year.
In the secondary, the Tigers boast two more returning start-
ers in seniors Manu Rasmussen (6-1, 185) and Daren Rodrigues
(5-9, 170). Rasmussen was a second-team all-conference pick.
Ruecker said that the Tigers have three or four players ca-
pable of playing at the safety spots.
Offense
Tigard’s offensive attack will be led by senior Jett Even (6-4,
195), who is a returning starter at quarterback.
Last year, Even completed 82 of 148 pass attempts for 1,454
yards with 18 touchdown tosses and just five interceptions on
his way to earning second-team all-conference accolades.
“He had a great junior year,” Ruecker said of Even. “We think
he’ll have an even better senior year.”
Hotchkins returns at fullback for the Tigard, having gar-
nered first-team all-league honors at that spot a year ago. Last
year, Hotchkins rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown on 11 car-
ries and he added 10 receptions for 94 yards and five more
scores. But his main contribution may have been as a steam-
rolling lead blocker in the Tigers’ potent running attack.
Rasmussen
looks to be Ti-
gard’s prima-
ry tailback
this year. Last
year, in a
backup role,
the speedy
Rasmussen
ran for 477
yards on 52 carry (a 9.2 yards-per-carry average) while scoring
seven rushing touchdowns. He also had a 141-yard outburst in
a state playoff win over Canby.
Juniors Landon Floyd (6-0, 185) and Tyler Walker (5-10, 180),
should also see action in the backfield.
“We have a number of players who are quite capable there,”
Ruecker said.
Rodrigues returns at a receiver spot. He had 11 catches for
230 yards last year. Senior Bruin Campbell (5-11, 165), junior
Brady McGetrick (6-1, 170) and junior Sam Inos (5-11, 175) will
also see action at receiver.
Tigard’s offensive line is anchored by senior left tackle Janak
Ward (6-3, 245), who was an honorable mention all-conference
pick last year. Ward is the only returning starter from the inte-
rior five lineman spots, but that doesn’t concern the Tigers.
“I really like the athletic ability of our offensive line,” Rueck-
er said. “I believe they’ll be good run blockers and pass block-
ers.”
Tigard seems to have a wealth of talent at tight end, led by
Biglow, who will be starting for the third straight year. Duron,
Yarnell and junior Marcos Vermelho (6-4, 210), will also play at
tight end.
“We have some outstanding tight ends,” Ruecker said.
And, Tigard believes, it has the tools for a strong offensive
attack.
“We’ll probably be a little more balanced this year,” Ruecker
said. “We have a lot of experience, other than the starting of-
fensive line. But it’s not like they haven’t played in the program.
They’ve been running our stuff and they know it.”
McGetrick will handle the place-kicking duties, as he did late
in the season last year.
“He’s very, very talented,” Ruecker said. “We feel good about
having him kicking the ball.”
Hotchkins takes over as the team’s punter.
“He punts very well, and he’s a dual threat back there,”
Ruecker said.
Tigard takes aim at its third straight
Pacific Conference championship
Tigers looks to be powerful again
2011 ReCORD:
11-2 (1st in Pacific Conference)
KeY PLAYeRs:
Senior tight end/linebacker
Jake Biglow and senior fullback/linebacker A.J.
Hotchkins were first team all-league picks on
both offense and defense last year.
T
igard
Times file PHOTO: DAN BROOD
sPeeDY ReCeiVeR — senior receiver Daren Rodrigues should be a
big-play threat for the Tigers this season.
