Lake Oswego Review/West Linn Tidings
August 29, 2013
2013 fOOTbaLL pRevieW
B9
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By MATT SHERMAN
The Review, Tidings
The term “rebuilding” is
usually thrown around to
describe a team or program
with multiple holes to fill
and one that is, quite frank-
ly, not expected to be very
good. So for Lake Oswego’s
football team, that’s an un-
fair term to use this season.
Instead, let’s call it a large-
scale remodel because, even
though the loss of 25 seniors
makes for plenty of work to be
done, the foundation and bones
of the program are still in ter-
rific shape.
In this case, the foundation
is the depth that the Lakers
have prided themselves on
over the years. So while this
year’s squad will certainly be
more inexperienced at a varsi-
ty level than many of its prede-
cessors, the talent still exists.
“It’s probably one of the big-
gest retooling years we’ve
faced in a long time. It’s just
one of those things where we
had a class with a lot of seniors
who played. It’s an inexperi-
enced group, but I think by the
time league rolls around we’re
going to be pretty good,” coach
Steve Coury said.
There will be new faces up
and down the lineup this year,
but many of the players who
will take on key roles have
come up through the system
and, with the success Lake Os-
wego has had, it has allowed
Coury to get his bench players
extended minutes in many
games.
At least early in the season,
the Lakers are expected to use
a pair of quarterbacks. Sopho-
more Mitch Verburg has a
strong arm while junior Zach
Parker is one of the team’s top
all-around athletes.
Parker will be a starter in
the secondary for the Lakers
and will see plenty of time be-
hind center as well.
“I’ve never had a quarter-
back who was also a DB before,
but he’s so good we need him
back there,” Coury said.
The quarterbacks will have
plenty of options to throw to
including Jordan Horak and
track standout Yong Kim along
with Kenny Oyama, Tyler Cole-
man and Daniel Dennis.
The Lakers also have a sta-
ble of powerful running backs,
led by returning senior starter
Nick Underwood. Underwood,
Travis Sanders, Will Burton
and Craig Hodges should all
get touches this year along
with sophomore standout Max
Morton.
“There’s probably not a 30
carries a game guy but we feel
really good about all of them,”
Coury said.
The Lakers also replace
some big names on the offen-
sive line but feel good about
their replacements. Seniors
Collin Calhoon, Paul Carlson,
Wes Johnston and Austin
Wright will shore up the mid-
dle for Lake Oswego taught by
coach Chris Hubley, who Coury
claims is the best in the state.
Kicking for the Lakers this
year will be soccer standout
Griffin Graves.
The team figures to find an
identity as the season pro-
gresses but Coury expects the
offense to be fairly balanced.
“We’d probably like to run
about 60 percent of the time.
It’s going to be a challenge to
control the line of scrimmage
every night especially against
who we’re playing,” Coury
said.
On defense, the Lakers have
depth and athleticism in the
secondary. Parker and Horak
are both ballhawks while Oya-
ma, Dennis, Brandon Warner
and AJ Van Leeuwen all have a
modicum of experience.
At linebacker, Underwood
Despite losing 25 seniors,
Lake Oswego has reloaded
with a hungry group
Inexperienced Lakers may still be team to beat
pAMpLIN MEdIA gRoup pHoTo: vERN uyETAkE
From left: Jordan Horak, Zach parker, kenny oyama, Nick underwood and Collin Calhoon will all be part of a talented but unproven Lake oswego football team that is coming off back-to-back appearances in the
state championship game.
See BEAT / page B10
“It’s going to be a challenge to control the line of
scrimmage every night especially against who
we’re playing.”
— Steve Coury,
Lake oswego coach
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 10,11,12