Tenino Beavers: 2019 Washington high school 1A football preview

By WILL HOLLAND Here's an inside look at the 1A Tenino Beavers. Links: Tenino team page | 2019 schedule 2018 IN REVIEW 1-9 overall record, 0-4 in 1A Evergreen

By WILL HOLLAND

Here's an inside look at the 1A Tenino Beavers.

Links: Tenino team page | 2019 schedule

2018 IN REVIEW

1-9 overall record, 0-4 in 1A Evergreen League; no playoff appearance

COACHING RESUME

HC: Cary Nagel

Record: 2-15 (3rd season as head coach)

Coordinators: Tim Tsugawa (OC); James Sobotka (DC).

Base schemes: Multiple offenses, multiple defenses

RETURNING 

Offense - 8. Defense - 8.

TOP RETURNERS

OL/DL Robby Marti, 5-11, 240, Jr.

TE/LB Paxton Russell, 6-5, 230, Sr.

OL/DL Anthony Levi, 6-1, 245, Jr.

OL/DL Takari Hickle, 6-4, 270, So.

RB/LB Shawn Nicholson, 5-9, 195, So.

THREE TO SEE

OL/DL Robby Marti, 5-11, 240, Jr.

First team all-league selection on the offensive line in 2018 - as only a freshman. Marti possesses the strength to cause real problems for defensive lines in the Evergreen league. He’s got three solid years of varsity ball ahead of him, so it will be interesting to see if he can build upon the skillset he already has. 

TE/LB Paxton Russell, 6-5, 230, Sr.

Russell will serve as a great edge blocker for the Tenino offense this season, as well as a great signal caller in the middle of the defense. He was a first team all-league selection at inside linebacker last season, and will look to repeat his stellar 2018 performance this year. 

OL/DL Takari Hickle, 6-4, 270, So.

Hickle is another piece on Tenino’s big offensive line, offering his 270-pound frame to a line that could push a semi-truck. He received an honorable mention for his efforts on the offensive line last season, and joins a wrecking crew of returning O-linemen in 2019. 

OUTLOOK

Third time’s the charm for head Coach Cary Nagel? He enters his third year at the helm for Tenino coming off of two 1-win seasons and two last-place league finishes. While it may not have showed in the win/loss column, coach Nagel says that last year’s team “improved a lot” and built some good team chemistry. This year’s crew looks to improve upon their physicality, as coach Nagel says the boys have been hitting the weight room a lot this offseason. The Beavs return all of their 2018 all-league selections, including 6-5 TE/LB Paxton Russell, but lose a few skill position players on offense. Time will tell how Tenino retools their schemes, and whether or not they can use their big-body offensive and defensive lines to move up the polls in the Evergreen this season. 

2019 SCHEDULE

Sept. 6, 7 p.m.: Rochester

Sept. 13, 6:30 p.m.: at Chimacum

Sept. 20, 7 p.m.: Castle Rock

Sept. 27, 7 p.m.: Northwest Christian

Oct. 4, 7 p.m.: Hoquiam

Oct. 12, 7 p.m.: Forks

Oct. 18, 7 p.m.: at Elma

Oct. 25, 7 p.m.: at Montesano

Nov. 1, 7 p.m.: Kingston

*home games in bold