Wenatchee Panthers: 2019 Washington high school 4A football preview

Here is an inside look at the 2019 Wenatchee Panthers football team. Links: Wenatchee team page | 2019 schedule | Roster 2018 IN REVIEW 6-4 in Columbia

Here is an inside look at the 2019 Wenatchee Panthers football team.

Links: Wenatchee team page | 2019 schedule | Roster

2018 IN REVIEW

6-4 in Columbia Basin/Big Nine (third place)

COACHING RESUME

Scott Devereaux, 16th season

88-65 record

RETURNING STARTERS

Offense - 9. Defense - 6.

TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYERS

OL Vincent Bentley, 6-4, 300, jr.

RB Nathan Blauman, 6-0, 210, sr.

WR Sebastian Esquivel, 5-10, 150, sr.

TE Riley Kunz 6-3, 235, sr.

QB Camden Sirmon, 6-0, 185, jr.

TOP DEFENSIVE PLAYERS

DL Alex Dorton, 6-3, 220

DB Sebastian Esquivel, 5-10, 150, sr.

DL Chase Loidhamer, 6-6, 215, sr.

LB Jax Tucker, 6-0, 220, sr.

LB Ty Waterman, 5-9, 190, sr.

THREE TO SEE

Nathan Blauman, running back

Missed first two games (ankle) and still racked up 1,200 yards, all-league honors

Chase Loidhamer, defensive lineman

Third-year starter fends off blockers with long arms, great leverage for lean pass rusher

Camden Sirmon, quarterback

Everybody knows about the strong Sirmon arm, but he has burst (11.5 seconds in 100)

OUTLOOK

This appears to be a pivotal year for this program, which won three CBBN titles in a row (2012-14) before suffering through three consecutive losing seasons (2015-17), as it tries to rejoin the top echelon.

It was a good sign that the Panthers won six games last season with a roster full of impact sophomores. They are a year older, led by Sirmon, the cousin of UW backup quarterback Jacob Sirmon.

Even though he got too emotional at times in games last season, it did not hurt his production. Sirmon (1,222 passing yards, 10 TDs) is the top returning passer in the league.

And he’s got weapons everywhere, especially with Blauman out of the backfield, Esquivel out wide, and Kunz as a complete big-target tight end.

2019 SCHEDULE

Sept. 6: Mount Si, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: Lewiston (ID), 7 p.m.

Sept. 20: Kelowna (BC), 7 p.m.

Sept. 26: Eisenhower, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4: at Moses Lake, 7 p.m.

Oct. 11: at West Valley of Yakima, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: Davis, 7 p.m.

Oct. 25: Sunnyside, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: at Walla Walla, 7 p.m.

Nov. 7: at Eastmont, 7 p.m.