One thing’s for sure – this year’s Newport squad isn’t going to look like the Knights teams of the past.
Newport, usually a traditional Wing-T offense, will feature a new look this year thanks to the athleticism and speed of the players in the backfield.
“Last year we were a team that, once we got to the second level, we were not able to break the long run,” said Newport coach Mike Miller. “We’ve improved in that area and our skill guys are better. That’s the nice thing about this year; we’re going to have some speed and we’ll be able to work in the pass. This will not be your typical Newport team.”
Helming that passing attack will be returning starter Ross Quarre, whose improvement in the offseason is the key to the new look, Miller said.
“He’s made great strides, physically and mentally,” Miller said. “Our passing game will definitely be better.”
Quarre passed for 293 yards and two touchdowns in a primarily run-first offense last season, when the Knights finished 4-5 and in fourth place in the KingCo Crest Division. Newport did lead the KingCo Conference in rushing last season with 2,292 yards.
“That was an accomplishment for us,” Miller said. “Especially knowing that we didn’t have a lot of team speed. We had to work for every yard we got last year.”
Many of those yards are now gone. Gone is Ian Case, the team’s leading rusher last season with 1,050 yards and 16 touchdowns. Also gone is second-leading rusher Jonte Giacomino, who added 485 yards and five touchdowns.
But that doesn’t worry the Knights.
Taking over in the backfield will be sophomore Tyler Wright, who had 14 carries for 115 yards and a touchdown a year ago, and James Dupar, a junior who missed all of last season after breaking his foot in the summer. Also returning is junior Louis Jachim, who had 101 yards on 18 carries last season.
“He’s the perfect description of a hard worker,” Quarre said. “He’s got a lot of speed and a lot of power.”
With junior Kevin Martin returning on the outside at receiver, the Knights have more options than just running the ball.
“I don’t think teams are going to be able to prepare for it,” Quarre said. “We’ve got the running game, now we’ve got the passing game, and we can utilize both.”
Returning on the line for the Knights are Patrick Taiwo, James Burch and captain and four-year starter Alex Kairis. Newcomers to the line include Dylan Look, Derek Greif, Nick Eisenhauer and Joe Givens. The line is light; the heaviest lineman on Newport are Greif and Kairis at 215-pounds.
“We have speed and agility rather than size and slowness,” Kairis said. “We may be a little bit weaker, but we can fire off the ball. We have plays to utilize what we have rather than other teams relying on their size.”
Defensively, the Knights will be led by Taiwo on the defensive line, Martin at the corner and Kairis, the veteran, in the middle.
“He is very physical and he makes great reads at linebacker,” Kairis said. “He’s going to be a force out there in the middle.”
The question mark for the Knights will be the play of the underclassman. With just 12 seniors on the squad, they’ll need big plays from the younger players.
“It’s a whole other level of play you get from seniors,” Miller said. “There is no tomorrow for them. It’s going to matter for us if the underclassman can get into that mentality and step up and play like seniors.”
The Knights will face an uphill battle in the sense that both teams that played in last year’s state championship, champion Skyline and runner-up Issaquah, come from their conference. Newport opens up the season Friday when they host Woodinville at 7 p.m.
“It doesn’t matter what their name is,” said Kairis of the team’s tough schedule. “If they’re on the other side of the ball, we’re gonna go full speed at them.”
SCHEDULE
Sept. 4 vs. Woodinville, 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 at Mercer Island, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 vs. Ballard, 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 at Skyline, 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Redmond, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 at Garfield, TBA
Oct. 16 vs. Eastlake, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 at Issaquah, 7 p.m.
Oct. 30 crossover game at TBD, TBA
