1998 and 1999 were the Best Years Ever for Orcas High School Football

                                                                                                    In 1998 we had our ups and downs with some injuries and tough games

                                                                                                    but we kept getting better. We went into the B 11 Washington State

                                                                                                    High School Football Playoffs as a "Wild Card" type team but we turned 

                                                                                                    into the Cinderella team. We had 5 playoff games. The first with Quilcene

                                                                                                    we won 68 to24 putting in our second string in the first half. The second 

                                                                                                    game at Mossyrock we won 31 to 13. We played great all around football

                                                                                                    and ran for over 300 yards. The playoff game with Darrington we were up 

   for. We had lost to them twice in the regular season but beat them at Mount Vernon High School 28 to 14. This was the game that got us 

   into the Tacoma Dome, the first time Orcas High School had ever been that far. The next game with Napavine was another highlight in a 

   fantastic season. We won 43 to 21 running the ball at will. We were on Bellingham radio and had over 2000 fans cheering us on at the 

   Tacoma Dome. We had members of most of the football teams from our league there. That took us to the Washington State class B 11

   1998 championship game with the De Sales Lions. Their Quarterback set United States All High School (all time) passing records that season.

   Although we lost that game 28 to 14 we never let down for a second.

   In 1999 we moved up to class A Football. We played a few teams that were much bigger schools than we were but we held our own.

  When it was all done, we finished the 1999 season undefeated in league. Again this was a best ever accomplishment for our Orcas High

  School Football Program. At the football banquet the seniors were given Legacy 2000 [our graduating class] Stadium Blankets with our

  names and jersey numbers embroidered on them. I hope the Vikings take the momentum that we all started and carry it forward. I look forward   

  to seeing Orcas in the playoffs this season.        Here are a few quotes and pics from the 1998 and 1999 season.

  The Orcas Island backs operate behind a line that is anchored by junior center Nic Connor, an impressive specimen

  at 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds. 11/13/98 Chehalis Chronicle

  "They kind of took it to us today." Mossyrock coach Kevin Young 11/16/98 Chehalis Chronicle

  Orcas stuns #3 Darrington. 11/22/98 Seattle Times

  "Tacoma Dome here we come!" Dennis Dahl 11/22/98  Seattle Times

  "They have a huge center. They like to drive block and take you downfield." Napavine coach Kirk Hoff

  11/26/98 Chehalis Chronicle          

Picture of the Western Washington B 11 Football Champions 1998

The following article was about a game in my senior year. I played in this game on my way to respond to a recruiting invitation to visit Division I AA School, Eastern Washington University. This was the start of my serious search into college football. I was recruited by four colleges.

To see who they were go to College Football