PORT ANGELES — This season, Port Angeles senior Jason Hawes was asked to do everything for the Roughriders football team.
The all-Olympic League linebacker was expected to maintain his stellar play on defense. But he was also asked to be a bigger part of the offense this year as a running back and to handle kick and punt returns for the Riders.
Hawes rose to the challenge, winning the Olympic League defensive MVP award as he was an absolute force for a Riders team that had its best season in 13 years, making the postseason, winning a district playoff game and going to the state playoffs for the first time in over a decade. He finished with 140 tackles, seven quarterback sacks, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
On offense, he gained 708 yards rushing and scored eight touchdowns. He also contributed a number of exciting kick and punt returns, including a 90-yard kick return for a touchdown against Olympic. He was good enough at the return game that he was named to the All-Olympic League first team as a special teams returner.
Hawes was named the All-Peninsula football MVP in 2022. There were a number of solid candidates for the All-Peninsula MVP this season — Port Angeles quarterback and defensive back Parker Nickerson, Neah Bay running back Jodell Wimberley and Forks quarterback Bubba Hernandez were all deserving. But, none could quite match Hawes’ overall resume on defense, offense and special teams.
So, for the second straight year, Hawes was selected the All-Peninsula football MVP.
His coach Dustin Clark said Hawes’ work ethic is what separated him the most from the other players.
“It’s the work ethic off the field. Working by himself. He’s the best player in practices,” Clark said.
Clark said that while Hawes was great defensively in 2022, this year he was even better. “He understands the game of football a little more,” he said. Coaches also moved Hawes to weakside linebacker to take advantage of his speed and to avoid double teams from opposing blockers.
Clark said he and the other Riders’ coaches explained to Hawes at the beginning of the year how much the team was going to need him on offense and special teams this season.
“We asked a lot of him. We needed him on the field all the time,” Clark said.
Clark pointed out that in addition to his kick return TD against Olympic, Hawes had at least two or three other long touchdown returns called back due to penalty. One of them was earlier in that Olympic game.
“I just wanted to make as good of an impact on the team as I could,” Hawes said. He said he saw the demands that the coaches were putting on him as an opportunity to showcase everything he could do. “It was a little stressful [but] I honestly wanted to take advantage of it,” he said.
Hawes is working out during the winter, taking a break to recover from football, and will be back for the Port Angeles track team this spring, running sprints such as the 100, 200 and 400, and the 4×100 and 4×200 relays.
“I’m going to take track a little more serious this year. I want to get into the low 11s in the 100 and increase my 40-yard dash speed,” Hawes said.
Hawes hopes improving his speed and having solid track results will help get him the attention of colleges. He said he definitely wants to play college football and hopes to have offers from some four-year schools. If not, he is prepared to play football at the community college level and eventually transfer to a four-year school to continue his career.
Hawes expects to specialize at the inside linebacker position at college.
“I want to ultimately play at the highest level possible,” he said.
Hawes was hoping to win the Olympic League defensive MVP, but wasn’t sure he could actually win the award since one of the leading candidates was North Kitsap defensive end EJ Vailolo. How good is he? He’s been offered a spot at Division I Idaho.
“That was an awesome feeling,” to beat out Vailolo and win the MVP, Hawes said.
Hawes, along with Nickerson, Landyn Jones, Tanner Flores and several other seniors, was part of a historic 7-4 Roughriders team that made state for the first time in 13 years. Three out of the four teams that beat Port Angeles — Anacortes, North Kitsap and Tumwater, were among the four teams in the 2A state semifinals. The Riders also beat Sequim for the first time since 2014 and beat Olympic for the first time since 2011.
Hawes said it’s great to be part of history like that, but he is also proud to have been part of a group of seniors that helped build a winning culture at Port Angeles that he hopes can continue.
“We wanted to change the culture. Now our focus is to push the younger players,” he said. “Some of us are going to want to come back to Port Angeles and coach.”
The rest of the 2023 All-Peninsula football team:
2023 All-Peninsula Football Team
MVP: Jason Hawes, sr., Port Angeles: Relentless linebacker piled up 140 tackles, seven sacks, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, an interception. Scored eight touchdowns and racked up 708 yards of total offense at running back. All-Olympic League Defensive MVP, All-Olympic League first-team kick/punt returner. Repeats as Peninsula Daily News’ All-Peninsula Football MVP.
Quarterback — Parker Nickerson, jr., Port Angeles: Second-team All-Olympic League choice was a steady leader for Riders.
Bubba Hernandez, fr., Forks: Second-team All-Central 2B League QB selection was 59 of 97 for 908 yards passing, 14 TDs and 5 Ints. Led Spartans in rushing with 713 yards on 57 carries (12.5 YPC) and 10 TDs. Also first-team kick returner.
Running back — Jodell Wimberly, jr., Neah Bay: Ran for 1839 yards with 36 total touchdowns. North Olympic League Offensive MVP.
Liam Wiker, so., Sequim: Second-team All-Olympic League running back.
Offensive/Defensive Line — Ayden Holland, sr., Sequim: Wolves’ fourth-year starter earned All-Olympic League second-team honors.
Tanner Flores, sr., Port Angeles: Riders’ center and nose guard earned first-team All-Olympic League honors.
Sloan Tumaua, sr., Forks: Heavyweight state champion wrestler was a first-team All-Central 2B League selection at linebacker and second-team offensive lineman.
Walker Wheeler, sr., Forks: First-team defensive lineman and second-team offensive lineman for Spartans.
Nate Dahlgren, Sloan Tumaua, Walker Wheeler and Bubba Hernandez: On the Central 2B North All-League first team.
Brayden White, jr., Sequim: Second-team All-Olympic League offensive lineman.
Tight End/Defensive End — Ezra Townsend, sr, Port Angeles: First-team All-Olympic League pick at tight end.
Adan Ellis, jr., Neah Bay: First-team All-North Olympic Leaguer at tight end and defensive line.
Defensive Line — Tucker Rygaard, sr., Port Angeles: Second-team All-Olympic League choice was an inspirational leader for Riders.
Linebacker — Nate Dahlgren, sr., Forks: First-team All-Central 2B League at linebacker and second-team running back.
Kason Albaugh, sr., Port Angeles: Second-team All-Olympic League at linebacker, also a trusted running back for Riders.
Landyn Jones, sr., Port Angeles: Second-team All-Olympic League pick.
Aaron Glanz, sr., East Jefferson: First-team All-Nisqually League at linebacker.
Wide Receiver/Defensive Back — Blake Sohlberg, jr., Port Angeles: Second-straight first-team All-Olympic League selection at wide receiver and defensive back.
Gunner Rogers, sr., Forks: Second-team All-Central 2B League choice at tight end and defensive back. Led Spartans with 48 receiving yards a game.
Manaseh Lanphear-Ramirez, so., East Jefferson: First-team All-Nisqually League defensive back.
Kicker — Jack Henninger, sr., Sequim: Second-team All-Olympic League pick.
Punter — Jameson Henery, so., East Jefferson: First-team Nisqually League punter and second-team tight end.
Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News Forks quarterback and kick returner Bubba Hernandez (8) runs the ball in Forks against Morton-White Pass.
Forks quarterback and kick returner Bubba Hernandez (8) runs the ball in Forks against Morton-White Pass. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)
