SEQUIM — The Sequim football team has some big shoes to fill as the Wolves look to bounce back from a rare down year in 2022.
The Wolves will have to replace workhorse running back Aiden Gockerell, who was an almost automatic 100 yards of offense every game en route to making the first team of the All-Olympic League squad. He was also a leader on defense as a defensive back.
“He was a legit athlete,” said coach Erik Wiker. “On defense, he was one of our best tacklers.”
The Wolves also graduated one of their top receivers in Toppy Robideau, who caught the game-winning ball in the final seconds of an amazing come-from-behind 36-32 victory over Port Angeles last year.
Sequim brings a lot back from 2022, however, including starting quarterback Lars Wiker and big Ayden Holland, a force on the offensive line and middle linebacker positions. Wiker has been starting games for three years for Sequim, so he brings lots of experience to the table.
The Wolves, usually one of the upper echelon teams in the Olympic League, stumbled a bit last year to a 2-7 record. Sequim was right in the thick of it in three of those games — Olympic, North Mason and especially Bremerton, falling late to all three teams. With a bit more luck and execution on a handful of plays, the Wolves very well could have been 5-4 or better and in the postseason. Wiker particularly brought up the Bremerton game as a contest the Wolves could have won. He emphasized that execution will make the difference in those kinds of games.
“It was just a lot of little things,” Wiker said. “Against Bremerton, we were ahead late. It’s good to build on the positivity and get over those humps.”
Wiker pointed to the Port Angeles game as what the Wolves need to do more this year. In that game, the Roughriders got ahead big early, but Sequim came roaring back in the second half, making big play after big play to overcome a huge deficit. Port Angeles took a lead late in the fourth quarter, but Sequim was able to pull it out with a gutcheck drive down the field in the final minute.
Wiker said North Kitsap is at another level in the Olympic League, but that Sequim can be in the mix with all the other teams in the Olympic League right behind them.
“We want to be on the winning edge of those games. We want to win games like Port Angeles. I think we’re going to see a big flip of the script,” Wiker said.
Wiker said the Wolves will return a lot of experience to their offensive and defensive lines. Holland is a huge returner as a 220-pound force in the middle. Joining him is Nehemiah Guzman, a 260-pound tackle, and 180-pound Dylan Bowen, who is set to be on the defensive end along with Tommy Reandeau.
Newcomers coming up from junior varsity include 235-pound Paul Burrows and Brayden White, a 186-pound tackle and defensive end.
The Wolves also have a bounty of speedy, outside targets for Lars Wiker. “We have quite a good group of skill players,” coach Wiker said.
Receivers include Charlie Grider, Zeke Schmedeke, Adrian Aragon, Andy Keeler, Patrick Elias and Simon Skribner.
Expected to take the bulk of carries at running back to make up for Gockerell’s graduation are Liam Wiker and Reandeau. Wiker said the Wolves will use the same spread and spread z offenses as in past years “utilizing the quarterback and multiple sets.”
The Wolves’ season begins with a game in Forks on Friday night, keeping Sequim’s rivalry with the Spartans going. A Sept. 8 game against Tenino has apparently been canceled, so the Wolves are still trying to see if a game can be scheduled for that week. League play begins Sept. 14 at Bainbridge. The Rainshadow Rumble will be in Sequim this year and it will be early in the league schedule on Sept. 29.
Sequim Wolves
• Head coach: Erik Wiker (20th season, 121-70)
• Last year’s record: 2-7 (2-5 Olympic League), missed postseason.
• Key returners: Lars Wiker (QB/DE, Sr.); Ayden Holland (OL/DL, Sr.); Nehemiah Guzman (OL/DL, Jr.).
• Newcomers: Paul Burrows and Brayden White are moving up from junior varsity and will be expected to contribute on the front lines.
• Strengths: An experienced quarterback in Lars Wiker and lots of skill players at receiver and running back. History of success in the program.
• Areas to improve: Must win close games and in Erik Wiker’s words, take “care of the little things” to pull those games out. The Wolves had some frustrating losses last season that could have been victories. The team will have to replace Aiden Gockerell’s production. He was good for 100 yards rushing nearly every game and was a leader on defense.
• Outlook: Sequim is almost always one in the upper echelon of the Olympic League and last year’s 2-7 record feels like a blip on the radar. Wiker said that North Kitsap is on another level, but that Sequim should be right with the rest of the teams in the Olympic League.
• Schedule: Sept. 1: at Forks, 7 p.m.; Sept. 14: at Bainbridge, 7 p.m.; Sept. 22: Port Angeles, 7 p.m.; Sept. 29: at Kingston, 6:30 p.m.; Oct. 6: at Olympic, 6:30 p.m.; Oct. 13: North Mason at Sequim, 7 p.m.; Oct. 20: North Kitsap, 7 p.m.; Oct. 26: at Bremerton, 6:30 p.m.
