This is a moving story.
As in, keep an eye on Marcus Cadiz and his moves in the defensive secondary for the Hudson’s Bay Eagles.
As in, watch, with wonder, the mobility of Ray Salanoa. He is, after all, a 6-foot, 3-inch, 407-pound senior lineman for Evergreen. And he’s got moves.
Or take a look at Luke Miller, making a move to get in position to make a block for the Mountain View Thunder.
All around Clark County — all around Washington actually — high school football players were making moves Wednesday during the first official day of practice for the 2016 season.
For four local schools, the upcoming season brings a huge move. Three schools have moved down in classification and one has moved up a class.
Mountain View and Evergreen, Class 4A teams last season, are now in the 3A Greater St. Helens League. Hudson’s Bay, a 2A program last year, is in the 3A GSHL as well.
Oh, and there is no defending 3A GSHL champion because Columbia River has dropped into the 2A GSHL.
“We did great in 3A but in 2A I think we’re going to do even better,” Columbia River junior quarterback Anthony Jenkins said. “Just gives us a new opportunity to reach higher levels.”
Players celebrated their moves on the football field Wednesday, but representatives of those four movers said that playing in new leagues is not much of a concern.
Hudson’s Bay players believe they are a program on the rise, regardless of classification.
“Everything’s the same,” said Cadiz, a junior safety. “The teams we’ll be facing are just as tough as they are in 2A. We have to go out and play faceless opponents. That’s how I see it.”
Evergreen, like Bay, is in its second year with a new coach. The Plainsmen, like the Eagles, expect to improve, no matter the schedule.
“It doesn’t change anything actually. 4A, 3A, doesn’t mean nothing,” Salanoa said. “We’re still going to play our hearts out. When I heard we were changing to 3A, it didn’t change much.”
After all, none of the players have any say in classification. No sense worrying about things they cannot control.
“We’re just going to go out and play football,” said Miller, a senior tight end and linebacker for the Thunder. “Doesn’t matter if we play Camas or Fort, we’re going to play the same game.”
What really moves these guys is the game itself. After months of weight training, spring drills, and conditioning, it’s officially the 2016 season.
“It’s really good to get out on the field for senior year,” Miller said. “We have some high expectations.”
Salanoa said he has been waiting for this day for about as long as possible.
“Right when our football season ended (last year) I wanted to get right back at it,” Salanoa said. “I feel we’re going to do way better than last year.”
“No one knows where we’re going to go, but I think we’ll have something rolling this year,” Jenkins said of the Chieftains.
Hudson’s Bay players were so thrilled for the first practice that they were on the field, doing drills on their own, long before their scheduled start time.
“We’re determined,” Cadiz said. “We’ve just got to set the tone, come out here, practice hard, get ready for the season.”
Those were the only moves that mattered on the first day of practice.
