Battle Ground football: Sting of missing playoffs fuels Tigers

The feeling of frustration and emptiness is almost as fresh now for Noah Barr and his Battle Ground teammates as it was the first week of November 2016.

The Tigers, fresh off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in more than two decades, weren’t postseason-bound despite a 7-2 overall record.

Seven victories likely would have been good enough any other year, yet the 4A Greater St. Helens League’s two playoff berths meant the third-place Tigers were on the outside looking in.

Barr, a senior lineman and linebacker, said this is what’s pushing him this fall.

“I’ve been wanting to get back and work my butt off,” he said.

At the same time, it’s a fresh start, too. Battle Ground graduated much of its personnel from a spread-offense system that averaged 34.3 points per game in the past two seasons.

A fresh start, but the mindset remains: building on what’s been accomplished.

“We want to win more games than last year,” Barr said.

Fresh, too, meaning a new head coach. Mike Kesler is a first-time head coach after spending the past 20 years assisting three head coaches at Evergreen and Union.

And he knows how to win.

The teams he coached went 115-32, won six league titles and played in two state championship games.

Winning doesn’t mean anything unless a family culture is first created.

Back in June during a spring scrimmage, Kesler was swarmed by the players he formerly coached at Union.

Puzzled, the Battle Ground players asked what gives.

Kesler told them this:

“That’s what buying in is,” he said, “and as soon as you buy into a team, you’re family. I’m gone (from Union) now and they wish me all the luck in the world, but they still love me. That’s what we’re trying to instill here.”

The Tigers are transitioning to a two-back scheme to utilize their strength in the run game. While they might be young, once the confidence rises, senior Brock Robinson says watch out.

“We’ll be a really good football team,” he said.

2016 Record: 7-2, 2-2. Third in 4A GSHL

Best State Finish: First Round in 1979, 2015

Projected Starters

Returning All-League selections in bold

QB Brock Robinson 6-0 185 Sr.
RB Izak Brundage 5-10 175 Sr.
RB Jordan Sullivan 5-11 190 Sr.
WR Isaiah Cummings 5-10 175 Sr.
WR Sam Kee 5-10 185 Sr.
TE Noah Barr 6-2 220 Sr.
OL Austin Stewart 6-2 230 Sr.
OL Aksel Fridriksson 6-2 215 Sr.
OL Beckett Honeycutt 6-1 240 Sr.
OL Austin Martin 6-2 280 Sr.
OL Blake Harris 6-2 280 Jr.
* * *
DL Aksel Fridriksson 6-2 215 Sr.
DL Blake Harris 6-2 280 Jr.
DL Austin Stewart 6-2 230 Sr.
LB Noah Barr 6-2 220 Sr.
LB Jordan Sullivan 5-11 190 Sr.
LB Trent Thompson 6-2 210 Sr.
LB Tyrel Halme 5-9 175 Soph.
DB Brock Robinson 6-0 185 Sr.
DB Bowden Strouse 6-2 180 Jr.
DB Isaiah Cummings 5-10 175 Sr.
Coach: Mike Kesler (first year)

Schedule

Home games at District Stadium
League games in bold
Sept. 1, at Beaverton (Ore.) 7 p.m.
Sept. 8, at Tualatin (Ore.) 7 p.m.
Sept. 15, at Mountain View 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 22, Prairie 7 p.m.
Sept. 29, Camas 7 p.m.
Oct. 6, at Union 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 12, Skyview 7 p.m.
Oct. 20, at Heritage 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 27, Davis-Yakima 7 p.m.