King’s Way Christian football preview: Fourth new coach in four years taps into his team’s leaders

The intent behind the message got through to Scott, who has embraced his call to leadership.

“He told me just to be a leader in the team, and not get down on anybody, just build people up and practice as a family,” Scott said. “He thinks that will bring us success and I will believe that, too.”

Shortly after the Knights hired Rodriguez, a former Skyview assistant, in May, the first-time head coach made it a point to have a sit-down with Short, who has attended King’s Way Christian since kindergarten.

And in his three years at King’s Way, Scott has become familiar with the unfamiliar. This year, the senior will be playing for his fourth head coach in as many years as he readies to step into a bigger role.

Leadership from players like Scott will be crucial for the Knights, who hope to make a run at a league title after going 3-6 overall last season, and do so despite having just five seniors.

And as schools the size of King’s Way often do, it will rely on a promising group of freshmen to step up into impact positions. Multiple players pointed to dynamic first-year players Ty Snyder and Bryson Metz has potential spark-plugs.

But it helps to return key players such as quarterback Kemper Shrock, who threw eight touchdowns and 852 yards with a 53 percent completion percentage last season. Junior running back Gage Koenders is back, too, and said it’s up to the upperclassmen to step up as leaders.

Koenders hopes to be a part of building a winning culture at King’s Way, and points to bigger schools, like Camas, as ones to emulate.

While culture is carried out by players, it starts with the coach, and the team’s leaders have bought into Rodriguez’s mission.

“I think he’s going to lead us to good things,” Koenders said. “He’s like kinda laid back but wants us to do our best and he wants to grow us better as men first before players. But he really wants to win.”

3 THINGS TO KNOW

— Head coach Brian Rodriguez was formerly special teams coach at Skyview.

— King’s Way is Rodriguez’s first head coaching job .

— Senior class will have played for four coaches in four years.

2017 season: 3-6, 1-3, fifth place 1A Trico.

Schedule

Home games at King’s Way Christian

Aug. 31 Elma 6 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Tenino 7 p.m.

Sept. 14 Bellevue Christian 7 p.m.

Sept. 21 at Riverside (Ore.) 7 p.m.

Sept. 28 at La Center 7 p.m.

Oct. 5 Castle Rock 7 p.m.

Oct. 12 Columbia White Salmon 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 at Stevenson 7 p.m.

Oct. 27 at Seton Catholic 1 p.m.