Eastlake presents triple threat with size, strength, speed

Size, strength, speed.

Eastlake might just have the perfect combination headed into the 2011 season.

“Expectations are very high and they should be,” Wolves’ head coach Gene Dales said. “We’re not trying to put extra pressure on ourselves, but we expect to be a serious contender.”

Eastlake, which finished 8-3 last year and made it to the first round of state, returns several key components and adds several others.

Most notably, the Wolves are big and strong up front. They displayed their dominance in July, winning the lineman challenge at Skyline’s Skills and Drills on the Hill and followed that up out-muscling a handful of teams at area team camps.

“We were pretty physical and shoved a few people around,” Dales said.

Senior all-KingCo lineman Gino Bresolin (6-foot-2, 260) returns to the line as its only varsity starter.

In addition, the Wolves added Canadian transfer James Bradley (6-2, 310). A gritty group of role players from last year worked hard in the offseason to solidify the other spots. Cole Hedlund (6-2, 260), Jake Conroy (6-2, 230), Connor Menninger (5-10, 215) and Clay Monahan (6-0, 205) all moved into starting roles.

The Wolves bring back quarterback Keegan Kemp for his second year as the starter. Last season, he completed 77 of 127 passes for 1,258 yards, 13 touchdowns and just one interception and rushed 60 times for 356 yards and five TDs.

“All he’s doing now is getting bigger and stronger,” Dales said. “He’s 194 pounds right now and he’s fast. He’ll probably be running as much as he’s throwing this year. He’s going to be a dual threat.”

Kemp, the son of former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jeff Kemp, has a handful of targets this season, including returners Brian Quick and Daniel Braun, along with newcomer Aaron Degenova.

Eastlake graduated the league’s leading rusher, Kyle Lappano, but Dales is excited about the prospects of his new starter, Ryan Lewis.

The 5-11, 175-pound senior runs a 4.4 second 40-yard dash. He spent last season on the bench with hip and hamstring problems, but is fully healthy this year.

“He’s a specimen to look at and he’s fast,” said Dales, noting his elusiveness and explosiveness could make him one of the biggest surprises in the league this year.

Dales is also pleased with his defense. Two senior starters, Brian Cassil and Colton Teglovic return to the safety position, while seniors Sean MacDonald and Danny Grotjahn will lead the linebacker corps .

Not to be forgotten, Eastlake also has two of the top special teams players in the state. Kicker John Kilburg is a first-team all-league selection and one of Washington’s most accurate kickers, while junior punter Zach Steinberg is averaging just under 5 seconds of hang time.

The Wolves, who lost 21-14 to Curtis in the first round of the state tournament last year, are targeting their second consecutive trip to the big show. Dales knows, however, before any of that can be accomplished they have to get through a very tough KingCo 4A.

“The league schedule is just going to be a grind,” he said.

“Our goal as always is to play to our ability. If our ability takes us to the (Tacoma) Dome, that’s exactly where we want to be.”

2011 schedule

9-2 at Central Kitsap, 7 p.m.

9-9 vs. Snohomish, 7 p.m.

9-16 vs. Roosevelt, 7 p.m.

9-23 at Redmond, 7 p.m.

9-30 at Newport, 7 p.m.

10-7 at Mariner, 7 p.m.

10-14 vs. Issaquah, 7 p.m.

10-21 vs. Skyline, 7 p.m.