WSU Camp Update
Ranger Campers: Front Row L-R; Todd Swan, Ted Noble, Matt Marglin, Josh Dean, Will Chittuck, Jeremy Brian, Jesse Jones, David O'Meara, Ryan Dunn, Craig O'Meara. Row 2: Dalton Jeffords, Sean Gregg, Steve Scott, Casey Owens, Scott Crosby, Steve Aamot, Corey Zorn, Brandon McGregor, Jimmy Grochowsky, Patrick Bagg. Row 3: Sean Doren, James Pierce, Eric Cavet, Steve Bess, Michael O'Meara, Jesse Pierce, Terry Randall, Jeremiah Platt, Craig Richardson, Justin Scott, Jeff Loder, Brian Sparks, sterling wright, Aaron Orndorff, Drew Husky, Mark Doren. Row 4: Matt Seal, Robert Adkins, Chris Hoopes, Isaac Brown, Todd Ogden. Missing: Justin Walker and Andrew Bieto.
Last week 43 Estacada Ranger football players journeyed to Washington State University to participate in the Cougar's annual football camp along with almost 700 other players from the Western USA and Canada. There even was a team from Anchorage, Alaska in attendance. This valuable experience was made possible through various fund raisers conducted by the football team throughout the year which included what will become an annual golf tournament conducted three weeks ago, several can drives, wood cutting and other fund raising activities. The team left at noon on Sunday, June 21, for the seven hour drive to Pullman WA for check in procedures. Due to construction on the WSU campus, the camp was moved 8 miles down the road to The University of Idaho campus in Moscow. The players were housed in the college dorms and ate in the campus cafeteria giving everyone a taste of what it is like on a college campus.
Practices began on Monday morning. Each day there would be a full morning and afternoon practice. The practices would begin with everyone stretching out and getting loose for individual group drills which followed. All the WSU coaches including NCAA Coach of the Year, Mike Price, was on the field providing valuable instruction to the players. Each player would pick a position either on offense or defense for instruction in the finer points of playing his position. Even though this was the largest camp ever for WSU, the coaches did a great job in getting around to give individualized instruction to each camper. At the conclusion of each of these practices there would be a short scrimmage amongst the teams. Each practice would find our team matched up with one of the other 20 teams in attendance. These scrimmages would be a chance to put into operation the skills learned during the first part of practice.
In the evenings the boys would report for passing league practices. During these drills the offensive backs and receivers would practice their passing plays against the defense's linebackers and secondary. Each team would play two of three 20 minute sessions.
After a slow start on Monday when the Rangers took some time remembering their plays and assignments as well as discovering that this was going to be a very competitive week, the players got down to business and improved their performances each day.
The last day of camp features scrimmages under game situations against other teams. Each team plays two "games" against other teams under conditions similar to a game. We are happy to report that the Rangers were undefeated in all games this day. Due to the fact that we took around 14 7th and 8th graders, 14 9th and 10th graders and 15 Juniors and Seniors, we were able to field a team in each division (Junior Camp, Junior Varsity, and Varsity).
The varsity team was first paired against Peninsula, a AAAA team from Washington that brought 70 kids to camp. The Rangers started on offense and never let up scoring on each of its offensive possessions. Behind strong blocking on the line of scrimmage, the backs were able to break off huge chunks of yardage on their way to the end zone. Things went so well offensively that the other team rarely had a chance to score. Defensively, equally strong performances by everyone kept the other team from scoring but on one occasion with a long pass. In fact, an interception for a touchdown and a fumble recovery or two kept the Rangers on offense for most of this contest.
Game two saw us playing a camp All Star team made up of players from various schools across the Northwest. Once again the Rangers allowed but an initial passing score, but then came back to dominate the game with strong offensive and defensive performances. Strong play was exhibited by so many players that it is difficult to single anyone out for special mention except that Junior Camper Ryan Dunn was singled out as a Most Valuable Player for his week of practice.
The team would like to thank all the people of the community
who contributed to the program. The players had an outstanding camp experience
and look forward to returning next year. A special thanks is extended to
fathers Ted Noble and Craig Richardson who not only transported kids to
the camp but stayed and coached the players during the week.
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