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Thunder Mountain High School football head coach Randy Quinto believes in the power of tradition. His team motto: the 2,000-year-old Latin phrase Ubi concordia, ibi victoria<\/em> or \u201cWhere there is unity, there is victory.\u201d<\/p>\n The motto \u2014 and the season \u2014 represent an opportunity for the Falcons to establish a reputation and program legacy. Having made it back to the medium school playoffs with their first win over crosstown rivals Juneau-Douglas High School, the Falcons are coming off a banner year (4-5 overall, 2-1 in SEC).<\/p>\n They were a stellar run-first team last year, with senior Q\u2019on Bear Clark setting a new Juneau rushing record behind a stout Falcons\u2019 offensive line (Clark topped Brian Felix\u2019 1,975 yard record with 2,071).<\/p>\n Quinto, last year\u2019s Southeast Conference coach of the year, thinks the taste of victory whetted his team\u2019s appetite.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the neatest things of going to the playoffs was seeing a lot of our kids at the end of the game look out on the field, at the mist and everything, and say \u2018I want to get back here.\u2019 So their goals are set beyond our conference, beyond a one-game thing. We are looking to get back to the playoffs and make some noise there,\u201d Quinto said before a practice last week.<\/p>\n To build on that success and lay a foundation for the growing program, Quinto hopes to develop a tradition at TMHS.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to build here is a program instead of an activity, so the expectation for kids coming up is that\u2019s the way we do it. \u2026 We\u2019ll look to continue to be able to build on our success last year,\u201d Quinto said.<\/p>\n With 44 players suiting up for practice, Quinto doesn\u2019t have the numbers for a JV team this year. Without a development team, starting a tradition is easier said than done.<\/p>\n The group will have to make due filling the spots of four graduated offensive linemen and a \u201cthree-headed monster\u201d of running backs will have to gobble up yards to replace Clark in the backfield. If all this wasn\u2019t enough, the Falcons contend with a surging and experienced JDHS team to make it back to the postseason. The Falcons\u2019 last three games against North Pole, Ketchikan and JDHS are all conference matchups and will likely determine their playoff fate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Offensive outlook<\/strong><\/p>\n There is no replacing a 2,000 yard rusher, according to Quinto, but the Falcons will remain a power running team in his absence.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t replace a Q\u2019on Bear Clark. We have several young men right now who will step into that roll but we are going to treat it as a three-headed monster rather than designate one player to that position,\u201d Quinto said. \u201cLook for us to do more of the same with some new wrinkles.\u201d<\/p>\n The Falcons will employ a combination of Shannon Olmstead, Erik Frenette, Roy Tupou and Kyrel Payne in the backfield.<\/p>\n \u201cAll their skill sets are different, whereas Q\u2019on kind of did it all, that\u2019s what makes our backfield unique,\u201d Quinto said. \u201cShannon (Olmstead) is a shifty, speedy guy. Eric (Frenette) once he gets in the open field, he has great moves. Kyrel (Payne) and Roy (Tupou) are both more downhill runners, hard runners who\u2019re going to keep their knees moving.\u201d<\/p>\n Returning this year at quarterback is senior Cale Jenkins, a field general and game manager. Jenkins has played the position for three years but this will be his first year starting every game. \u201cHe has a great mind and the physical attributes have gotten better this year. He won\u2019t lose you the game, he controls the ball and is very much like a coach,\u201d Quinto said.<\/p>\n Senior receiver and defensive back Gabe Crawford will look to make his mark this year alongside fellow senior wideout Riley Olson.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re faster, quicker, higher on our feet and ready to play. We have high energy this year,\u201d Crawford said during a break in practice. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to taking off this year, it\u2019s my senior year so I have to go big, give people what they paid for.\u201d<\/p>\n After graduating four offensive linemen last year, including all-conference guard Jase Lippert, the Falcons will depend on the leadership of Dawson Chilton and Ivan Williams.<\/p>\n \u201cDawson Chilton has been a steady rock for us but we\u2019re going to need some of our guys who weren\u2019t starters to step up their game,\u201d Quinto said of the offensive line.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Defensive outlook<\/strong><\/p>\n With wet weather the norm in Alaska football, a passing game is not Alaska\u2019s \u201ctrue forte,\u201d and with several conference opponents brandishing a strong running game, Quinto emphasizes stopping the run.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven our environmental conditions, you have to stop the run and looking at our schedule, we face several \u2018Wing T\u2019 type teams,\u201d Quinto said, referring to the Wing T formation which employs three running backs.<\/p>\n TMHS\u2019 strength is in their linebacking corp, which is anchored by returning all-conference linebacker Garth Tupou, a junior. Alongside Tupou, brothers Mahina and Puna Toutaiolepo, a senior and sophomore, respectively, will bring the pain to backs looking to break into TMHS\u2019 second level.<\/p>\n \u201cGarth and Mahina both are very vocal and we expect them to be leaders. Roy (Tupou, a junior) is another one who is very vocal not only in giving encouragement but in telling guys where they need to go,\u201d Quinto said.<\/p>\n Nikiski and Kenai, whom the Falcons face Aug. 20 and 26, employ a powerful Wing T run game; Soldatna, a medium school powerhouse whom the Falcons would contend with in the postseason, will also challenge TMHS\u2019 run stoppers.<\/p>\n In defending the pass, defensive back Crawford says coordinator Derek Lofstrom has been stressing that the secondary not let anything over their heads and keep the ball in front of them.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t let anything deep, the coaches are on the cornerbacks and defensive backs about that all the time,\u201d said Crawford, who believes the Falcons\u2019 defensive unit can have success if they just keep their composure mentally and physically.\u201d<\/p>\n Williams stressed tempo as the key to defensive success this year.<\/p>\n \u201cTempo, tempo, tempo. We have to condition and be really fast, control the field and fly around,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have a really fast defense.\u201d<\/p>\n As the Falcons prepare to build on their success, Williams thinks his team will earn a reputation around the conference.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope we have more respect around the league,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re more beautiful this year.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2016 TMHS football schedule:<\/p>\n Aug. 13, TMHS at JDHS<\/p>\n Aug. 20, TMHS at Nikiski<\/p>\n Aug. 26, TMHS vs. Kenai Central<\/p>\n Sept. 2, TMHS vs. Ketchikan<\/p>\n Sept. 10, TMHS at Lathrop, NC<\/p>\n Sept. 16, TMHS vs. North Pole<\/p>\n Sept. 23, TMHS at Ketchikan<\/p>\n Sept, 30, TMHS vs. JDHS<\/p>\n Two teams from the Southeast Conference (TMHS, JDHS, Ketchikan and North Pole) will make it to the state medium school playoffs to face two teams from the Northern Lights Conference (Soldatna, Kenai, Palmer, Kodiak and Eagle River). Seeding is based on conference records.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2016 TMHS football roster:<\/p>\n Name Position Class:<\/p>\n Sami Sami LB SR<\/p>\n Alex Eldamar OG\/LB JR<\/p>\n Alofa Sua FB\/LB JR<\/p>\n Andrew Dilley DE SO<\/p>\n Austin Jackson WR\/CB SO<\/p>\n Bobby Cox TE\/DL JR<\/p>\n Braden Jenkins WR\/OLB FR<\/p>\n Brandan Basilon SO<\/p>\n Brian Sangster OG\/DL SO<\/p>\n Cale Jenkins QB SR<\/p>\n Caleb Traxler LB\/DB SO<\/p>\n Cameron Derick OL\/DL FR<\/p>\n Charlie Lewis Manager SO<\/p>\n Dawson Chilton OT\/DL SR<\/p>\n Derek Boord C\/NG JR<\/p>\n Devinn Domin TE\/DE SO<\/p>\n Dominique Maua WR\/DB SR<\/p>\n Duane Harwell OG\/DL SO<\/p>\n Dylan Chilton C\/NG SR<\/p>\n Elissac Lopez LB SO<\/p>\n Erik Frenette RB\/DB JR<\/p>\n Gabe Crawford WR\/DB SR<\/p>\n Garth Tupou OG\/LB SR<\/p>\n Hansel Hinckle WR\/DB SO<\/p>\n Ivan Williams OT\/DL JR<\/p>\n Jacob Carson WR\/DB FR<\/p>\n Jacob Tapia WR\/DB JR<\/p>\n Kyrel Payne FB\/LB JR<\/p>\n Lars Peterson Manager JR<\/p>\n Mahina Toutaiolepo TE\/LB SR<\/p>\n Marcus Villanueva OG\/DL SO<\/p>\n Masin Field RB\/DB FR<\/p>\n Owen Mendoza QB\/WR JR<\/p>\n Puna Toutaiolepo OG\/FB\/LB SO<\/p>\n Riley Olsen WR\/DB SR<\/p>\n Roy Tupou RB\/LB\/DB JR<\/p>\n Ryan Mayhew WR\/DB SR<\/p>\n Shannon Olmstead RB\/DB SR<\/p>\n Star Barger Manager JR<\/p>\n Steven Rosales TE\/LB JR<\/p>\n Tristan Mead OL\/DL SR<\/p>\n William Skinna OL\/LB\/DL SO<\/p>\n Devin Locke OL\/DL JR<\/p>\n Eduardo Ramirez RB\/DB SO<\/p>\n Read more sports:<\/strong><\/p>\n JDHS football preview: Uncertainty and opportunity for Bears<\/a><\/p>\n Runners make memories at Frank Maier Marathon<\/a><\/p>\n
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