Posted on May 13 2011 by Sam Unwin

A Football Family Affair

Jim and I went south earlier in the week to speak with the head coach of the 1B state champions, Tom Sanchez of South Bend Because Jim and I both grew up in the area, it was a nostalgic tour through past gridiron exploits for us Jims article below exudes some of the nostalgia he felt during our hour long sit down with Coach Sanchez and our subsequent drive through boyhood memories We will post the full interview with Coach Sanchez later Enjoy I have long believed that the most competitive 1B football region is Southwest Washington There are people who would reject that notion out of hand, but these people would have a difficult time convincing me By Southwest Washington, I mean schools to the west of I-5 and south of the highway that runs from Olympia to the beaches The Columbia River comprises the southern border of this region In this region schools like Adna, Kalama, Napavine, Naselle, Pe Ell (named after Pierre, a name the natives couldnt pronounce), Raymond, South Bend, Toutle Lake, Wahkiakum, and Willapa Valley have made a total of 77 state playoff appearances with Willapa Valley leading the group with 24 These schools also have won a combined seven state championships Willapa Valley, again, leads the pack with four of those titles Valleys closest rival is the reigning state champion South Bend

When I say closest I mean in proximity (as the crow flies maybe four miles, but as the roads wind, more like 8-10) as well as a family kind of closeness The retired coach of Willapa Valley is Bud Sanchez His son Tom Sanchez is the head coach of South Bend One of Toms trusted assistants is Jamie Friese whose dad Rob Friese is the head coach at Willapa Valley To bring the whole coaching merry-go-round full circle, KC Johnson, the head coach at 2008 state Champion Adna, and Tom Sanchez grew up together in Raymond and were ball-boy types as Raymond won the first three state 1A titles when the state playoff system was first initiated

Tom Sanchez is a heck of a coach by anyones standards, and hes honest When I asked him if his region played the most competitive 1B football in the state, his answer was quick and unequivocal: Yes From 73 on (the playoff era) this league has been the most competitive that I have seen Since he has coached at South Bend for twenty-four years, he has seen a lot We have won a state championship but havent won a league title, he said That statement is true The Indians shared the league title with Willapa Valley but didnt win it outright

As most of the excellent coaches we have interviewed have done, Tom shifted credit for the yearly trips to the playoffs to his players In this, his championship year, there may be something to that His team this year was supremely talented, once-in-a-lifetime talented, but coaching had much to do with how that talent thrived His quarterback transferred to Napavine, so he made a quarterback out of his rawhide- tough fullback Larry Bale When I watched that championship game, I couldnt believe how strong that quarterback was and how he absolutely punished people Then, we find out that he was actually a fullback? Wow!! Kudos Coachgreat move South Bends Myron Smith, a 510, 175 pound linebacker had started at the position for four yearssince his freshman year Smith leaves South Bend as the state wrestling champion and school career leader in tackles with 500 500!! I watched the kid play and he was unbelievable Coach Sanchez also had Terrell Boyes, a 62 SE/outside linebacker who was in Sanchezs words The best pure athlete I have ever coached Boyes is going to the University of Montana on a track scholarship At Montana, Boyes is expected to team up with Austin Emry to give the Grizzlies a one-two punch in the decathlon The kid has long-jumped 23+ feet, triple-jumped 45+, thrown the shot almost 47 feet and has run the hurdles in 1514 seconds He is going to be a good one My favorite player on the team, however, had to be a fast, tough running named Ryan Vongmixay He found creases in the defense when there were none, and he fought for every inch of turf

Tom is also thankful for the support of his administration They seem to realize that the football team is out front representing the school and also representing the town of South Bend For those old-time South Benders who were at first a little leery of a VALLEY guy in their school, coaching their team, Hows it looking now?

Whether he has a team like this one again or not, it is clear that Coach Tom Sanchez will find a way to win His dad has helped out in the past and maybe will do so again The fathers story is that of a winner like his son, and Dads story is fascinating indeed Perhaps in the future, Dad will let us write it Jim Olsen

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