Meet the new Cougs
Bothell defeats Redmond, 45-7

By CHRISTOPHER A. SMITH
Staff Writer - Bothell Reporter
09/11/07

Despite all the hype surrounding Bothell High football this year, many Cougar fans were left wondering who was going to replace the amazing 2006 graduating class. Gone is quarterback Cody Atkinson, running back Luke Jones and a slew of wide receivers and tight ends.

After two games in the 2007 season, those fans now have their answer.

Bothell started the season with back-to-back 45-7 victories at Pop Keeney Field, first against Chugiak of Alaska and then against Redmond in a 4A Kingco contest last Friday, showing why head coach Tom Bainter said this year’s Bothell team has more talent on offense than last year’s.

“Shoot, that was a great performance,” Bainter said following the Redmond victory. “It’s a funny team because we are becoming a better practice team, but we are not there yet, but boy they bring it at the games.”

Bothell was near flawless on both sides of the ball against Redmond (1-1 league and overall), including starting quarterback John Hekker, who showed why he is being scouted by several Pac-10 and other Division I schools with his 16-for-24, 261-yard and three-touchdown performance.

“It felt really good,” Hekker said. “It all started with a great week of preparation, and it was kind of what we expected.”

Hekker, who started just one game coming into the year when Atkinson was hurt, completed seven of his last eight passes for 127 yards in driving the Cougars down for the two scores to put the game away with a 38-0 score before sitting for the fourth quarter.

“John played well,” Bainter said. “He got out there he showed great poise, and he’s calling things at the line of scrimmage. He did a good job of reading the coverage and throwing to the right guy, and I’m real proud of his performance today.”

Perhaps most impressively is the amount of weapons Hekker has at his disposal. The running backs helped Hekker out, with six running backs combing for 188 yards on 27 carries, an average of nearly 7 yards a carry.

Jon Kirchner, the only holdover starter off last year’s team, led the Cougars with 51 yards on 10 carries. Patrick Otterbech added a 30-yard touchdown run and Cory Burk had several nice second-half runs, including a running score to go along with his touchdown receiving.

Running back Trey Burwick also added scores running and receiving.

Ben Moschel is turning into the Cougars big-play receiver, catching four balls for 110 yards and a touchdown. Juniors Nick Wiltz and Perry Conricode, 6-foot-4-inches and 6-foot-3-inches, respectively, provide Hekker with large targets as possession receivers with the ability to get downfield. Wiltz caught four passes for 55 yards, while Conricode added two receptions in a second-quarter drive for 22 yards.

Kurt Stottleymeyer, a junior whose brother Derek was a key receiver on last year’s team, also added two receptions for 33 yards.

Defensively, Bothell stymied whatever Redmond tried to do. The Cougars forced Mustang quarterback David Gilbertson into throwing three interceptions and limited the running game to just 43 yards on 18 carries despite Redmond’s Allen Hall coming off a four touchdown-performance against Franklin the previous week.

“Our intensity is good. Our speed is great,” Bainter said. “This is a good football team. When they work hard in practice, they’ll be unbelievable.”