Curtis Football Looking To Build On Last Year's Run

The saying goes that to be the best, you have to beat the best. For the past three seasons, that has been the mantra of every team in the SPSL 4A south division when it came to playing Curtis.

The Vikings football team has dominated the south division in historic fashion since the start of 2008. Since losing the first league game against Graham-Kapowsin in 2008, the Vikings have rattled off 23 straight division wins en route to three straight division titles. That run culminated in Curtis’ deepest run in the state tournament since winning it all in 1996.

But after an exodus of top players due to graduation following the 2010 season, Curtis’ run at the top could be in jeopardy. The Vikings will be looking to replace starting quarterback Tyler Jamieson, starting running back Tyler Montague and the 1,500 all-purpose yards of do-everything talent Rahmel Dockery.

Overall, Curtis will bring back seven starters combined on offense and defense. The good news is that, despite the loss of plenty of playmakers, the Vikings will be returning three starting offensive lineman from the group that helped Curtis average over 44 points per game in 2010. Wide receiver E.J. Deveaux will also be back, with senior quarterback Ty Saathoff taking over for Jamieson.

On the defensive side, linebacker Sam Langford is back for a group that is reeling from the loss of the entire secondary and defensive tackle Cornelius Edison. Still, Curtis returns four starters from the team that posted three shutouts in 2010.

Curtis will have to show it can replace a number of talented players from the 2010 version of the team if it wants to hold off new challengers like Bethel and Federal Way. But until someone unseats them, the Vikings will remain the team to beat.