Warden Cougars make move to the 2B level

WARDEN - Warden is ready to erase the thought of last year's two-win season.

The Cougars dropped their first seven games before beating Kiona Benton and Naches Valley in back-to-back weeks. Warden ended its 2013 campaign with an overtime loss in the team's SCAC crossover game against Granger.

Fresh out of the 1A SCAC and into the Central Washington 2B South conference, Erik Skone and the Cougars are ready to utilize their newfound numbers advantage.

"It puts as an advantage in numbers," he said. "We've got 42 or 44 kids out, whatever it is. Some of the kids in 2B like Kittitas and those guys, they have 25 guys out. So definitely by sheer numbers we're the top of the 2B's instead of the bottom of the 1A's ... It's a god change for us definitely. That 1A league is just tough."

Part of the reason Warden had such a disappointing 2013 season was the inability of starting quarterback Osvaldo Alba to stay on the field. Alba missed most of the season due to a knee injury a year ago.

Senior running back Nathan Cole replaced Alba at quarterback.

This year, Conner Haynes and Jerry Reyes are competing for the starting job. Due to his willingness to participate in spring camps, Haynes has the early nod, but Reyes could still see some snaps.

"(Haynes) went to camp with us and played quarterback at camp and put the effort in in the spring time and so he's probably got the nod to start with," Skone said. "But we're going to kind of go with the two guys and figure out who the real starter is."

Although the team lost Osvaldo Alba, Warden does return his younger brother - do-everything player Orlando Alba.

Orlando saw time at receiver, running back, kicker and returner last year.

"He's a kicker, he's a wide receiver, he's a running back," Skone said. "He can go anywhere. Thing is, we've just got to get him the ball and not wear him out because he definitely makes a difference."

Orlando ignited the Cougars in their second win of last season with a four touchdown performance against Naches Valley.

"It is tough to tackle him," Skone said. "He's got a shutter step that just makes people miss."

Warden opens the season Friday on the road against Tonasket before its home opener Sept. 12 against Chewelah.

Skone says the team will have to utilize its speed to compete for a playoff spot.

"We're going to be fast," he said. "We're not going to be big by any means. Size-wise we just don't have much size ... We've got two or three guys that are 6', 6'1" and that's about it about 200 pounds ... So we've go to be fast. We've got use our speed and get players in space."