A sigh of relief after the long haul to a title

As I approached Royal High football coach Wiley Allred after his team won the state 1A football championship Saturday, I finally realized how nervous he gets about football games.

I hadn’t believed it before. His hair was never out of place. He looked cool as he went about his business at games and at practice. He was Dapper Dan, not Farmer John.

The first inkling I had that Wiley gets wound up was after he told me, before the Goldendale game, that Colville presented great concern. Speaking with Pete Christensen that weekend, I mentioned the conversation about Colville.

“Wiley is always nervous,” Pete said.

I thought about that as I approached. I stood back and watched his interviews with other representatives of the media. He was smiling, laughing and talking more than I’d seen all year. He was relieved.

As he started walking toward me, Wiley took on that stoic look he usually wears. Then he looked at me, broke into a broad smile, accompanied by a little laughter, thrust out his hand clasped mine for a few seconds.

I congratulated him. I was especially happy for him.

I don’t know if Wiley is paid to lead this community’s sons, but he leads them like the most committed volunteer on this planet. The community could never pay him what he’s worth.

This smile, this visible happiness told me this had been a long haul. For the assistant coaches, too, and the players and the fans.

It was for me, a casual sports fan. I wanted this title for these boys so much that I was drained after the title game.

“You probably predicted this, but I couldn’t.” Wiley said as we shook hands.

I had asked Wiley in August if he thought these boys could win a state title, even though I suspected he thought so.

Wiley had a third-year quarterback who had developed into one of the best in the state. He had a tailback who was simply a stud athlete.

Wiley had two of the most experienced, determined wide receivers. And he had the workingest athlete in the middle of the line and developing linebackers and defensive backs around which to build the stingiest defense in the state.

I was convinced these Royal Knights couldn’t miss. I was counting the school’s sixth state title in the bag.

But Wiley is a coach, and coaches aren’t allowed to predict state titles for their teams. He made proper coach statements like: “I don’t know. Maybe they could. Let’s get through the season first.”

I had promised the pre-season interview would be brief. So I said thank you, and Wiley started walking back to practice.

I’ll see you in Tacoma, I said.

Wiley turned back with sliver of a smile and asked: “What?”

I’ll see you at the Tacoma Dome.

The most memorable and truthful thing Wiley did say during that interview was: “We will be entertaining.”

After a 14-0 record, a 52-5 average margin of victory and a hard-fought state championship, we can all agree the Knights were entertaining.

Thanks for the memories Wiley.