Moses Lake defense loaded with returning talent

Hunter Cruz didn’t mince words when asked how good Moses Lake’s defense could be this season.

“I think we can be the best team in the state, for sure, on defense,” he said. “I’m not kidding.”

And why not?

Cruz, a state champion wrestler, and Beau Mauseth, an all-league first-teamer in 2016 are the defensive ends; linebackers Payton Castro and David Hersch were all-league; and the entire secondary is back, including first team safety BJ Mullin and second team cornerback Jon Ochoa.

The talent has at times overwhelmed a Moses Lake offense that isn’t too shabby itself.

“As long as we stay healthy I think we’ll be pretty good,” head coach Todd Griffith said. “All returning defensive backs are back and we’ve got some guys fighting that were younger kids last year trying to get in the rotation. All our linebackers are back, we’ve got two of the four starting defensive lineman back so really Carson (Evans) played a lot last year too so you can count him as a starter. Hunter Cruz started and he’s starting defensive end right now so really everyone’s returning so we should be better.”

Cruz’s development as been a plus for Moses Lake.

The standout wrestler has moved from linebacker to defensive back to defensive end, using his strength and athleticism to contribute on every level of the defense.

“He’s made it really tough on us offensively right now,” Griffith said. “In fact, we put a new front in just to block him in practice so we could throw the ball.”

It took about a week and a half for the first team offense to make a dent in the defense. But iron sharpens iron, so they say.

“Today was really the first time we really got really anywhere with them,” said Griffith after last Friday’s scrimmage. “They’ve been pretty stymieing us pretty good ... I was saying either we’re terrible offensively or they’re really good defensively and I think they’re pretty good defensively.”

The defense will get tested in the non-league portion of the schedule.

All-state rusher Andrew Vargas graduated in the spring, but playing Chiawana in Pasco is never easy. For the home opener, the Chiefs will try to corral Hanford junior quarterback Garrett Horner. Horner threw for nearly 2,200 yards and 27 touchdowns as a sophomore. And, of course, a Week 3 showdown in Coeur d’Alene possibly against dual-threat quarterback Colson Yankoff; however, the University of Washington commit is recovering from a shoulder injury and his status for the start of the season is still uncertain.

“We always go into those games wanting to win, expecting to win,” Castro said.

Until teams take the field, it’s unclear who could emerge as a challenger for Moses Lake within the Columbia Basin Big Nine.

Moses Lake started its league schedule 5-0 in 2016, allowing 25 points total to wrap up the No. 1 seed to the state tournament. More, last year’s CBBN all-league first team offense featured just two juniors while the rest were seniors.

Continuity is a clear advantage for the Chiefs.

“We already have the relationships with the people on the field right now and so it’s easier to just flow to the ball when you know what the other guys are already doing,” Castro said.