Mavs aim to return high-scoring offense in 2024

MOSES LAKE — Coming off an 8-2 season where the Mavericks finished one game shy of reaching the 4A State Football Tournament, Moses Lake is looking to field yet another high-flying offense on the field in 2024.

“We’re just so excited to be out here,” head coach Brett Jay said. “The guys are ready to work, love the game. It’s going to be a blast.” 

The Mavericks lit up the scoreboard last fall, averaging 39.9 points per game while being commanded by junior quarterback Brady Jay. As a sophomore, the Moses Lake quarterback threw for 3,251 yards, 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions on 37.5 passes per game. 

While Brady Jay returns, Moses Lake’s three leading receivers all graduated last season; Kyson Thomas, who hauled in 69 catches for 1,068 yards and 20 touchdowns, now plays for the Washington State Cougars, while Joel Middleton and Hayden Throneberry now both play at Whitworth. 

Juniors Grant Smith, Hudson Palmer and Carter Anderson are among the group of receivers stepping up to fill that void, Brett Jay said.  

“There’s a transition period where it’s your time now, and it’s up to us coaches to get them to transition well,” Brett Jay said. “We don’t want them to wait around, we want guys to step into their roles.” 

“It’s been a challenge, you’ve got to learn and you’re going to learn a lot, but it’s been fun,” Anderson said. “We’ve got the best coaches out here, and they teach us well.” 

A veteran offensive line returns to keep the quarterback upright, featuring seniors Brayden Kast and Malaki Town, junior Kaden Dominguez and sophomores Reese Porter and Payton Phillips. 

“When we’ve got one of the best quarterbacks in the state, you’ve got to be able to protect that guy,” Kast said. “We’re passing the ball more than not, and we need to protect him.” 

Returning starting experience from a season ago goes a long way, Brett Jay said. 

“We always talk about having the o-line seeing through the same lens, and to have that same guy staring at you, it’s like, ‘Okay, we’re not starting over again,’” Brett Jay said. “They’re able to pick up where they left off.” 

The Mavericks stayed busy this off-season, competing in seven-on-seven tournaments following a full slate of spring practices in June. During the summer, players regularly met in the weight room to get stronger, ran routes and watched films. 

“There’s only so much you can do come season time, so those that commit to the off-season set themselves apart from everyone else and they master their craft,” Brett Jay said. “They get out here, and you can see the guys that put in the work.” 

Moses Lake won its first eight games of the 2023 season before falling in its last two games of the year; first a 35-8 loss on the road against Eastmont, which decided the winner of the Columbia Basin Big 9, followed by a 49-32 home loss to Chiawana in the Week 10 Crossover with a state berth on the line. Brett Jay noted the team’s mantra of “Start fast, finish strong” being emphasized this off-season. 

“We didn’t finish like we wanted to last year, so we’ve been talking about that all off-season,” Brett Jay said. “We’re excited for those opportunities. We added some strength to our schedule at the beginning of our season — any non-conference game, we want to see as good opponents as we can.” 

“We can’t take our foot off the gas in the last two games of the season,” Kast said. “We’ve got to stay locked in going into December.” 

The 2024 season begins with a road trip for the Mavericks, who will play against Rigby (Idaho) in their season-opener Sept. 6. The game, played in Boise, Idaho, is part of the Northwest Showdown, a showcase featuring teams from Idaho, Oregon and Washington. 

Jay said the organizers of the Northwest Showdown are paying Moses Lake $9,000 to help cover travel costs for the 350-mile trip. 

“It’s as good competition as you can find, and we’re really excited about that,” Brett Jay said.  

Following the season opener, Moses Lake’s first home game comes in Week 2 on Sept. 13, a matchup against North Creek. 

“We work year-round, so our off seasons are long,” Brady Jay said. “We get really excited for this moment — we work all year for 10 games, so we’ve got to show out every game.” 

Moses Lake Football Schedule 

Sept. 6 - @ Rigby — 7 p.m. at Rocky Mountain High School in Boise, Idaho 

Sept. 13 — vs North Creek — 7 p.m. 

Sept. 20 — at Sunnyside — 7 p.m. 

Sept. 27 — vs Wenatchee — 7 p.m. 

Oct. 4 — at Eisenhower — 7 p.m. 

Oct. 11 — vs Post Falls — 7 p.m. 

Oct. 18 — vs Eastmont — 7 p.m. 

Oct. 25 — at West Valley (Yakima) — 7 p.m. 

Nov. 1 — vs Davis — 7 p.m. 

    Moses Lake receivers look for the ball to be snapped during practice on August 21. The Mavericks saw their three leading receivers from 2023 graduate last spring.
  

    Quarterbacks drop back to throw the ball during practice on August 21. Moses Lake junior Brady Jay (2) returns this fall after throwing for 3,251 yards, 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 2023.
  

    Moses Lake sophomore Taggart Rathbun hauls in a pass during practice on August 21.