Something just wasn’t sitting right with the juniors on the Peninsula Seahawks as the 2023 high school football season ended.
It was more than just losing three straight games to start the season, including a narrow 21-20 Fish Bowl loss to Gig Harbor. It was more than just the 4-5 record that marked their first losing season since 2015. It was something else.
“There was just no team chemistry,” said quarterback Mana Smythe.
After the season, Smythe and his then-junior teammates, including running back/linebacker Wyatt Abrigo and wide receiver Hayden Bundy, quickly gathered and took it upon themselves to rebuild the Seahawks winning culture. For them, that change started off the field and outside of the locker room.
“We just started hanging out more together with the underclassmen, and it’s really brought us together,” Bundy said.
That’s when it clicked for the now seniors: There was no team chemistry because they didn’t know their team.
“Last year, we were practicing just to practice, not to get better,” said Abrigo, a 2023 All-South Sound Conference first- team linebacker. “Now, we’re pushing each other to improve throughout the offseason. We’ve all become one.”
And from that, the Seahawks’ “11 as 1” motto was born, and it could be that push needed to get them across the goal line.
“It’s been important to build those off-the-field relationships so that on the field, we can hold each other accountable to do our jobs,” said Smythe, who also serves as the team’s all-conference punter.
That accountability will be tested early as the season and the Puget Sound League kicks off for both Peninsula and Gig Harbor with the new-look Fish Bowl game Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. Earlier this year, Peninsula School District moved the Fish Bowl rivalry from the traditional Friday night game at Roy Anderson Field to Mount Tahoma Athletic Stadium in Tacoma, about a 30-minute drive away.
The Seahawks are still reeling from last year’s loss, in which the Tides came back from a 14-0 halftime deficit and scored a touchdown in the last minute to secure a 21-20 win. It was the first Fish Bowl win for Gig Harbor in eight years after the Tides won back-to-back games in 2014 and 2015.
“It slipped away from us,” said junior offensive/defensive lineman Royal Charles. “We didn’t play bad, but we got cocky, and they played with more heart in the second half.”
“That loss set a big fire under us and hit us all in a certain way,” said Smythe, who threw for a touchdown, a 5-yarder to Bundy, during last year’s Fish Bowl. He sees that loss as a turning point for the team’s culture shift.
Now, almost a year later, the Seahawks players feel more prepared and mature for big games like these.
“(Playing Gig Harbor is) definitely an awesome way to start the year, and it was a great driver for us to work extra hard knowing they were our Week 1 opponent,” Abrigo said. “A win would definitely give us momentum for the rest of the year.”
Aside from the Tides, Smythe, Bundy, Abrigo and Charles are also eyeing the regular season finale at Timberline Oct. 24.
“We have some unfinished business with them,” said Smythe, referring to Peninsula’s 35-0 loss last year.
The Seahawks are optimistic for the 2024 season. They see their front seven as the defensive backbone and boast a strong running game. But they also call it like they see it: the offensive line needs some work. Last season, Smythe often had to scramble on passing plays, forcing Abrigo to take on more blocking responsibilities. This year, Abrigo wants to showcase his running ability, while Charles, who was named to the All-SCC second team on both sides of the ball last year, and his fellow offensive linemen focus on creating better openings and protecting Smythe. That should also help Bundy and other receivers have more time to create separation, giving Smythe a bigger window to throw.
Smythe and Bundy are excited for senior wide receiver Carson Zimmerman to have a breakout season. Bundy thinks he and Zimmerman can emerge as one of the state’s top-receiving duos, with Smythe noting Zimmerman’s exceptional football IQ.
Defensively, Charles will be joined by senior Kyle Williamson and Spanaway Lake senior transfer Kobe Dejohnette, adding depth and strength to the defensive line.
There are only three chances to see the Seahawks at home this year, with the first game at Roy Anderson Field Sept. 27 against Capital. Kickoff at 7 p.m. But, according to the senior class, it won’t be the last chance to see the revamped Seahawks.
“We’re rebuilding that winning culture this year and hopefully our younger guys can keep it going for years to come,” Bundy said.
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