Feb. 17, 2005

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The 2004 season was a roller-coaster ride for the Western Washington University football team.

The Vikings were 6-4 overall, their fifth winning season in the last six years, and 3-3 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, being ranked No.10 in the final NCAA Division II Northwest Region ratings. Along the way, Western posted some impressive wins, but also suffered some very disappointing losses.

"It was a good season, but it was marked by inconsistency." said Western coach Rob Smith (16 years, 105-56-1), who became the first coach in school history to reach 100 victories with a season-opening 27-25 triumph over Fort. "How do you explain losing to a team and then beating them by 49 points three weeks later?"

Three of Western's losses came against teams who the Vikings played twice and defeated in the other meeting. Two of the defeats were particularly strange as Western dominated the other matchup - after falling at Western Oregon, 50-47, in four overtimes, the Vikings claimed a 49-0 victory at Bellingham three weeks later; and after a 34-27 home loss to Humboldt State, Western rebounded with a 55-20 triumph at Arcata.

But there were major highlights, too. Most notably, the Vikings claimed the second annual Battle in Seattle, defeating Central Washington, 28-21, at Qwest Field before a crowd of 11,458; and they also defeated eventual North Central Conference champion Nebraska-Omaha, 31-21.

"We had an opportunity to position ourselves as a playoff team and we failed to take advantage of that," Smith said. "We had the win over Nebraska-Omaha, then followed it up by winning the Battle in Seattle. But then we go to Western Oregon, have a 17-0 lead and had a complete collapse. I'm not sure if we ever fully recovered from that loss."

An indication of what Western did accomplish in 2004 was that the Vikings had three players earn All-America recognition on offense, defense and special teams. Senior kicker Michael Koenen (Ferndale) was named a second-team All-America punter by Daktronics, Inc., and received honorable mention from D2football.com, which additionally named him Northwest Region Special Teams Player of the Year. Also gaining honorable mention from D2football.com were junior wide receiver Andy Olson (Chelalis/W.F. West) and senior safety Rob White (Woodinville/Inglemoor).

Olson was the main weapon in an offense that ranked 23rd nationally in scoring offense at 35.4 points a game, 20th in passing offense (268.9), and 32nd in total offense (415.8 yards a game). Western led the GNAC in each of those categories.

Olson had 68 receptions for 1,075 yards and 15 touchdowns, setting school and GNAC single-season records for touchdown receptions and earning unanimous all-conference honors. He ranked 10th nationally in receiving yardage (107.5 avg.) and 13th in receptions (6.8). After three seasons, he already ranks third in school history in career receptions (150) and receiving touchdowns (27) and fourth in receiving yardage (2,480).

"Andy Olson had an outstanding year," Smith said. "He was the leader of our offensive if not of our entire football team, and it is leadership that's first by example, but with a willingness to back it up vocally in a very positive way. He'll leave here as one of the most decorated players we've ever had."

Another offensive record-setter was senior quarterback Steve Nichols (Stevenson), who completed a school single-season best 63.7 percent of his passes (181-of-284) for 2,292 yards (7th in school history) and 22 touchdowns, although he also threw 16 interceptions. A first-team all-GNAC pick, he ranked No.14 nationally in passing efficiency (145.8) and his 5,128 career passing yards are the fifth-best total in Western history.

"With the exception of the interceptions, Steve had a fine season," Smith said. "He led the conference in every passing category and I'm pleased he was first-team all-league. It shows that people looked at his play in its entirety."

Backup James Monrean (Bellingham/Sehome), a sophomore, saw action in five games, throwing for 374 yards and six touchdowns. In his lone start, he tied a school record with five touchdown passes in a 42-13 victory over St. Joseph's.

Along with Olson, redshirt freshman slotback Chris Robinson (Tacoma/Clover Park) was a key receiving target. Robinson, who was second on the team in receptions with 40 for 432 yards and three touchdowns, despite having just one in the first two games of the season, was named GNAC Freshman of the Year.

"Chris Robinson emerged this year and is going to have an outstanding career," Smith said. "He gives us a threat in the slot we haven't had in quite some time."

The tight ends were also a productive part of the offense. Senior Rick Carte (Juneau, AK/Juneau-Douglas) had 20 catches for 217 yards and three scores, earning first-team all-GNAC status as well as being a CoSIDA District VIII Academic all-star, and junior Nick Yoney (Arlington) contributed 20 receptions for 188 yards and four touchdowns.

Junior running back Duncan Sherrard (Seattle/Roosevelt) was a unanimous first-team all-GNAC pick, rushing for 811 yards and five scores on 163 carries, and adding 16 receptions for 185 yards and a touchdown. He also earned CoSIDA District VIII Academic all-star honors.

Junior Jake Carlyle (Olympia/Capital) added 228 yards rushing and five touchdowns along with 11 receptions, and when Sherrard and Carlyle were both down with injuries, redshirt freshman Jon Williams (Redmond) ran for 142 yards at Western Oregon.

"He's a blue-collar runner," Smith said of Sherrard. "He doesn't break big runs, but he gets the yards. Running back is a very strong position for us right now."

The anchor of the offensive line was junior center Loren Winter (Bothell/Juanita), a unanimous first-team all-league choice. Senior guard Todd Gowing (Bothell/Inglemoor) was a second-team selection.

White was the most experienced player in a young defense that struggled at times, allowing an average of 26.1 points a game, although it did post its first shutout since 2001 in the triumph over Western Oregon late in the season.

"It was almost like two different seasons," Smith said. "We gave up 395 yards a game the first seven games, then just 245 the last three. The last three games, we were very good defensively. We have to find ways to do that from the beginning."

White, a first-team all-GNAC pick and also a CoSIDA District VIII Academic all-star, was second on the team in tackles with 71, giving him 264 for his career. He was the team leader in pass breakups with six, and shared the team lead in both interceptions (3) and fumbles forced (2).

"Rob White had a solid career and was solid this season, too," said Smith. "He was the leader of our defense."

Alongside White at free safety was sophomore Todd McClellan (Lacey/Timberline), who had spent the last two years on a church mission in Russia. McClellan didn't decide to return this fall until the eve of training camp, but ended up being fourth on the team in tackles with 37.

On the corner, junior Sly Whitfield, Jr. (Seattle/Garfield) had 32 tackles, shared the team interception lead with three, and had five pass breakups, receiving second-team all-GNAC recognition. Junior Brett Hall (Kennewick/Kamiakin) had 28 tackles and an interception, and senior Sean O'Hara (Sr., Pleasant Hill, CA/De La Salle) also saw extensive action.

Junior middle linebacker Craig Keenan (Salem, MA/Hamilton-Wenham) earned second-team all-GNAC honors, leading Western in tackles with 85, including 5.5 for loss, despite being one of the final players recruited.

"I met Craig the day we started practice," said Smith, who credited assistants Stacy Collins and Zachary Tinker with finding Keenan, a transfer from Palomar JC in California. "He's just a tough football player. You love being around those kind of guys."

Junior linebacker Adam Klingenberg (Walla Walla) had 58 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, the second-best mark on the team. Sophomore Jeff Parks (Graham/Bethel) and freshman Tieba Bropleh (Bremerton) were both in and out of the lineup because of injuries, but Parks had 30 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, in just five games, and Bropleh had 26 in seven contests.

Anchoring the defensive line was junior tackle Noel Tafoya (Pittsburg, CA), a second-team all-GNAC pick who led the team in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (2.5). Junior end Joey Joshua (Ferndale) had 29 stops, including 4.5 for loss.

Koenen anchored the special teams, being third nationally in punting at 43.5 yards an attempt. He was 11th in field-goals made (1.2 avg.), going 12-of-17, with just one of the misses being from less than 49 yards, and 40-of-41 on extra points, and sent 17 kickoffs for touchbacks. He was a first-team all-GNAC pick in both categories, being unanimous as a placekicker.

For his career, Koenen was 43-of-74 on field goals and 143-of-150 on extra points for a Northwest small-college record 272 points; averaged 43.1 yards a punt, the second-best mark in Northwest small-college history, and sent 68 kickoffs for touchbacks.

"Michael will be difficult to replace," Smith said. "We've been spoiled by what he's done for us."

The Vikings also had success on returns. Sophomore Zach Russell (Bothell/Lake Washington), who had barely seen the field for the last two years because of injuries, became the first player in school history to return two kickoffs for a touchdown in a season, averaging 33.7 yards on nine attempts. On punt returns, Olson averaged 11.5 yards on 14 efforts. The Vikings also blocked four kicks, three of them by redshirt freshman Ryan Conwell (Kent/Kentwood).