Seth Womack, Crater football head coach

Having graduated only five players off a team that reached the Class 5A state playoffs last year, you bet Crater football coach Seth Womack is excited about the talent and experience at his disposal this fall.

The Comets are pretty solid across the board at all 22 starting spots — and quality players waiting in the wings — for what should make for an exciting run in Womack’s second year at the helm in the Midwestern League.

“Our conference is going to be pretty tough this year,” said the coach. “We’ve got the kids to win it but it does concern me.”

“Thurston is going to be the measuring stick for everyone in the conference,” Womack added of the Colts, who have won 38 straight MWL games since their last league loss to Churchill in 2017. “I think we’ve got great kids that can win it, for sure, but it’s going to be a battle.”

Spearheading that battle again will be senior quarterback Ben Higginson, who passed for 787 yards and seven touchdowns last year to go with 835 yards rushing and nine scores.

“Ben can do things that you just can’t coach,” said Womack. “I’d love to sit there and take credit for all of that stuff that Ben does, but we don’t and we can’t. He’s a special player.”

“His instincts are great,” he added. “He knows when to pull it and go and he also knows when he’s got to sit in there and take a hit so that he can deliver the pass. He’s definitely the backbone in our offense, for sure.”

Returning right by Higginson’s side is senior running back Valentin Rodriguez, who served as a workhorse a year ago in compiling 1,427 yards and 15 TDs on 266 carries.

“Hopefully we don’t have to use him as much as we did last year,” said Womack, “but we are going to carry the ball quite a bit and Valentin is ready. He works for that.”

“He was a major contributor for us and his goal is to get 2,000 yards rushing,” he added. “Hopefully we can hit it, but we’ll see.”

Younger brother, sophomore Jose Rodriguez, may cut into some of those carries — along with senior Zach Kampstra — but it’s no secret that the Comets want to utilize the strength they have on the offensive line in returning starters Jakobi Cole (right guard), Travis Ege (right tackle), Giovanni Gonzales (center) and Reagan Gowen (left tackle).

Trevor McIntosh, a junior left guard, has also “developed into a monster,” according to Womack, and Crater boasts depth with senior Tyler Hathaway and juniors Gianni Cottini and Kingston Silafau also pushing for playing time.

“We’re very solid up front, to put it lightly,” said Womack. “It’s no secret, you’re going to have to stop our run game to beat us. Unfortunately for our opponents, we’re going to be pretty good at the passing game, too.”

Moving the ball through the air was a definite weakness for Crater a year ago, although that had more to do with dropped passes and inconsistent play overall at the receiver spots. Senior Kyle Petty served as the team’s most reliable weapon on the perimeter — as well as leading the squad in interceptions as a defensive back.

“Kyle’s going to be a playmaker one way or the other, whether he’s getting the ball or he’s pulling a second defender off so one of our other guys can catch the ball,” said Womack. “He’s impressed me a lot with his improvements since last year. He’s stronger and his speed is noticeably different after going out for track.”

Boosting the wideouts is the return to the gridiron of Jaxson Godley, who was a state runner-up in wrestling last year and brings an added dimension of speed and athleticism to the group.

“The kid has amazing hands, probably the best hands on the team,” said Womack of the junior. “He’s just very talented with his hand-eye coordination, and probably a lot of that comes from being such a good wrestler.”

Tight end Daemien Deen and receiver Will Maddox also expect to help Crater move the chains in the passing game, which carried a 43% completion percentage in 2023.

Defensively, the Comets have a luxury in mainly only asking Petty to handle double duty as a starter. The secondary will be aided with the return of Solomon deVillenueve and the presence of David Rodriguez, Terrius Allen, Cohen Sprague and other receivers capable of switching gears.

A group of linemen will be invigorated by the return of starters Hunter Verstegen and Silafau, while Kai Mast, Akeel Hanze and Brayden Singery give Crater an ornery and athletic edge at linebacker.

COMETS

HEAD COACH

Seth Womack (second year, 4-6)

GENERAL INFORMATION

ASSISTANTS: Vinny Gay (quarterbacks/special teams), Nate Scott (offensive line), JR Godley (running backs), Jimmy Hauser (tight ends), Kevin Swift (defensive coordinator), Beau Canfield (defensive line), Ruben Capetillo (defensive backs), David deVilleneuve (outside linebackers), Don Matthews (inside linebackers), Vince Randall (defensive ends).

2023 LEAGUE RECORD: 4-3 (fourth, MWL)

2023 OVERALL RECORD: 4-6.

2023 RESULTS

CRATER OPPONENTS

28 North Bend 30

7 Henley 46

13 Springfield 43

21 Thurston 64

46 North Eugene 32

42 Willamette 14

21 Eagle Point 39

26 Churchill 24

35 South Eugene 26

State Playoffs

7 Wilsonville 42

RETURNING STARTERS

OFFENSE (8): Quarterback Ben Higginson (6-1, 200, sr.), running back Valentin Rodriguez (6-0, 210, sr.), lineman Jakobi Cole (6-2, 280, sr.), lineman Travis Ege (6-4, 230, jr.), lineman Giovanni Gonzales (6-0, 225, sr.), lineman Reagan Gowen (6-1, 250, sr.), receiver Kyle Petty (5-9, 175, sr.), tight end Daemien Deen (5-9, 200, sr.).

DEFENSE (7): Linebacker Kai Mast (6-0, 210, sr.), lineman Hunter Verstegen (6-2, 265, jr.), lineman Kingston Silafau (6-0, 245, jr.), linebacker Akeel Hanze (6-0, 225, sr.), defensive back Solomon deVillenueve (5-10, 150, sr.), linebacker Brayden Singery (5-10, 210, jr.), defensive back Kyle Petty.

OTHER NOTABLES

Receiver/defensive back David Rodriguez (5-9, 165, sr.), running back/defensive back Zach Kampstra (5-9, 160, sr.), receiver/defensive back Will Maddox (5-11, 190, jr.), receiver/defensive back Terrius Allen (5-10, 165, jr.), lineman Trevor McIntosh (6-0, 275, jr.), lineman Jantzen Godley (5-10, 255, so.), running back/linebacker Elijah Caucutt (5-9, 180, jr.), receiver/defensive back Jaxson Godley (5-10, 170, jr.), running back/linebacker Jose Rodriguez (5-9, 180, so.), lineman Tyler Hathaway (6-0, 250, sr.), lineman Gianni Cottini (6-0, 250, jr.), lineman Brayden Sholty (6-4, 270, sr.), receiver/linebacker Cohen Sprague (5-9, 170, so.).

2024 SCHEDULE

Aug. 30at Marshfield, 7 p.m.

Sept. 6 EAGLE POINT, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13 at Springfield, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 ROSEBURG, 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 at Churchill, 7 p.m.

Oct. 10 THURSTON, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 at North Eugene, 7 p.m.

Oct. 25 WILLAMETTE, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1 at South Eugene, 7 p.m.