Garfield Football Season Recap
Armani Inprasit and Harlan Grady
As most of you know already, last year's season ended short at Marysville-Pilchuck in the 3A state tournament. The Bulldogs 2021-2022 season record was 6-4. Coming into the 2022-2023 season, some key departures from the previous year include co-offensive MVP Jacolby Cochran, linebacker Denali Dukes, defensive lineman Matua Whalen, running back Reon Hampton, defensive tackle Jamil Cola, cornerback Raphiel Justice, wideout Rowley Canale, and kicker/punter Marcus Merkelbach. This departing group made All-Metro teams in the 2021-2022 season.
That being said, the 2022-23 season was looking very promising as players were getting in the weight room both in the building and with outside programs. Entering spring ball, the Bulldogs felt like they did not miss a beat. They had high energy practices from start to finish. The Bulldogs scrimmaged teams including the defending state champion Bellevue Wolverines throughout spring, and took a trip down to the University of Oregon for a tournament. With the start of the season creeping up, the Bulldogs first game was against 4A Lake Stevens Vikings, who were the consensus #1 ranked team coming into the season. The Dawgs had one last team trip to Cheney, Washington. This Eastern Washington 4-day team camp was a terrific opportunity for the players to display their talents in front of college coaches. The Bulldogs dominated from start to finish, they did not allow a single opponent to score in their team scrimmages. Despite not winning the camp finale, the Bulldogs secured 5 positional MVP’S: three star QB E.J. Caminong, three star linebacker Mike Montgomery, three star offensive lineman Pule Leatigaga, two star wide receiver Sejhe Jackson, and tailback Jimmy Miller.
The Bulldogs had one of their best years in recent memory, advancing within one game of the state tournament and earning a 5-3 regular season record, finishing at 6-4. It was a year of progress and success, even though it ended on a down note. The football season came with great excitement, as quarterback E.J. Caminong was blossoming into a star and new transfer players Dom Hardin and Sejhe Jackson led many impactful newcomers. With a big group of seniors, the strongest wide receiver core in the Metro League, a star QB, and one of the top linebackers in the conference in Mike Montgomery, this team was ready to go. They proved their legitimacy with a massive opening week win at Memorial Stadium. The defense stood out, and the offense was high-powered and efficient. From there, the Bulldogs cruised to a 5-0 record. They scored 233 points over those five games, averaging nearly 47 points per game. They faced #2 in state Eastside Catholic, #3 in state O’Dea, and #8 in state Rainier Beach in their three losses to close out the year. However, come playoff time, the Bulldogs were ready, grabbing a statement win over Lincoln (Seattle) before a heartbreaking loss to Spanaway Lake in Spanaway, where they came within a yard of advancing to the WIAA state playoffs. No matter the outcome, this was an excellent year for Garfield football. A new age of football is being ushered in, and the Bulldogs should be ready for a powerhouse team to show up next year.
The football program has 15 graduating seniors. Every single one of them played an important role to the Bulldogs, whether it was on-field play, helping underclassmen throughout the season, or otherwise. This year's class of seniors is another special group leaving Garfield. We would like to say thank you, and we wish you the best in the next chapter of your senior year, lives, and football careers.
The Bulldogs had a conference record of 4-3 and a non-conference record of 2-1, with the lone non-conference loss coming against Spanaway Lake. Going 1-1 in state qualifying, the Bulldogs did not make the state tournament. They lost in what’s called Week 10, the round before the WIAA playoffs started.
The Bulldogs had their biggest game (and biggest win) of the season in week one, when they played host to Lake Stevens and the top recruit in Washington, Jayden Limar. The Bulldogs rolled them over, and took home one of the biggest wins for any 3A team in the state this year. The Vikings were projected to be the best team in the state at that time, and are still number two in the top classification. They trail only Chiawana. Other than that, Garfield beat Seattle Prep in a big game under the big lights at Lumen Field, as well as spoiling Bishop Blanchet’s homecoming night with a commanding second half at Mickey Naish Field at Blanchet High.
Key Players:
EJ Caminong took the helm, as the three-star QB held the reins for a powerful Garfield offense. He lit up scoreboards and stat-sheets through the air and on the ground. A late-season commitment to the University of Washington made headlines following a huge performance against Lincoln.
Sejhe Jackson was the team’s leading receiver in yards, touchdowns, and targets. He was dominant from start to finish, all the while dealing with minor injuries throughout the season. Named All-Metro First Team WR, Sejhe’s biggest game came at Lumen Field against Seattle Prep, hauling in two touchdowns alongside more than 150 yards of receiving. While he has an offer to play at Eastern Washington, Jackson has yet to commit to a college yet.
Reylen Witherspoon came into his own following a breakout game vs. Seattle Prep, and led the Garfield running backs alongside Jimmy Miller and Tawaf Aboudou in the last half of the season. The younger Witherspoon is just a freshman, but he runs hard and produces.
Mike Montgomery suffered a severe ankle injury towards the end of the season against Rainier Beach, but his commanding presence over the middle of the field and crushing hits on opposing ball carriers while healthy were evidence of his three recruiting stars. With his top 9 released, look for Mike to commit to a school this month, with options including the University of Tennessee and the University of Washington.
Yemoni Howell was a critical piece of a strong Bulldog defense, with 92 tackles including 23 tackles for a loss. Howell also had four interceptions, and returned two of those for touchdowns. A two star linebacker, Howell had a fantastic senior season, and will be preparing to take the court this winter for Garfield basketball.
Ty’Shaun Raine had a terrific senior season, and was named All-Metro First Team at cornerback. Raine snagged three interceptions over the first four games, and had one in the week 10 game vs. Spanaway Lake. It almost led to a game-tying drive. Ty’Shaun put in 110 percent every time he stepped on the field, and is a valuable corner who can lock up any receiver running his way.
With the Bulldogs showing signs of improvement year after year, our expectations for Garfield next year are still high. Players will have offseason transformations. There are no signs of slowing down. We can expect a much more mature, bigger, stronger, faster and hungrier team next season. With key players leaving, who's next in line for the bulldogs? There is a lot of talent still here at Garfield. Players returning next year include E.J. Caminong, who has dramatically improved since his first day here. We have linemen Pule Leatigaga, Elisha Ese, Izear Dampier, and Kaleb Leatigaga, who are set to take a bigger step forward this offseason. The wideout room still has playmakers with Reggie Witherspoon and Armani Inprasit, who are both planning to make a big splash this offseason and to also help the underclassmen like Devin Caminong, Tariq Shabazz, and Nate Cook get on track. The backfield next year will still have athletes: Jimmy Miller, Reylen Witherspoon, and Julius Gillick. Defensively, the Dawgs retain key players to keep an eye on, such as Romaree Fleeks, Mario Murphy, Troy Vaiga, and Marqua Davis.
That being said, the 2022-23 season was looking very promising as players were getting in the weight room both in the building and with outside programs. Entering spring ball, the Bulldogs felt like they did not miss a beat. They had high energy practices from start to finish. The Bulldogs scrimmaged teams including the defending state champion Bellevue Wolverines throughout spring, and took a trip down to the University of Oregon for a tournament. With the start of the season creeping up, the Bulldogs first game was against 4A Lake Stevens Vikings, who were the consensus #1 ranked team coming into the season. The Dawgs had one last team trip to Cheney, Washington. This Eastern Washington 4-day team camp was a terrific opportunity for the players to display their talents in front of college coaches. The Bulldogs dominated from start to finish, they did not allow a single opponent to score in their team scrimmages. Despite not winning the camp finale, the Bulldogs secured 5 positional MVP’S: three star QB E.J. Caminong, three star linebacker Mike Montgomery, three star offensive lineman Pule Leatigaga, two star wide receiver Sejhe Jackson, and tailback Jimmy Miller.
The Bulldogs had one of their best years in recent memory, advancing within one game of the state tournament and earning a 5-3 regular season record, finishing at 6-4. It was a year of progress and success, even though it ended on a down note. The football season came with great excitement, as quarterback E.J. Caminong was blossoming into a star and new transfer players Dom Hardin and Sejhe Jackson led many impactful newcomers. With a big group of seniors, the strongest wide receiver core in the Metro League, a star QB, and one of the top linebackers in the conference in Mike Montgomery, this team was ready to go. They proved their legitimacy with a massive opening week win at Memorial Stadium. The defense stood out, and the offense was high-powered and efficient. From there, the Bulldogs cruised to a 5-0 record. They scored 233 points over those five games, averaging nearly 47 points per game. They faced #2 in state Eastside Catholic, #3 in state O’Dea, and #8 in state Rainier Beach in their three losses to close out the year. However, come playoff time, the Bulldogs were ready, grabbing a statement win over Lincoln (Seattle) before a heartbreaking loss to Spanaway Lake in Spanaway, where they came within a yard of advancing to the WIAA state playoffs. No matter the outcome, this was an excellent year for Garfield football. A new age of football is being ushered in, and the Bulldogs should be ready for a powerhouse team to show up next year.
The football program has 15 graduating seniors. Every single one of them played an important role to the Bulldogs, whether it was on-field play, helping underclassmen throughout the season, or otherwise. This year's class of seniors is another special group leaving Garfield. We would like to say thank you, and we wish you the best in the next chapter of your senior year, lives, and football careers.
The Bulldogs had a conference record of 4-3 and a non-conference record of 2-1, with the lone non-conference loss coming against Spanaway Lake. Going 1-1 in state qualifying, the Bulldogs did not make the state tournament. They lost in what’s called Week 10, the round before the WIAA playoffs started.
The Bulldogs had their biggest game (and biggest win) of the season in week one, when they played host to Lake Stevens and the top recruit in Washington, Jayden Limar. The Bulldogs rolled them over, and took home one of the biggest wins for any 3A team in the state this year. The Vikings were projected to be the best team in the state at that time, and are still number two in the top classification. They trail only Chiawana. Other than that, Garfield beat Seattle Prep in a big game under the big lights at Lumen Field, as well as spoiling Bishop Blanchet’s homecoming night with a commanding second half at Mickey Naish Field at Blanchet High.
Key Players:
EJ Caminong took the helm, as the three-star QB held the reins for a powerful Garfield offense. He lit up scoreboards and stat-sheets through the air and on the ground. A late-season commitment to the University of Washington made headlines following a huge performance against Lincoln.
Sejhe Jackson was the team’s leading receiver in yards, touchdowns, and targets. He was dominant from start to finish, all the while dealing with minor injuries throughout the season. Named All-Metro First Team WR, Sejhe’s biggest game came at Lumen Field against Seattle Prep, hauling in two touchdowns alongside more than 150 yards of receiving. While he has an offer to play at Eastern Washington, Jackson has yet to commit to a college yet.
Reylen Witherspoon came into his own following a breakout game vs. Seattle Prep, and led the Garfield running backs alongside Jimmy Miller and Tawaf Aboudou in the last half of the season. The younger Witherspoon is just a freshman, but he runs hard and produces.
Mike Montgomery suffered a severe ankle injury towards the end of the season against Rainier Beach, but his commanding presence over the middle of the field and crushing hits on opposing ball carriers while healthy were evidence of his three recruiting stars. With his top 9 released, look for Mike to commit to a school this month, with options including the University of Tennessee and the University of Washington.
Yemoni Howell was a critical piece of a strong Bulldog defense, with 92 tackles including 23 tackles for a loss. Howell also had four interceptions, and returned two of those for touchdowns. A two star linebacker, Howell had a fantastic senior season, and will be preparing to take the court this winter for Garfield basketball.
Ty’Shaun Raine had a terrific senior season, and was named All-Metro First Team at cornerback. Raine snagged three interceptions over the first four games, and had one in the week 10 game vs. Spanaway Lake. It almost led to a game-tying drive. Ty’Shaun put in 110 percent every time he stepped on the field, and is a valuable corner who can lock up any receiver running his way.
With the Bulldogs showing signs of improvement year after year, our expectations for Garfield next year are still high. Players will have offseason transformations. There are no signs of slowing down. We can expect a much more mature, bigger, stronger, faster and hungrier team next season. With key players leaving, who's next in line for the bulldogs? There is a lot of talent still here at Garfield. Players returning next year include E.J. Caminong, who has dramatically improved since his first day here. We have linemen Pule Leatigaga, Elisha Ese, Izear Dampier, and Kaleb Leatigaga, who are set to take a bigger step forward this offseason. The wideout room still has playmakers with Reggie Witherspoon and Armani Inprasit, who are both planning to make a big splash this offseason and to also help the underclassmen like Devin Caminong, Tariq Shabazz, and Nate Cook get on track. The backfield next year will still have athletes: Jimmy Miller, Reylen Witherspoon, and Julius Gillick. Defensively, the Dawgs retain key players to keep an eye on, such as Romaree Fleeks, Mario Murphy, Troy Vaiga, and Marqua Davis.