By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
For the first time in two years, Garfield High School lost their season-opening football game, and with hats off to Lake Stevens on their win, the Bulldogs have regrouped and responded with a three-game win streak.
On their current streak, the Bulldogs have beaten Lincoln, Seattle Prep, and Bishop Blanchet while averaging 39 points per game offensively and allowing their opponents to only score 17 points per game. Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon couldn’t be more proud of the way that his players have performed and bought into the philosophy of the program.
“It’s been an absolute honor and privilege to coach these young men; they have a lot more experience, maturity, and a real understanding of the game,” Witherspoon expressed.
Now 3-1 overall and undefeated in Metro League’s Mountain Division, Witherspoon is happy with the fact that his team is accomplishing the goal of winning each week but consistency is what he’s preaching in order to keep his team level-headed and focused during the streak.
“Yes, we are currently on a three-game win streak, which ultimately is the goal, win the week,” says Witherspoon. “How we manage to continue to do this is the way we practice and prepare. We can’t practice or prepare differently for our opponents; we have to practice and prepare the exact same way. If we do that, then we are in control of a lot of our outcomes.”
What Witherspoon and his staff have been instilling into their players week by week has been paying dividends for the team as a whole. Starting with a 54-7 win against Lincoln, facing a 10-point deficit to Seattle Prep and outscoring them for three straight quarters for the win, and then winning a close battle against Bishop Blanchet last week, the Bulldogs have shown their ability to adapt, overcome, and prevail.
Having a coach and dad all in one, sophomore running back Reylen Witherspoon, in his second year as a varsity player, describes his coach’s impact in one word, inspirational.
“He is super inspirational to us and the team on and off the field, and that is one of the biggest impacts he has on us and me,” said Reylen.
Witherspoon’s eldest son, Reggie Witherspoon III, a senior wide receiver with scholarship offers from Arizona State University, Montana State University, Portland State University, and Eastern Washington University.
“It’s been fun to coach my sons because I am able to see them develop right in front of my eyes. I’m able to learn their strengths and weaknesses, while ultimately putting them in positions to be successful,” said Witherspoon. “Reylen being the younger of the two, he has a lot of upside, he’s got a lot of varsity experience this far, and will only continue to develop over the next two years.”
Over his tenure, Witherspoon and his staff have committed and completely transformed the football program into a winning culture that has produced All-Metro League players at every position on both offense and defense, and more importantly, getting the players he’s coached into the collegiate level.
“He’s believed in me since the 8th grade,” says senior quarterback EJ Caminong. “He told me what I could accomplish and how he knew I’d be great.
“[He’s] one of the first few coaches to see it in me plus being so close to his family for so long it’s deeper than just football,” added Caminong. “It’s a good group of players, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.”
Although football success is determined by week-to-week wins or losses in the eyes of the media, fans, and many coaches and players, the bigger success when it comes to Witherspoon is providing opportunities for the young men he coaches.
“For me, success is winning week by week, but the bigger success is the number of young men we put into the collegiate level,” said Witherspoon. “Providing great opportunities for these young men to be able to perform at a really high level, the more we do that the more successful we will be.”
Garfield’s winning streak will be on the line this week when they face the 2-2 Ballard Beavers before going on the road against Eastside Catholic next week.
