By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
This season the Garfield Bulldogs take to the football field with another very talented team. With players like Quinton Jordan, Leon Neal, Amdane Aboudou and others the Bulldogs have a solid nucleus to a very deep and talented roster.
One thing that stands out this year is that the Bulldogs have a very talented group of freshmen that are not only suiting up for varsity games, but are key components of Garfield’s weekly game plan.
Freshman quarterback EJ Caminong, who leads the offense this year, has two freshmen bulldozers in front of him on the line of scrimmage in right guard Elisha Ese (6’1”, 310) and right tackle Pule Leatigaga (6’3”, 290) who also earned spots on the team’s starting offense. In addition, the Bulldogs have Javod Thavixay starting as a freshman at middle linebacker, and the dangerous and speedy freshman Reggie Witherspoon, III (son of the coach) has earned a spot as the team’s kick returner.
In their season opener against Rainier Beach, the young pups proved that they can play with the big boys and are a perfect compliment to a hungry group of Bulldogs who look forward to defending the legacy of Garfield football on the field each and every week.
With so many freshmen getting significant playing time, some might consider it a rebuilding year for the Bulldogs. But according to Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon, Jr., adaption, adjustment and execution has become the team’s rallying cry for this season.
Playing under COVID restrictions like wearing facemask and having no fans in the stadium, Caminong, who was thrust into the leadership role on offense after winning the starting position, had to pull his team together under difficult circumstance to help orchestrate a come from behind victory over Rainier Beach.
“This was definitely something I’m not used to for sure [playing with facemasks and no fans],” says Caminong. “But I think this is a good thing for us as a team because we have to create the energy on our own. I think the way we were able to keep each hyped on the sideline and keep each other going for those four quarters, I feel we were able to play together as a team with that energy.
During his debut, Caminong threw two touchdown passes, a remarkable feat since this was a rivalry game.
up some tough yards against Rainier
Beach. The freshman quarterback
threw two touchdown passes during
the game, including a game-winning
strike to senior receiver Quinton Jordan.
“EJ performed very well,” says Witherspoon. “Early on you could sense that he was trying to get a feel for the game. The game was faster for him coming from eighth grade football so the speed of the game ultimately sped his game up, sped up his progression, his thought process and his ability to stay in the pocket and escape pressure.”
As for his two freshmen starting on the offensive line, Witherspoon was equally impressed by their performance.
“My linemen are adjusting to the speed as well and they made some good decisions blocking wise down the stretch so for them to really get acclimated as the game was progressing was huge,” says Witherspoon. “And it wasn’t easy for Pule playing against two division one potential defensive ends on both sides and so that was a good test and I felt they competed very well.”
Jordan, one of the battle-tested seniors on the team, had three touchdowns against Rainier Beach, including a game winning 65-yard touchdown reception from Caminong. At 6’1”, 240 pounds, Jordan plays both offense and defense, offensive receiver and linebacker. His leadership is displayed by play and executing under the environment football finds itself.
“Playing under these conditions is what it is, but it is fun playing in warmer weather,” says Jordan. “Normally we would be playing up into December in the cold, so playing in the spring is a good thing.”
“We have been working out since last fall together and I think it has brought us closer as team,” added Jordan. “It hasn’t been easy but we’ve adapted.”
Coach Witherspoon boast another talent in his arsenal and that is his field goal kicker Marcus Merkelbach, whose clutch field goal kept Garfield in the game during their comeback win over Rainier Beach.
“That field goal was about a 42-yard field goal by Marcus Merkelbach,” said Witherspoon. “[He’s] arguably one of the best kickers in the state, he is phenomenal. To kick a 42-yarder so evenly was impressive.”
This team believes in its potential. Albeit the first game but a win is a win is a positive start to this unprecedented season.
“Our team is like family,” says Jordan. “There will be some mistakes on the journey but over these last few months we have prepared ourselves for a successful season. We are going to fight like dogs, that’s why they call us the Bulldogs, because we are going to fight. Fight till the end.
“In that game, we got behind but we fought back for the win,” he concluded.
