Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Garfield-Palouse Vikings are back on the football field with a new coach and six returning starters.
Gar-Pal Athletic Director and English teacher Scott Thompson resigned as football coach this spring after five years leading the Vikings.
“I’m taking some time to do some things family-related,” he said, one of which is traveling to watch daughter Cassie Thompson play volleyball for the University of Laverne (Calif.).
Taking over is one of Thompson’s assistants, Will Woltering, whose son Hunter returns as starting quarterback for his senior year.
The Vikings, along with other key seniors Mitch Jamison, Gabe Cocking, Tyler Thurman and Cole Sanderson, could build on last year’s 4-6 finish.
“When 16 kids turn out, you need to stay healthy,” Thompson said. “But I think we’ll be really competitive with all of the other teams.”
He cited what he thought were the top four; Touchet, Liberty Christian, Pomeroy and Gar-Pal.
What about Colton?
“When you lose a kid like Jake Straughan you’re down,” Thompson said. “And Dalton Patchen, Dillon Frank. But you never know.”
This year will be Will Woltering’s first year as a high school head coach after eight years as an assistant and junior high head coach. With him will be longtime Gar-Pal assistant Dan Parrish and his son Garrett.
“We’ll be pretty similar this year, but we’ll probably throw it more,” Woltering said. “I think we’ll be pretty scrappy. We’re an athletic team.”
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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