NEAH BAY — After getting to the final four of the state playoffs in two straight season, the Neah Bay football team is primed and loaded for another deep run into the postseason.
The good news: The Red Devils bring back most of their players from last year, including their most explosive offensive threat, Jodell Wimberley.
The possibly even better news: Neah Bay was knocked out of the postseason by Liberty Bell in the past two years after the Red Devils essentially crushed everyone else they played in the playoffs.
They lost to the Winthrop school in the state championship game in 2022 and in the semifinals in 2023. Liberty Bell no longer plays football at the 1B level and is no longer in the Red Devils’ way for the football team’s first state championship since 2017. This might be Neah Bay’s best shot at a state title in seven years.
Coach TJ Greene said Neah Bay has six starters returning on offense and seven on defense. The team graduated Cayden Smth and Azriel Swan-Jimmicum, both of whom were big cogs in the team the past two years.
After winning that championship in 2017, the Red Devils had some somewhat down seasons — for them — not winning a state tournament game again until 2022. The team began to turn a corner in 2021 with a squad full of eighth-graders and freshmen. Those kids are now juniors and seniors, several of whom are getting their final chance at a state title.
However, the biggest loss is going to be center and noseguard Joshua Angeles, Greene said. And there is an open competition in camp to replace him.
“We don’t know who yet can take his place, we have a couple of options in Carlos Aguirre and Lelan Greene,” coach Greene said.
Wimberley racked up ridiculous stats for the Red Devils last year for the second straight year. He rushed for 1,839 yards and 36 touchdowns. He did that while also being a terror in the defensive backfield with five interceptions and 180 interception return yards. Even for eight-man football, that’s impressive.
Swan another weapon
Greene thinks the Red Devils might actually use Wimberley a little less his senior year as Tyler Swan also came on late in his sophomore year from the fullback position. Swan finished with some pretty impressive stats, with 1,085 yards and 22 touchdowns and Greene expects him to spell Wimberley more than he did last year.
“He averaged 11 yards a carry,” Greene said. “That tells you that he needs to get the ball more.”
The starting quarterback will be Mathias Greene, who impressed last year as a freshman, throwing for 956 yards. His main targets from last year, seniors Makyah Chambers (22 catches, nine touchdowns, nine INTs on defense) and Adan Ellis (23 catches, 11 touchdowns), are back.
“Adan Ellis is a real key for us,” Greene said. “He’s our best defensive lineman and he’s got great hands.” On defense, Ellis led the team with six quarterback sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
Seactis Woodruff, a stalwart on both the offensive and defensive lines is also back.
The Red Devils will also mix in some younger players and newcomers. Greene said one newcomer to watch will be Caleb Cummins, a freshman at running back and linebacker.
“He will be an outstanding player. He’s a good linebacker. He’s a great run-stopper, he needs to work on his coverage,” Greene said.
Neah Bay should cruise through its regular season. Greene said Concrete could be a tough game. “They’ve always played us tough. We struggled with the for two or three quarters last year.”
That is the final regular-season game of the year, in Neah Bay on Nov. 1.
Because of the expansion of the Northwest 1B League, the Red Devils don’t get to play as many nonleague games as they have in the past. One gigantic game on their schedule is Sept. 14 against Liberty Christian at a neutral site at Everett Memorial Stadium. The Red Devils beat Liberty Christian in the state semifinals in 2022 and again in the state quarterfinals in 2023.
“That’s a good early test for both of us,” he said.
Greene is concerned that Charles Wright canceled the scheduled Sept. 6 game in Neah Bay, meaning the Red Devils could go into that Liberty Christian game for its first contest of the year. Greene is working on getting another game scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 6.
“That’s a team where I’d like to have a game under our belt,” he said.
While Liberty Bell is gone, Greene has his eye on Wahkiakum, a powerful 2B team that has moved down to 1B.
Neah Bay Red Devils
• Coach: TJ Greene
• Last year: 9-3, made it to state semifinal, losing to Liberty Bell, which is no longer a 1B school.
• Key returners: Jodell Wimberley, Sr., RB, DB; Mathias Greene, So., QB, LB; Makyah Chambers, Sr., WR, DB; Adan Ellis, Sr., WR, LB; Seactis Woodruff, Sr., OL, DL; Tyler Swan, Jr., FB, LB.
• Newcomers: Lelan Greene, Jr., OL, DT; Caleb Cummins, Fr., RB, LB.
• Strengths: Very experienced, returning 15 starters on offense and defense. Raw speed and dynamic playmakers. Tenacious on defense. Easily one of the top 1B teams in the state.
• Areas to improve: Biggest concern is replacing last year’s center Joshua Angeles.
• Outlook: This might be Neah Bay’s best shot at a state championship since 2017. Liberty Bell, the team that beat Neah Bay two years in a row, is now a 2B school and no longer in the way. Team needs to stay healthy as injuries have hurt the Red Devils in past years.
• Schedule: Sept. 6, game canceled; Sept. 14, 4 p.m. vs. Liberty Christian at Everett Memorial Stadium; Sept. 20, 7 p.m., Quilcene; Sept. 27, 5 p.m. at Muckleshoot; Oct. 4, 5 p.m. at Darrington; Oct. 12, 1 p.m. at Crescent; Oct. 18, 7 p.m., Lummi; Oct. 25, 7 p.m., Tulalip Heritage; Nov. 1, 6 p.m., Concrete.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
