The future of high school football on Whidbey looks bright after a youth team’s recent success.

On Nov. 8, the Oak Harbor Football and Cheer League’s senior division football team beat Arlington 28-20 in Arlington to win the championship, a fitting conclusion to a flawless, 8-0 regular season. That makes for two championships won by the same core group of players in their time competing in the North Cascade Youth Football League, their first coming in 2022 on a younger team.

“It’s awesome,” Head Coach Lampton Lawrence said. “I think the boys deserved it. That was our goal from the beginning, and it’s a big accomplishment.”

Assistant Coach Isaac Santiago recalled a close game, with running back Brycen Vesco scoring four touchdowns and crucial contributions — like sacks — coming from a variety of players. The win came despite facing what was, in Santiago’s opinion, an excellent opposing quarterback.

Both coaches emphasized the importance of the team’s chemistry to their success, seeing as many players had grown up competing with one another; kids ages seven to 14 are permitted to participate in the North Cascade Youth Football League.

“They’ve been together a long time and it’s just what they do,” Lawrence said. “They’re winners.”

The coaching staff would know. Lawrence and Santiago began coaching about five years ago, each bringing experience playing semi-pro football to their roles.

Witnessing his players’ progression has been special for Santiago, and sending them off from the program admittedly bittersweet. As part of the senior division team, all of the players are aging out.

“They grew on me as well as I grew on them,” he said. “It went from them not knowing how to block, catch a ball, throw a ball, to them mastering the block, catching the ball. I think (Oak Harbor) high school is going to be so lucky to have these kids.”

If the core manages to stick together as they begin their high school football careers, Santiago and Lawrence believe last weekend’s championship may not be their last.

“I’m encouraging them all,” Lawrence said. “I’d like to see every single one of them continue and give this a try on the next level, and hopefully they do. They’ve got a great chance in a few years to have some success on the high school level.”