Bothell is one of six teams that will participate in the Dec. 27 Burger King Championship Bowl Series for high school football in Boca Raton, Fla.
This is the first-ever series of this nature, and I had a chance to talk with Bothell head coach Tom Bainter about the selection process and how the Cougars have been approaching the game.
The WIAA was one of just three interscholastic athletic associations that agreed to participate in the event, with Florida and Utah being the other two. Washington’s 3A state champion, No. 23 Eastside Catholic will also be participating.
Bainter told me that initially, the company putting on the event had invited Bellevue to play, but it declined to participate. At that point, the invitation was extended to the team that won the 4A state championship, which ultimately ended up being Bothell.
Bothell will face Miami Central High School, which is ranked No. 6 in USA Today’s Super 25 poll (Bothell is ranked 16th). Eastside Catholic plays Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.).
Before the invitation could be accepted, Bothell needed approval from its principal, the school board, the superintendent, and ultimately the WIAA.
Participating in this event was contingent upon Bothell athletes being allowed to practice winter sports and football simultaneously – the football team has five athletes who play basketball, five wrestlers, and two swimmers.
“What I have said is that if basketball practice or wrestling or dive is happening at the same time as football, then they will go to their winter sport,” Bainter said.
Bothell football took last week off before returning to practice Monday. It also took this Wednesday off. Aside from that, the preparation for Miami Central has been pretty normal.
The task at hand is certainly a great one, though – Miami Central has won the last three 6A state titles in Florida and four of the last five.
Bainter said Bothell has four games of film on Miami Central and that “they are fast and they are very talented. This will be the best team we’ve played, maybe in the last 15 years.”
Based on those four games, Bainter said the Rockets are capable of throwing out a number of different formations and can also mix it up with both the running game and passing.
“In the four games we have, they threw the ball 32 times in one game and as low as eight in another game,” he said.
In the 6A state championship in Florida this year, Miami Central running back Anthony Jones – a Florida International commit – ran for 199 yards and three touchdowns.
But in the games when the Rockets air it out, they have one of the top high school receivers in the nation in Da’Vante Phillips. He’s ranked by ESPN as the No. 6 wide-out in the class of 2015 and has offers from a number of schools including Florida State, Miami, Auburn, and Alabama.
Defensively, Miami Central will be a challenge for Bothell as well. They had 83 total sacks this season, including four in the state championship.
A number of Miami Central’s defensive stars will play in college: defensive end Keivonnis Davis (Syracuse), defensive end Fermin Silva (Florida International), defensive back Calvin Brewton (Florida State).
The Cougars head to Florida after finishing the regular season 14-0, while Miami Central’s only loss came to No. 3 Booker T. Washington (Miami), which plays No. 8 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) on the 27th.
Bothell’s Christmas morning flight to Boca Raton will be chartered and includes a stop in Salt Lake City to pick up Bingham.
I asked Bainter what the excitement levels are like around the program right now, and he said initially some of the reactions were mixed. Most of his players were thrilled with the opportunity, but the thought of more practice after a long season and spending Christmas on a plane was tough for some kids.
But after meeting as a team and talking it through, everyone got on board with the fact that this game means one last time together as a team that has already accomplished so much.
“We feel a sense of responsibility. We’re playing for the state of Washington and all the teams that we’ve played and the teams that couldn’t go down,” Bainter said. “We’re really excited for this opportunity. It’s something that you don’t get to experience as a high school coach or a football player, or an athlete for that matter.”
The Burger State Champions Bowl Series will be televised Dec. 27 on ESPNU:
Eastside Catholic vs. Trinity Christian – 9 a.m.
Bothell vs. Miami Central – 1 p.m.
Bingham vs. Booker T. Washington – 5 p.m.
