Titans’ linemen have become a cohesive group in offseason

Union seniors Ryan Carl and Mou Letioa challenged themselves in different ways leading up to their final high school football season.

For Carl, a returning 4A Greater St. Helens League first-team pick at left tackle, that meant following a simple routine to fill out his undersized frame.

“Eating and lifting, that’s the main ones,” Carl said with a laugh. “I was definitely undersized and I’m still undersized . … I gained probably 20-25 pounds, squatted a lot, benched a good amount and I can see that development in practice so far, so I’m ready to use it on other teams.”

Letioa, a two-way standout at linebacker and right tackle, focused on how he could make a bigger impact off the field.

“Just to be a better leader, hold others accountable and try to bring everybody together (to) be a whole team,” Letioa said.

Those are just two examples on a Titans team that continues to hold players to a higher standard in head coach Steve Pyne’s second year.

A key area of emphasis is the offensive line, where Carl and Letioa are joined by Gustav Seidel (left guard), Angel Silva (center) and Faauiga Letioa (right guard) to form a unit that returns four of five starters.

At the end of last season’s 2-6 campaign, the group was playing at a high level together and the momentum hasn’t stopped, Pyne said.

“Physically, they had a year and a whole offseason in our program, the way I want to do things,” Pyne said. “And then, the maturity, the experience thing, the confidence they’ve gained over the last third of the season has carried into the offseason. … They’re quick to be coached and they’re a real cohesive group.”

Led by offensive line coach Justen Wochnick, who won two state titles as a member of Camas’ staff, the O-line will be looked on to continue growing into a consistent force.

“That will be the biggest thing for us,” Pyne said of the line.

That’s especially important within a Union offense still working out a few key pieces, including a three-man quarterback battle between Blake McDonald, Armani Tonga and Gabe Kilgras.

Receiver depth will also be thin after Union lost two players to season-ending ACL injuries in the spring. Kellen Brown, EJ Tonga and Blake Childreth are currently penciled in atop the depth chart.

Key players

• Tobias Chappell, sr., TE/LB: Athletic, high-IQ player filled in at center last year when the Titans needed a replacement. This season, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior will be a key two-way player and emotional leader for the Titans.
• Mou Letioa, sr., LB/OL: The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder brings size and strength at outside linebacker, and is also one of four returners on the team’s offensive line.
• Kellen Brown, sr., WR/DB: A team captain who sets a high standard for himself and teammates, according to Pyne, Brown brings track speed and sure hands as the Titans’ top receiver.
• Blake McDonald, sr., QB: Union’s returning starter is in an ongoing competition for QB1 with juniors Armani Tonga and Gabe Kilgras. “He’s shed about 15-20 pounds in the offseason, he looks really good (and) he’s making better decisions,” Pyne said.
• Ryan Carl, sr., OL/DL: The Titans’ lone returning first-team all-leaguer is a key piece of the offensive line at left tackle.

Season outlook

Pyne won five state championships at Portland’s Central Catholic High School, but he and his staff had their work cut out for them coming into a rebuilding Union program last year.

“There was a lot of — how do I put it nicely — non-championship level standards,” Pyne said. “In terms of accountability to get to practice on time, to communicate, to get stuff done in the classroom. We had a lot of growing pains last year, including me, coming from a place where that was kind of expected and we had built that over the years.”

Pyne called it a wake-up call for the coaching staff, and they got creative finding new ways to foster an environment of accountability and responsibility.

Union ran an offseason program called “The Foundation,” a competition divided into six teams in which players would get rewarded in a point system for anything from attending weight room sessions, to doing community service on their own time.

At the end, the winning team was rewarded with a steak dinner at The Hammond.

The bigger reward for the Titans has been a carry-over into their intensity and energy level during practices.

“Guys are invested in what we’re doing,” Pyne said.

Union Titans

Coach: Steve Pyne (second season)

2024: 2-6, 1-2, third in 4A GSHL

SCHEDULE

Sept. 5 Evergreen, 7 p.m.

Sept. 12 Woodinville, 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 19 at Mountain View, 7 p.m.

Sept. 26 at Prairie, 7 p.m.

Oct. 3 at Tumwater, 7 p.m.

Oct. 10 Todd Beamer, 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 17 Skyview, 7 p.m.

Oct. 24 Camas, 7 p.m.

Oct. 30 at Battle Ground, 7 p.m.