Graphic courtesy Christopher Dahl/WinningSeasons
Next Saturday, Sid Otton will take aim at a sixth state title.
The winningest coach in Washington state high school football history, he is now in his 40th year at my true alma mater, Tumwater High School.
While preaching NGUNNGU (Never Give Up, Never Never Give Up) he and the T-Birds have won five state titles — the first one coming in 1987, sparked by my classmates like Larry Quartano and Sean Modun — and the most recent in 2010.
Next weekend, unbeaten Tumwater meets unbeaten arch-rival Lynden (the only team to ever beat THS in a state title game) for the 2A title. It’ll be the T-Birds seventh appearance in a championship game.
And, as my ninth grade health teacher wraps up his 46th year as a head football coach, Whidbey Island has to wonder — what could have been.
Before the four years he spent in Colfax and the 40 in Tumwater, Otton spent his first two years stalking the sidelines right here in Coupeville.
His first game, in 1967, was a 12-6 loss to Granite Falls, a school the Wolves still play all these years later. The only difference is Coupeville was B-11 and Granite 1A at the time, and 46 years later both schools have moved up a slot to 1A and 2A, respectively.
In an article in The Olympian in September, Otton was quoted by writer Meg Wochnick about his brief time in the red and black:
“You’re young, out of college and you’re really excited. It was a neat experience,” Otton said. “My wife (Marjean, then age 20) would go scouting with me to all the games.
“The people there were really nice. It was a quick learning experience.”
So, what if he had stayed? What if there was no Colfax, no Tumwater? Would Coupeville be the premier football school in the state?
Would Otton have worked his magic with players bearing the last names Sherman, Bagby and King instead of Gurnsey, Lowe and Hicks?
What could have been…
Graphic above courtesy:
Coupeville Sports 
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