HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL The Mark Morris Monarchs are close. They're close to breaking out, but right now they're a sputtering engine, kicking and wanting to turnover. There's no rhythm and offensive production is inconsistent.
Through two games of the 2024 season, Mark Morris has produced just 18 total points — 12 in its week 1 loss to Kelso and only six in its ugly 46-6 loss to Seton Catholic on Friday the 13th. No rhythm. That's the kicker, but that's what Mike Peck, the newest Mark Morris coach, was hired for.
Peck, a former R.A. Long QB and alumnus, has established himself as an offensive guru through his coaching career.
His track record when dealing with offenses, highlighted by his air-raid attack, is nothing short of superb. But it doesn't happen overnight. "It's a new system on offense, new system on defense, and we're just trying to get a little bit better each game," Peck said.
"It takes time, and there's a reason a lot of people don't throw the ball and spread it out, because it's tough to get good at. We've been learning about our personnel and what they're good at, what they're comfortable with, and making adjustments as we go along. And like I said, on offense, in defense, we're really close to putting all the pieces together.
" Offensively, Peck and the Monarchs have a plethora of talented parts under the hood, but getting those parts to operate as one humming machine is the trick. Peck said he opted for two tough, non-league opponents to open the season to both battle-test his team and for him to isolate kinks to work out. "We want those (kinks) to get exposed, and they have – I thought we did a much better job executing the offense today and taking advantage of the space the defense was giving us," Peck said of the Monarchs week 2 efforts.
"And again, like I've told the kids, the whole process is to get us ready for league (play)." Receiver Deker Bartell, whose role on the offense has been instrumental in its early stages, said there is room for improvement. "I think we can move the ball better," he said.
"We got a lot of work in and this will prepare us for league play." Though Peck's offensive is heavy through the air, it may be senior running back Kenneth Mullen, Jr. who will have the biggest impact.
With a successful run game keeping the defense honest, it will open up more for the passing game. Against Seton Catholic, Mullen rattled off 45 yards off 14 carries on the ground with a pair of receptions and 10 yards through the air. While it's not where Mullen or Peck want it to be, there are sparks.
"We're a little shaky, (it's) a new beginning," he said. Mullen added the passing game and read options are a work in progress, but he did see improvement in the defensive effort and pursuit to the ball. Bartell said he has bought into Peck's offensive scheme, too.
He hauled in a team-leading seven catches for 80 yards on top of the Monarchs' lone touchdown in week 2. Bartell's touchdown, a beautiful back corner fade from Carter Huhta, gave Monarch fans a peek of its potential. 'Close to bursting out' Huhta has been rotating at the quarterback position with Nate Stephens.
"They both have done everything we've asked them since day one when we showed up," Peck said. "They both have earned the right to be on the field on Friday nights and they both have different skill sets that we need to highlight when they're in. In a perfect world, we have one QB that is getting all the reps because it's such a rhythm position.
" The decision is still open for who will lead the Monarchs through the remainder of the season — or if Peck will run situational packages, but the game is trending in the right direction. "After watching film (versus Kelso), we were able to fix some (errors)," Peck said. "We had some good sustained drives, hit some of our second or third options on some of our RPO stuff.
The more we can utilize our athletes in space, the better. And as QB, you got to be a point guard in our system. And if they know where to go with the football and get rid of it quickly and get the ball to some of our athletes in space, that's when we're at our best.
" During week 2, the Monarchs were screen heavy while sprinkling in shots down field. "This is who we are," Peck said. "We love four verts.
" In fact, all of the Monarchs touchdowns have come off that call. Forcing the opposing defense to cover all 53.5 yards for 48 minutes is a tall task.
And again, that's where the importance of the run game comes in. The Monarchs only produced 221 total yards of offense on Friday, but expect that number to increase with each passing week. After a big year in 2023, receiver Brady Schlecht registered just two catches for 10 yards.
Mac West, a standout tight end, wasn't recorded on the stat sheet. Mark Morris will host Columbia River on Friday, Sept. 20 at Longview Memorial Stadium with hopes that the engine that is the Monarchs' offense will ignite.
Both teams are in the Greater St. Helens 2A league. "I see a lot of signs of us getting really close to bursting out, and it's going to happen," Peck said, "and it's going to be freaking awesome.
" Get local news delivered to your inbox!.
