Family. That is the one word first-year Enterprise High School football coach Mike Rowley uses to describe his team this year. We take care of each other, Rowley said. The team is really coming together and the older players are helping the younger players.

Strong senior leadership comes from both sides of the line this year. Last years leading rusher Marcus Lynn returns at tailback. Lynn also plays on the defensive side, and in the opinion of coach Rowley, is the best cornerback in the Blue Mountain District. Lynn earned district first team defense honors last season as a junior.

The EHS Outlaws defense returns leading tackler, 62 190-pound middle linebacker Michael Baty. Baty also provides protection on the offensive line.

The Outlaws strength this year is personified in lineman Erich Roepke. The 215-pound senior received second team honors last year as a place kicker, and after a summer of hard work looks to anchor the line. Roepke has been working with strength expert Ray Hickman this summer and has recorded a 350-pound bench press.

Rowley listed team speed and more time spent working with weights as strengths this year. Enterprise High School was the recipient of a state-of-the-art weight room donated by Washington State University.

Parental and community support is tremendous this year. The new weight room is just icing on the cake. We are grateful and thankful to all the folks who helped us with the weight room, Rowley said.

Assistant coaches Sam Magera and Aaron Johnson join Rowley looking to build upon a successful season last year that ended with a 6-3 overall record and fourth place in league play at 3-3, the teams best finish in the five-year history in the Blue Mountain Conference.

The Outlaws overall turnout for football was a little low this year and is listed by Rowley as one of the challenges facing the team. We wish wed had a few more kids out, but the kids we have are a core group who want to be here, he said.

The season starts this year on Sept. 8, with the Outlaws on the road to Dayton, Wash. The Outlaws varsity schedule has only three home games this season and five on the road.

The 2011 EHS Outlaw football roster: seniors Pedro Aguiluz, Juame Anasotasio, Michael Baty, Duncan Christman, Dustin Denton, Brock Hayes, Marcus Lynn, Erich Roepke, Dusty Royse and Stefan Quarrey; juniors Jacob Curtis, Dustin Dean, Cody Duquette, Joseph Harshman, Jordan Wulf; sophomores Caden Christman, Damon Greenshields, Luke Moore, Tristan Moorehouse, Kyle Roepke, Cody White; and freshmen Daniel Kohlepp, Nikolai Christoffersen, John Garland, Brock Hickman, Cody Irish and Tyler Johnson.