sports CORRESPONDENT

No. 3.

Do the Burien Bearcats Junior Football League Seniors division players want to finish third in the standings as a goal?

Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. They are No.1, let's get that straight. So what's the 'No.3' mean?

"Three-peat, baby, three-peat," said defensive coordinator Milt Chatman, longtime success story for this team that won it all in 1999, lost title game in 2000 and 2001 and won it all again in 2003 and again in 2004.

The Bearcats' oldest division 14-15 year olds are going for something that's hard to do. In fact, so far it's been an impossibility in the years and years of past JFL Seniors division action.

"Three-peat, that's right, going for number three," said Jackson, listening to Chatman and inserting some individual spin to his quotes. "No, it's never been done."

Talk to the coaches, like Chatman, George Jackson, and offensive coordinator, John Howard, and that 'Yes' dosen't deserve a question mark after it. Yes, they will do it. Yes, they will be winning an unprecedented third straight title in the playoffs title game this coming November.

"These guys haven't lost since 2002," said Howard.

Why is this seniors division Burien Bearcats team so good year after year?

"We make them work hard in practice, so they are ready for the game," said Jackson.

Jackson kind of sits back from the limelight, at least he was this practice, really issuing out understanding that this team not only has players that play like pros they have coaches that coach like pros.

Jackson hardly said a word the final hour of practice, but he did notice that the boys hitting the sleds looked ready.

"I am looking at these guys," said Jackson. "We got some linemen."

Line coach Vern Bryant was the one talking to the players, teaching them how to hit the sled and keep the wheels driving. No, it was not good if players didn't keep driving the wheels.

Bryant tried to tell them to 'Hit it, go, go, go' as he shouted for the four, five at a time all pushing the sled around for 10 seconds or so.

But then they heard Bryant yell 'stop' after a group was pushing the sled and the rest were behind watching.

"Down for 10 (push ups)," said Bryant. "Everybody push up position. Anyone know why you are doing push ups now?"

A player shot out, "Because we weren't listening and you were talking."

Bryant retorted, "No, that's not it. There is one thing that we are not going to do. We are not going to give up. I saw three people giving up on pushing that sled and didn't say anything the first two times. If you lose, you still win, if you had made your best effort. You need to make your best effort or next time it will be 20, then 30, then 40...You know why everyone wants Burien? They do not give up."

So, that's just the line coach and those motivational words will about make anyone, even a reporter, want to drop down while listening and do 10 push ups.

There's going to be some words from Chatman one can always guess, a defense so stingy on giving up points it would make ole Ebenezer Scrooge look like a big giver.

"We got some guys," said Chatman, adding, shouting, "Beasts! Denzel Deloney. Beast!. A.J. Franklin. Beast!"

The team's going to be ready to go even though the quarterback position was slightly up in the air. Brandon Howard looks like a frontrunner and maybe Jamal Johnson could get the nod too.

"We're going to take it again," said Brandon Howard.

There are no other teams close to the seniors in terms of winning so much, not even close. But many want to be like their biggest brothers of the division. One is the next notch down from them, the juniors, and first-year coach Anthony Franklin hopes to teach them a thing or two, about football.

"You see here, this sagging," said Franklin, pointing to a player he noticed with droopy shorts showing his bloomers. "There will be no sagging, only your mom or your grandma needs to see you in your underwear. We don't need no hoodlums. Do you understand?"

"Yes, coach," came the perfect-sounding, uniform response from the players.

"Last year was not too well for this Juniors division,"said Franklin, adding, "But I wasn't here and neither were the other coaches here. We are going to have a different offense, a different defense, everything is going to be different."

How will the Juniors be different, and in this case, 'different' means "better."

"We are explosive," said Franklin. "We have a lot of speed. Our offense is going to be hard to figure out. Definitely it is going to be a high-octane offense."

Some of that speed belongs to Jamar Culcleasure, a running back. "He's going to be a stud," said Franklin, who also wanted to put a watch out for the league for center on offense and tackle on defense, Cody Tredenbarger.

"We are just developing leaders at this 12 years of age level, but Cody is one of them," said Franklin. So is Napa Mefi, the team's quarterback.

"He is going to be a good quarterback," said Franklin. "He played safety last year but the year before that he was the quarterback when the 10-11's went to the championship a couple years ago."

Another name is on defense, Anthony Trahan, who also is a wide receiver with some of that speed Franklin spoke of earlier as a strength for this Juniors team.

"He's a name you need to know," said Franklin.

He likes his running backs, Jamar Culcleasure, Jabarrie McMeekan and DeShawn Bradford.

"He will have as many yards as any tailback in the league, he is very explosive," said Franklin.

Franklin also wanted his other coaches to become known, who are defensive coordinator John Laufasa, assistants Eddie Antuna and Shaun Tarantola, with the latter also being the first-year head coach for Evergreen High School in football this coming season.

The next age group down the line is the Bantams, who were a little better than .500 at 4-3 but did not make the playoffs. They are coached by James Curtis and assistants Jay Gibson and Anthony Quarrels, coaching the offense and backs respectively.

"A lot of kids are brand new," said Curtis. "They don't know terms like 'backfield' and 'outside containment.,' But once they learn they will be doing good. Until then, it will be frustrating to them. They will then know why coach is yelling at them and will therefore have more fun."

Looks like far as numbers go, this Bearcats team is fair to middle, at 35 kids suited up in practices leading up to the first game Sept. 10 versus Renton at Renton Stadium. The Bearcats first appearance locally, at Highline Stadium, will be Sept. 24 versus CD (central district of Seattle).

The players to watch will be the quarterback, Kendall Spiess, whom Curtis noted is a 'good thrower and good leader.'

Another mentioned player was middle linebacker Albert Ahfua. He's a big strong guy. He's fast. I think he is going to give a lot of people problems."

Next down the divisional line of this Burien-centered football organization for kids is the 89ers coached by Karl Smith.

"Last year we went 3-5, and we are a lot younger this year," said Smith. That sounds bad, like the experience just won't be there. It may not be a good year, but it might, according to Smith.

"We have some talent," he said. "We got some smart kids, some speed. We could use more size."

Smith mentioned returners quarterback Devon Proszek and running backs Andrew Callaway and D.J. Kirkley.

"These are the two fastest guys but there are also others," he said.