This season has been a replay for the Sunnyside and Connell football teams.

The Grizzlies and Eagles again started the season with daunting opening few weeks, which led to records not reflective of their team’s talent level, from which both are now rebounding.

Sunnyside began the season against a strong Skyline program at home, traveled to meet a Coeur d’Alene team that’s one of the top in Idaho, then opened their conference slate against Moses Lake and Eastmont, which sit first and second in the CBBN standings.

The result was a 0-4 record, after a late would-be tying scoring drive was halted against the Wildcats.

“We had a chance to play Skyline, a good program with great tradition and Coeur d’Alene, which is in the same boat,” Grizzlies coach Marshall Lobbestael said. “Both teams offered us opportunities to play systems on offense or defense that are close to teams in our league and obviously tough.  Wanted the opportunity to challenge our kids.”

Connell followed a similar path, although its near-miss was in a season-opening 6-0 loss at Zillah, that nearly became a win when an Eagles receiver nearly scored an 80-yard passing play, only to be caught at the 2-yard line.

Defending CWAC champion Othello then visited Connell, and with the SCAC repeating the order of opponents while flipping the site, a trip to five-time defending Class 1A champion Royal followed.

Like 2024, the Eagles found themselves 0-3.

“We have a good football team,” Connell coach Scott Forsyth said. “I just straight up told them that, ‘mark my words, if we get through this stretch, we’re going to be 3-3.’”

And that’s where the Eagles were entering last week’s matchup with Cashmere.

Connell won three straight handily, averaging nearly 65 points per contest.

Key to the Eagles revival has been senior quarterback Hunter VanHollebeke, who leads the SCAC in passing with 1,632 yards, and had thrown for 19 touchdowns against nine interceptions.

VanHollebeke took over after the graduation of Carson Lloyd, a threat with his arm and legs who earned honorable mention all-league honors.

“He’s a very  smart player and very coachable,” Forsyth said. “He wanted to put in a new concept into our scheme and he threw a touchdown on his play.”

The Grizzlies, too, have a new quarterback in junior Julian Villanueva, who has thrown for 1,171 yards and 12 touchdowns, and also gained 235 yards on the ground.

“The focus in the summer and fall camp was to figure out who we were going to have at offensive line, what their strengths and abilities are and pair that with what our quarterback's strengths are,” 

Lobbestael said. “Having (CBBN leading rusher Derek Hansen) and Julian together in the backfield helps the competitive and tough attitude our offense needs to have to compete.”

Sunnyside won back-to-back games – winning big at West Valley and cruising by Davis at home – before a bye last week. The Grizzlies head to Wenatchee on Friday, in a matchup that will likely decide the third and fourth CBBN berths to the Week 10 state qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Connell will try to bounce back from a loss against Cashmere. The Eagles cap their conference schedule with trips to Wapato and Wahluke.

Adversity early on should carry them through.

“We liken things to life,” Forsyth said. “When you lose three games, that’s like life – you’re going to get knocked down.”