Armstrong’s Team His Only Weakness
Participating in the East-West All-Star Summer Classic at Albi Stadium has put a positive spin on the end of Andy Armstrong’s high school football career.
Winning would be icing on the cake.
After back-to-back 1-8 seasons at Franklin Pierce High School near Tacoma, the 6-foot-2, 250-pound lineman didn’t expect he would get enough recognition to participate in the 7:30 p.m. game Friday at Albi Stadium.
“I was hoping,” Armstrong said during practice Tuesday morning at Gonzaga University, “but being 1-8, I was surprised.”
It didn’t take East head coach Pat Pfeiffer of Ferris “It was awful, but I’d try to have good seasons,” he said. “A good season would make up for having bad teams, but I’d rather win.”
Armstrong, who was also a heavyweight wrestler, was rewarded by being an all-league offensive and defensive lineman as a junior and senior and receiving a scholarship to Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, an NAIA power under coach Frosty Westering. Armstrong’s choices were limited by his desire to major in computer engineering, his size and the Cardinals’ lack of success.
“It’s a different program,” said Armstrong, who also received interest from Western and Central Washington, and Penn. “Instead of playing smash-mouth football like I’ve been playing, it’s more social. You learn from the other players.
“I’m not a blue-chip prospect; I don’t mind. I like smaller schools; you can get a better education. I don’t see myself going pro.”
Pfeifer said, “I think he may be a victim of being 6-2. Big-time people supposedly don’t recruit people under 6-4. They missed one. That’s part of one of those things when the computer is wrong and Frosty has another great player.”
College, though, is the future and Armstrong is just trying to improve on the past.
“I didn’t get the recognition; everything is by records,” he said. “I have to prove myself again. The coaches know a lot of these players. I’ve only played, basically, people from my area. I want to compete against them.
“I’m having fun; it’s a blast. There are some big boys, lots of competition. That’s what I like. Everyone can play, everyone’s the best. It’s unbelievable.”
Quick kicks
The Pierce County and Narrows leagues around Tacoma provided players for the East team to even out the population base… . East assistant coach Ken Emil of Colville played in the All-Star game. Other East assistant coaches are head coaches Jerry McCullough of North Central and Dave Curtis of Clarkston and Ferris assistant Bob Crabb… . Pfeifer’s replacement at Ferris next year is Lewis and Clark assistant Clarence Hough.
Area players on the East team include Rogers center Matt Miethe; NC defensive back Jimmy Lake; linebacker Jim Salters and defensive back Bob Strahl of Gonzaga Prep; lineman Gunder Gregerson of Central Valley; Mead quarterback Griffin Garske; defensive back Albert Mitchell and receiver/kicker Randy Jones of Ferris; East Valley defensive back Keith Osso; tight end Erich Hannan of Pullman; and receiver Jeremy Klug of Clarkston.
The game is for Class AAA and AA players. There was a game last Saturday in Yakima for Class A and B-11 players. Also on Friday night is a B-8 All-Star game in Odessa… . The Athletic Round Table is the major sponsor of this game and is providing the players with a barbecue tonight at GU… . Thursday the players will attend the Spokane Indians game.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo