ALL-TIME MOUNTAINEER / HORNET DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE: Victor Ranta (1924): A member of the 1923 team that won the first league championship in team history. In what might be the most impressive single player stat in team history, according to the Buckley Banner from 10/23/25 “Victor Ranta only gave up a total of 13 yards around his side during his entire career as a Mountaineer”. Ranta continued his playing career at the University of Washington.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Chuck Moriarty (1974): The All Time team leader in tackles per season with 133, Moriarty was such an aggressive and relentless player that he went through eight helmets his senior year. That he holds the tackling record is even more impressive when you consider that Morairty was a Noseguard and fighting through double-team blocks on most plays.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Bob Demko (1946): Selected to play in the All-State game, Demko was also a first team All-League lineman as both a junior and senior as well as a second team selection his sophomore year, Demko lettered all four years he played for Buckley High School. Was awarded the Most Inspirational player award as a junior, he was the first winner of this award in team history. He continued his playing career at UPS.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Joe Blas (2000) Blas was named the Pierce County League Defensive Lineman of the year, and he was also selected as a First team Offensive Lineman. Blas was a member of the Defense that recorded the most QB sacks in a season (23). He continued his playing career at McPhearson College (KS) and went on to become a Surgeon.

LINEBACKER: Ralph Bauman (1959) Ralph Bauman was a fearsome middle linebacker who still appears in the record books for this team in four categories. Bauman continued his playing career at UPS where he was named an All-American his senior year, he is also the only member of this team selected to the UPS sports Hall of Fame and the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame.

LINEBACKER: Josh Fetter (1990) A first team All-League selection as both a Running Back and Linebacker, he was selected as team MVP and the key player in a defense that allowed the fewest points in the Pierce County League. He played in the All-State game his senior year and continued his career at the University of Idaho where he was named team captain his senior year.

LINEBACKER: Sheldon Horton (1997) An All-State selection, Sheldon Horton is the only defender to show up in the team records for most tackles per season all three years he played. If you average all his 326 career tackles by the number of games he played for WRHS, Horton had an average of 11.6 tackles a game in his White River career. Horton continued his playing career at WWU.

CORNERBACK: Luke Scott (1978): Scott was a key member of the 1978 defense that held opponents to a mere 6.6 points per game. A large part of that team’s success was the 10 interceptions Scott came up with his senior year, including one to secure the win against Enumclaw with 23 seconds left in the game.

CORNERBACK: Bob Price (1988): A 1st team All-League Cornerback, Price was responsible for matching up against the other team’s best receiver. Faced with this responsibility, as a senior he led the league in interceptions his senior year.

SAFETY: Mark Ross: (1965): One longtime Hornet called Mark Ross the “Best all-around athlete we have ever had at White River”! Ross still appears in the team records in five categories: interceptions in a game, kickoff return, rushing touchdowns for a season and career as well as yards rushing in a season.

SAFETY: Jason Gran (2003) Gran was an All-State player and First Team selection for the Seamount League as a Defensive Back, he was also named the League Defensive Back of the year. Gran was also named to the Tacoma News Tribune 2003 All-Area Football team as a Defensive Back.Gran continued his playing career at CWU.

The following players were also nominated to the All-Time Defensive Team. Their effort, dedication and talent place them in the elite ranks of Mountaineers & Hornets.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Charles Lappenbusch (1923-1926)

George Garnero (1927-1930)

Hugh MacWhirter (1933-1936)

Blake Maresh (2009-2011)

LINEBACKERS

Andy Lazor (1942-1944)

Kelly Boyle (1980-1982)

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS/DEFENSIVE ENDS

David McCoy (1931-1934)

Dave Smith (1943-1945)

Kevin Kruse (1988-1990)