Skyline's Stray making up for lost time

Bret Stray savors every second he's on the football field.

Playing time is always precious at this point of the season. It means your team is good enough to be in a state-championship game. And that you're healthy enough to contribute.

After missing nearly the final third of Skyline's regular season with an ankle sprain, Stray has been making up for lost time.

"I think he's probably had his two best rushing games the last two weeks," Coach Steve Gervais said. "He's real healthy and strong and he's playing real solid, great football for us."

The senior fullback has piled up 302 yards and six touchdowns in the past two playoff games to power the second-ranked Spartans (12-0) into Friday's Class 3A championship showdown with No. 4 Lakes (12-0) at 7:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Dome.

Stray is loving every minute of it.

"It's tough when you're injured and you can't be out there," he said. "But this totally makes it worthwhile. You really enjoy the game more (after an injury). You're a lot more thankful for playing and being healthy."

Teammates are thankful he's back.

"He plays huge on both sides of the ball," quarterback Mitch Browne said of Stray, who also starts at linebacker. "Defensively, he's hard to replace, and on offense, he never gets brought down for a loss."

For the season, Stray (6 feet 2, 215 pounds) has 924 yards on 149 carries with 19 touchdowns, including a career-high 184 yards on 28 attempts in Skyline's triple-overtime game against Mercer Island, when the ankle sprain worsened. He had similar totals for nine games as a junior (172 carries, 940 yards, 15 TDs).

Gervais believes Stray can be a successful college running back.

"He has great speed, great strength and great bursts," the coach said. "And he has great vision."

And when opponents see Stray coming, they can never be sure what he'll do. Sometimes, even he isn't certain, which is partly why he prefers playing offense to defense.

"I have better instincts when I have the ball than when I don't," Stray said. "I'm better at making people miss or surprising them by running them over."

He would love nothing more than to run over Lakes--for his team, himself and his brother. Bart Stray was an all-state safety on the 1997 Issaquah team that lost to Lakes in the state quarterfinals with Bret, a freshman at Skyline at the time, watching in the stands. The Lancers went on to win the state championship.

"I've always wanted to play them," Bret said. "I think it's going to be a little bit of revenge, like it's their turn (to lose).

"I realize this is a once-in-a-lifetime deal to be in this situation. I think any other team in the state would give anything to be wearing our jerseys right now."