For the love of the game: Thunder will roll across Colfax turf for 7th grid season

Thunder players, including Colfax grad Silas Rohner, center, warm up for practice Saturday.

Pro-like football will hit the Colfax gridiron as the Palouse Thunder minor league team will make the Colfax field their home this spring for the five games.

Made up of players from area high schools and former WSU and UI grid warriors, the Thunder kicks off its run through the six-team Washington Football League this Saturday at Wenatchee.

“It’s for the love of the game. These guys are out there because they want to be out there,” said Coach Jerry Lema, who founded the team in 2003.

Thunder owner Joe Williams, a former WSU player who also plays fullback for the squad, said he was happy to have the Colfax field as a full-time home for the Thunder this season.

Players hop the fence to get to practice on the WSU rugby field on Grimes Way.

“We’ve had a tough time keeping a field,” he said of the team’s previous seasons.

They also had a tough time practicing last Saturday.

Williams worked to secure a practice site on the WSU football field, but nobody from the university unlocked the gates.

So, Williams and the two dozen members of the Thunder had to toss their balls, pads and bodies over the cyclone fence in their final tune-up before Saturday’s season opener.

“That’s the final cut,” said Williams. “If they’ll hop the fence to practice, they’ve got the hunger to play.”

“We are happy to let them have the field,” said Colfax School Supt. Michael Morgan. “I’m really kind of excited to see them play.”

The Thunder is renting the field from the school, with the proceeds going into the ASB treasury.

The Thunder will make their Colfax debut March 26 against the Okanagan Commandos. Admission will be $5 per game or $20 per season.

Colfax has three alums on the squad: tight end Silas Rohner, receiver Kyle McPherson and defensive back Dustin Dawson.

A slough of other players hail from Colton, Moscow and Pullman high schools as well.

Lema said several players on the Thunder roster are university students who hope to get a shot at making the area college teams. He noted none of the players on the team can be considered professionals because they are not paid.

This year will mark the seventh WFL season for the Thunder. They play in the league with teams from Wenatchee, Okanagon, Hermiston, Spokane and the Tri-Cities.

website: palousethunder.webs.com