The Bothell Cougars, with their recent 27-11 loss to Capital last Friday, started a football season 0-3 for the first time under head coach Tom Bainter. The Cougars’ record, however, is a disguised 0-3 as the team took on all three of the top-ranked teams in 4A (Skyline), 3A (Bellevue, ranked No. 5 in the country) and 2A (Capital) in the first three weeks.

The Reporter recently caught up with Coach Bainter, who shared his thoughts on the team’s torturous schedule, and what lies ahead for his team.

Q: As frustrating as it is to start a season 0-3, you have seen two of the state’s top teams in Skyline and Bellevue and another tough opponent in Capital. What has playing these top-tier opponents taught your team?

A: We played three outstanding football teams with combined record of 9-0.  The teams we played were very disciplined and made very few mistakes.  We have too many pre-snap penalties and are working hard to correct those errors.  The character of our team is being tested and I’m anxious to find out how we react.

Q: As the Kingco league season gets underway and the games start to count, what will be your key points of focus to earn wins?

A: The good news is we are 0-0 in league play and that all of our pre-season goals are intact.  The keys to success in the Kingco schedule is to focus on our individual assignments and responsibilities, trust our teammates to do their jobs, and play with a renewed energy – with passion for the game and one another.

Q: On Saturday you play Eastlake, a very young team that has been through a lot already with the resignation of longtime coach Gene Dales. What’s the scouting report on the Wolves and what’s the mindset heading into your Kingco league opener this weekend?

A: Eastlake is a very athletic group with great team speed.  Assignment football with zero mental mistakes will be important if we are going to be successful.  We must find a way to score touchdowns in the red zone.  This should be a great game and the first time we’ve played Eastlake since 2007.