The Montesano Bulldogs decided to get into the Halloween spirit early, turning Friday’s East County Rivalry game against Elma into an East County massacre.
Montesano scored 55 points in the first half en route to a 62-0 rout at Jack Rottle Field in Montesano.
The Bulldogs (7-2 overall, 3-1 1A Evergreen) played a complete, dominant game from start to finish.
Elma took the opening kickoff and drove to midfield before a fumble was recovered by Montesano linebacker Jaxson Wilson, the first of five turnovers committed by Elma on Friday.
Monte turned up the tempo on offense, using a no-huddle, hurry-up style that caused troubles for an Elma defense that had allowed 33 points a game this season.
Monte quickly charged downfield to go up 7-0 on a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jayden McElravy early in the first quarter.
Montesano’s Eli Jones recovered the ensuing onside kick and three plays later, Bulldogs running back Gabe Bodwell punched it in from 3-yards out for a 14-0 lead with 8:45 to go in the first quarter.
On Elma’s next possession, junior quarterback Carter Studer’s pass was intercepted by McElravy after a missed catch by an Elma receiver.
McElravy then guided the offense downfield — hitting receiver Kaleb Ames for a 19-yard reception — to stake the Bulldogs to a 1st-and-goal from the five. Bodwell ran it in for a 20-0 Monte lead.
Elma (2-7, 0-4) went three-and-out and Monte was quickly back in business, going up 27-0 on a McElravy 1-yard run, one play after he broke free for a 36-yard gain.
After Elma turned the ball over on downs just over midfield on the ensuing possession, Montesano scored its 34th point of the quarter when McElravy scored on a 29-yard run as time expired in the period.
The nightmare that was the first quarter continued for the Eagles in the second period.
Trying to find a spark for his offense, Elma head coach Ron Clark went for it on 4th-and-1 from Elma’s own 31-yard line, but Montesano’s defense was up to the task, stopping Studer at the line of scrimmage to give the ball back to the Bulldogs offense.
Three plays later, the Bulldogs were back in the end zone when McElravy scored from a yard out to go up 41-0.
After the kickoff, Wilson jumped a route and intercepted Studer for a 22-yard pick-six touchdown, giving Monte a 48-0 lead and its second touchdown in 12 seconds of game time.
Tyler Johansen intercepted Studer on Elma’s next possession and Monte capitalized once again, needing just two plays to cross the goal line as receiver Bode Poler scored on a 58-yard run with 6:35 left in the half, giving Montesano a 55-0 lead.
“The fact that we were able to create some turnovers, we haven’t been able to do that recently and I think that really changed the tide tonight,” Montesano head coach Terry Jensen said. “We were playing really fast tonight on both sides of the ball, and when we play fast we usually play pretty well. … We just hit on all cylinders tonight.”
With a running clock in the second half, Monte sophomore running back Christian Morris scored from a yard out to put Monte up 62-0 in the third quarter.
Montesano totalled 446 yards of offense, 378 of those on the ground led by McElravy (10 carries, 120 yards) and senior running back Cole Ekerson (7-107).
“I think we came out with a lot of confidence,” said Bodwell, who rushed for 60 yards on six carries. “It’s a rivalry game. We came out real hard with anger and we just hit them really hard. They didn’t expect it.”
Montesano’s defense handed Elma’s offense — which averaged 25 points a game heading into Friday’s contest — its first shutout of the season.
The Bulldogs held the Eagles to 155 yards of offense, including 26 rushing yards in the game.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma quarterback Carter Studer (12) throws a pass while being hurried by Montesano linebacker Peyton Damasiewicz during Montesano’s 62-0 win on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022 at Jack Rottle Field in Montesano.
“All week at practice we were amped up. (Last week’s loss to Tenino) really light a fire under us,” Montesano middle linebacker Mateo Sanchez said. “We just had to come out and play with some anger and some energy tonight. And I think we came out and started fast and we did our job. … When you follow a game plan that is well-put together and well-rehearsed, that is what happens when all 11 on your defense are buying in and working hard.”
Elma’s lone bright spot might have been the play of receiver Gibson Cain, who caught seven passes for 102 yards, including a 34-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter down to the Monte 17-yard line, Elma’s deepest penetration of the game.
Studer completed 11-of-25 passes for 135 yards with four interceptions.
Montesano will enter the 1A state crossover game as the 1A Evergreen League’s No. 2 seed and will face Seton Catholic this week in Montesano (time/date to be determined).
“We’re in season three now,” said Jensen, explaining that Montesano’s philosophy is season one is non-league games with season two being 1A Evergreen League play. “Everyone in the state is even. We are all 0-0 and you have to win or you go home.”
Elma 0 0 0 0 — 0
Montesano 34 21 70 — 62
First quarter
M — McElravy 1 run (Romero kick), 9:25
M — Bodwell 3 run (Romero kick), 8:45
M — Bodwell 5 run (kick fail), 6:44
M — McElravy 1 run (Romero kick), 2:49
M — McElravy 34 run (Romero kick), 0:00
Second quarter
M — McElravy 1 run (Romero kick), 9:23
M — Wilson 22 interception return (Romero kick), 9:11
M — Poler 58 run (Romero kick), 6:35
Third quarter
M — Morris 1 run (Sanchez kick), 1:33
Fourth quarter
None
Rushing: M — McElravy 10-120, Ekerson 7-107, Bodwell 6-60, Poler 1-53, Morris 9-19, Pyhala 3-12, Bove 1-3, Eaton 2-4, Flink 3-0. E — Phillips 11-27, Muller 1-1, Studer 4-(-3).
Passing: M — 5-6-0-68. E — Studer 11-25-4-135, Hackney 0-1-0-0.
Receiving: M — Ekerson 3-53, Ames 1-19, Johansen 1-(-3). E — Cain 7-102, Hackney 2-19, Camus 2-14.
