Lineman accounts for three touchdowns as Grizzlies beat Elma

Aside from an offensive lineman continuing to produce touchdowns, this was a basic Homecoming victory for Hoquiam’s Grizzlies.

Tackle-turned-occasional tailback Matt Brown passed for two TDs and ran for a third as the Grizzlies celebrated Homecoming with a 35-14 conquest of Elma in an Evergreen 1A League football game Friday night at Olympic Stadium.

The Grizzlies improved to 2-0 in league and 4-2 overall entering next week’s league showdown with Montesano. Elma slipped to 0-1 in league and 2-4 for the season.

Brown, the 260-pound sophomore whose infrequent appearances as a back in the Wildcat formation have been a standard part of Hoquiam’s offensive package, ran 6 yards for the Grizzlies’ opening touchdown. Despite operating with a broken finger suffered last week, he turned both of his passes into touchdowns — a 28-yard strike to starting quarterback Payton Quintanilla and a 21-yarder to Asai Villarreal.

“He’s a special kid,” Grizzly coach Jeremy McMillan. “Even with a broken finger, he was flinging it around.”

Brown’s exploits highlighted an otherwise raggedly played contest that included seven turnovers and more than 200 yards in penalties.

The first half was played in a blowing rainstorm that forced both teams to play conservatively. Neither team completed a pass until the second half.

Those conditions wound up favoring the Grizzlies, who enjoyed a clear advantage up front. With the likes of Chewy Muro, Brady Cummings and Garrett Bradley making regular forays into the Elma backfield, the Eagles narrowly escaped being nailed for safeties on three occasions in the first half.

“Remember what I said about matching up with them up front? That didn’t happen,” Elma coach Ron Clark said. “I thought we played hard and defensively we did OK. But we kept (the defense) on the field way too long.”

Hoquiam defensive back Jonah Doll intercepted a Cody Vollan pass on the game’s opening possession, shipping it back 28 yards to the Eagle 24-yard line.

Six plays later, Brown took a direct snap and bowled over an Eagle at the goal line to complete his 6-yard scoring run.

Naz Mazariegos kicked the first of five successful conversions.

Later to be crowned Homecoming king during halftime ceremonies (Karlie Krohn was named the Homecoming queen), HHS senior running back Sean McAllister scored on a 6-yard sweep with 5:30 remaining in the second quarter and a 2-yard plunge some three minutes later. Mazariegos’ two conversions made it 21-0 at the half.

Facing fourth-and-six from the Elma 28-yard line with about 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Brown took one step forward before lofting a perfect pass in the end zone to Quintanilla — who was flanked wide to the right on the play.

Brown’s 21-yard TD pass to Villarreal at the 1:08 mark of the third quarter completed Hoquiam’s scoring.

The Eagles got on the scoreboard on the first play following the ensuuing kickoff. Tanner Krippelcz took a Vollan pass on about the Grizzly 40 and outsprinted his pursuers to the end zone to complete a 67-yard catch-and-run.

Elma drove 68 yards against Hoquiam reserves in the waning moments, with Vollan hitting Brady Shriver with a 19-yard TD pass. Vollan ran for the 2-point conversion.

Villarreal was the game’s leading rusher, with 118 yards on 16 carries.

In addition to Muro and Cummings, Coach McMillan commended the defensive play of Bryan Morales and Murray Cottrell.

Elma linebacker Niall Baxter drew Clark’s praise.

While the Grizzlies are invading Montesano, Elma hosts Tenino next Friday.