Prep Football Roundup: Montesano downed by Tenino for first time since 2013

Also: Aberdeen, Elma routed in league losses; Pe Ell-Willapa Valley beats Rainier

By Ryan Sparks • October 16, 2021 5:00 am
Alec Dietz | The Chronicle Montesano running back Isaiah Pierce cuts through Takari Hickle (44) and the Tenino defense on Friday in Tenino. Pierce rushed for over 100 yards in the Bulldogs’ 32-26 loss.
Alec Dietz | The Chronicle Montesano running back Isaiah Pierce cuts through Takari Hickle (44) and the Tenino defense on Friday in Tenino. Pierce rushed for over 100 yards in the Bulldogs’ 32-26 loss.

UPDATE: Coaches comments added for Montesano-Tenino game. Additional information added to Aberdeen-WF West game.

CORRECTION: Due to a source error, a previous version of this article contained incorrect information. Kale Goings passed to Trey Anderson for Aberdeen’s first score of the game against WF West.

Describing the current state of the Montesano football teams as ‘banged up’ would at the same time be apropos and an understatement.

Missing five starters on offense, including quarterback Jayden McElravy, the Bulldogs fell to the Tenino Beavers 32-26 on Friday in Tenino.

The loss was the first for Montesano against the Beavers since 2013 and the first in Tenino in 24 years.

Montesano (3-3 overall, 0-2 1A Evergreen) suffered its third straight loss and second consecutive league loss after giving up 32 points in the first half, 16 in the first and second quarter each as 10th-ranked Tenino (6-1, 2-1) rushed for 254 yards in the first half alone.

Most of the damage was done by Tenino running backs Takari Hickle and Dylan Spicer.

Hickle rushed for 187 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown with Spicer carrying the ball 16 times for 102 yards and a touchdown.

A 35 yard touchdown run in the first quarter by running back Isaiah Pierce and a 15 yard rushing touchdown by sophomore quarterback Jaxson Wilson — who replaced McElravy after the junior starter fell ill — had Monte facing a 32-16 deficit at the half.

But Monte responded in the second half by nearly pulling off an unlikely comeback.

Helped by multiple Tenino penalties in the second half, Monte pulled closer on a two yard Pierce TD run with 11 seconds left in the third quarter and got to within one score when Wilson hit receiver Cole Ekerson for a two yard touchdown pass with 6:41 left in the contest.

After Monte’s defense, which held Tenino scoreless in the second half, held the Beavers to a three-and-out, Montesano’s offense drove into Beaver territory with four minutes to play, looking for the go-ahead score.

But on a fourth-down play, Wilson was sacked by Andrews Capilla-Zumidio and Hickle, ending Monte’s comeback hopes.

“We played outstanding in the second half,” Monte head coach Terry Jensen said, noting Pierce, receiver Caydon Lovell (2 catches, 49 yards) and Wilson as playing well for the Bulldogs. “Our coaches made some nice defensive adjustments at halftime.”

Pierce led the way for Monte with 125 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.

Wilson was 6-for-10 for 109 yards an interception and a touchdown.

After three straight losses to state-ranked teams over the past three weeks, Jensen places the blame for the Bulldogs’ recent struggles upon his own shoulders.

“I need to do a better job of getting us prepared, plain and simple,” he said. “Our players are giving us everything they have.”

Montesano 6 6 7 7 — 26

Tenino 16 16 0 0 — 32

Jared Wenzelburger | The Chronicle Aberdeen’s Jakob Bowers (12) runs with the football Friday night during the Bobcats’ 45-14 loss to WF West on Friday in Chehalis.

Jared Wenzelburger | The Chronicle Aberdeen’s Jakob Bowers (12) runs with the football Friday night during the Bobcats’ 45-14 loss to WF West on Friday in Chehalis.

WF West 45, Aberdeen 14

After taking an early lead, Aberdeen’s defense allowed 45 straight points in a 45-14 loss to WF West on Friday in Chehalis.

Aberdeen (4-2, 3-2 2A Evergreen) gained the early advantage in the first quarter on a four yard TD pass from quarterback Kale Goings to running back Trey Anderson. Goings then completed a pass to Isaiah Watson for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead.

But WF West’s offense proved too much as the Bearcats (4-2, 3-2) scored 31 consecutive points in the first half, paced by quarterback Gavin Fugate, who capped off three straight Bearcat drives with touchdown runs.

With Aberdeen trailing 45-8 in the fourth quarter, Bobcats running back Jeremy Sawyer broke free for a 45 yard touchdown run to complete the scoring.

Aberdeen totalled 243 yards to 285 for WF West, with the Bobcats rushing for 193 yards compared to 209 for the Bearcats.

But multiple Aberdeen drives stalled out, forcing the Bobcats to punt seven times in the game.

Sawyer carried the ball 22 times for 144 yards to lead Aberdeen. The junior running back now has 967 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season.

Aberdeen’s Jakob Bowers ran for 33 yards on nine carries with Anderson carrying the ball seven times for 32 yards.

Fugate led the Bearcats with 137 yards on 13 carries.

Aberdeen head coach Todd Bridge said he was proud of the way his team responded after falling behind in the first half.

“In the second half, we were fighting,” he said. “We might not win the game, but we are going to get some respect out there. … Even though we were down 31, we were still playing hard. I’m proud of my guys for never quitting.”

Bridge said the game’s physicality was a challenge his team was unwilling to back down from.

“The whole second half was a slugfest,” Bridge said. “Tumwater beats you on the scoreboard, but they don’t physically beat you. WF West physically beats you.”

With Aberdeen continuing to play hard until the final buzzer, WF West took exception. Several personal-foul penalties of the unsportsmanlike conduct variety were called on the Bearcats for some extra-curricular activities, including a Bearcats player being ejected after grabbing the shoulder pads of Goings and repeatedly slamming him to the ground after sacking the Aberdeen quarterback, leading to a skirmish on the field that involved players on both teams.

Video of the incident and the actions that led to it have been forwarded to the the relevant state and local officials associations for further review.

Aberdeen 8 0 0 6 — 14

WF West 14 17 14 0 — 45

Eatonville 51, Elma 6

The Elma Eagles fell behind early against the second-ranked Eatonville Cruisers en route to a 51-6 loss on Friday at Eatonville High School.

The Cruisers (7-0, 3-0 1A Evergreen) opened up a 45-0 lead before Elma (3-2, 1-1) broke the shutout bid when running back Jarred Bailey broke loose for a 70 yard touchdown run with 4:41 left in the third quarter.

Elma managed just 140 yards of offense, 121 of those on the ground, and six first downs against the Cruisers.

The Eagles were led by Bailey, who rushed for 90 yards on nine carries the the Eagles’ only score of the game.

Eatonville had 597 yards of offense and 26 first downs, led by quarterback Kevin Wulff (16-24-0, 327, 3 TD) and running back Dylan Norman (17-179, 2 TD).

Elma 0 0 6 0 — 6

Eatonville 14 17 20 0 — 51

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 39, Rainier 28

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley pulled away in the second half to earn a 39-28 victory over Rainier on Friday in Pe Ell.

Trailing 22-17 at the half, PWV (4-3, 4-3 2B Pacific) outscored Rainier (0-4, 0-3) 22-6 in the second half, led by two short scoring runs by Blake Howard and a six yard run by running back Wil Clements to secure the 39-28 victory with 9:26 left to go in the fourth quarter.

PWV rushed for 178 yards as a team, with Howard leading the way with 84 yards on 17 attempts.

The Titans scored in the first half on a five yard run by Derek Fluke in the first quarter and a Garrett Keeton 32 yard field goal and 35 yard interception return from defensive back Joseph Krafczyk in the second quarter.

Rainier quarterback Ian Sprouffske was 19-for-42 for 288 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Derek Fluke led PWV’s defense with 11 tackles, with Kolton Fluke, Howard and Clements recording 10 tackles apiece.

In addition to Krafczyk, Tyler Adkins and Derek Fluke picked off Sprouffske in the game.

PWV sits in third place in the 2B Pacific – Coastal League with a 4-3 record.

Rainier 8 14 6 0 — 28

PWV 8 9 15 7 — 39

Napavine 61, Raymond-South Bend 21

Raymond-South Bend struggled against second-ranked Napavine, losing 61-21 on Friday in South Bend.

Napavine scored on four touchdown runs in the first quarter — two by Gavin Parker — to lead 28-0 after the first 12 minutes of the game.

The Tigers (6-0, 4-0) scored twice more early in the second quarter before RSB got on the scoreboard with a three yard run by Ashton Kongbouakhay with 2:50 left in the second quarter.

RSB’s Austin Snodgrass scored a touchdown on a two yard run in the third quarter.

Ravens running back Colby Branham scored on a 57 yard touchdown run with 1:31 left in the game in a touching moment as the special-needs student-athlete received cheers from players, coaches and fans on both sides of the field.

RSB running back Ty Reidinger led the Ravens with 125 yards on 25 carries.

Napavine passed for 107 yards and rushed for 473, with three players breaking 100 yards in the contest.

RSB is now 1-5 overall this season, 1-3 in the 2B Pacific League.

Napavine 28 20 6 7 — 61

Raymond-South Bend 0 7 7 7 — 21

Other scores

WA School for the Deaf 66, Wishkah Valley 6 (Thursday)

Ilwaco 6, North Beach 0