CENTRALIA — North Beach emptied its playbook, broke out an unusual offensive formation and tried to slow down top-ranked Napavine as much as it could on Thursday night.

The Tigers needed just 19 first-half plays to tally 284 yards of offense and 47 points — including two defensive touchdowns — to rout the Hyaks, 54-6, in a District IV 2B crossover game at Tiger Stadium in Centralia.

Napavine (10-0) will await the winner of the Kalama/Rainier game in the first round of the state 2B playoffs next weekend. North Beach’s season comes to an end at 4-6.

“They didn’t score 70 and one of our goals was to not get a running clock until halftime and they got it with 11:11 left,” North Beach head coach Todd Bridge said. “We turned the ball over for two touchdowns. They caught us deep on a few. Our leaders kept the spirits up. The kids never quit and fought to the bitter end. That’s what Hyaks do.”

Napavine triggered the 40-point mercy rule with 11:11 remaining in the first half on the Tigers’ sixth touchdown — a 51-yard touchdown pass from Wyatt Stanley to Noah Lantz. Stanley went 13-for-16, 246 yards and four touchdowns in the first half and watched the Napavine junior varsity players take over in the second half.

North Beach tried everything it could to sustain drives and keep Napavine’s offense off the field. Along with its traditional double wing T offense, the Hyaks employed the polecat formation — a variation of the swinging gate play used in 2-point conversions. In it, eight or nine players will line up on one side of the field, leaving the center and quarterback on the other side of the field to snap the ball and run the play.

The Tigers were puzzled early on, but adjusted quickly. It was that kind of a night for North Beach. Up until its lone touchdown drive as time expired, North Beach was held to just 55 yards of offense. It finished with 99 offensive yards total.

“A little bit; their athleticism compensated for them (against the polecat),” Bridge added. “We wanted to throw something at them. Maybe that’ll help them win the state title. If we’re going to lose to someone, let’s make it the state champs.”

On the final drive of the game, which started with just over 2 minutes to play, North Beach used senior offensive linemen Diego Gonzalez, Seth Bridge and Hunter Dianovich to run the ball. In six plays, the Hyaks traversed 44 yards and ended with Seth Bridge running 9 yards for their lone touchdown.

“We planned that for senior night, but we couldn’t get it to work because things weren’t working out for us then,” coach Bridge said.

Napavine showcased its state-title credentials in the first half. Stanley finished with five touchdowns — two scoring strikes to Mac Fagerness and one each to Lantz and Austin Filley and a 30-yard touchdown run — at quarterback.

Garrett Shannon picked off a Brenden Chaney pass for a pick-six touchdown from 40 yards out and Randy Kingwa finished the first quarter scoring with a 23-yard fumble recovery and run for a touchdown.

Junior varsity quarterback Ben Woodrum finished Napavine’s scoring with a 21-yard touchdown run.