The second week of the prep football season in the Twin Harbors features what is expected to be a barn-burner of a contest when Aberdeen travels to Jack Rottle Field to take on the Montesano Bulldogs.
ABERDEEN AT MONTESANO
When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at Jack Rottle Field, Montesano
Players to watch: Aberdeen — Jeremy Sawyer RB/LB; Kale Goings QB/DB; Trey Anderson RB/LB; Jabron Brooks OL/DL. Montesano — Jayden McElravy QB/LB; Cole Ekerson RB/DB; Mateo Sanchez OL/LB; Ethan Blundred RB/LB.
The marquee matchup for Week 2 of the prep football season features an Aberdeen team coming off a big Myrtle Street Rivalry win against the crème de la crème of Twin Harbors high school programs — the Montesano Bulldogs.
Though both teams admittedly committed several first-game type mistakes on Sept. 2, it was the mistakes the Bulldogs made that proved more costly in a 33-20 loss to Black Hills.
Monte shot itself in the foot by making mental errors uncharacteristic of the typically disciplined Bulldogs, leading to lapses in execution that eventually led to their loss.
Montesano kept it close, never trailing by more than two scores thanks in large part to a 198-yard passing performance from quarterback Jayden McElravy.
Aberdeen also had its share of mistakes and miscues but still proved to be too much for Hoquiam to handle in a 40-0 win.
The Bobcats defense was constantly breaking through the Grizzlies offensive front, holding Hoquiam to just 50 yards of offense in the game, most of that coming late in the fourth quarter against the Aberdeen reserves.
When it wasn’t catching a penalty flag, the Bobcats offense gained over 300 yards on the ground, with running backs Trey Anderson (12 carries, 130 yards, 2 TDs) and Jeremy Sawyer (13-90, 2 TDs) carrying the bulk of the load.
Montesano has won the previous seven meetings against its Harbor rival, including a 59-0 drubbing the last time the two teams faced off in 2019.
But despite the Bulldogs’ past successes, Aberdeen comes in as the favorite with a host of offensive weapons and size up front.
Expect both teams to limit the mistakes and be a better version of themselves for this hotly-anticipated contest.
DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Hoquiam running back Jake Templer (16) and quarterback Zander Jump (10) will host Fort Vancouver at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, at Olympic Stadium.
FORT VANCOUVER AT HOQUIAM
When and Where: 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at Olympic Stadium, Hoquiam
Hoquiam — Zander Jump QB; Owen McNeill WR/DB; Jalen Hobucket RB/LB; Anthony Burtenshaw RB/LB. Fort Vancouver —Kaeleb Cvitkovich QB/CB; Kenan Weinmaster OL.
Hoquiam should get a good idea of where it stands when it hosts the Fort Vancouver Trappers at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
The Grizzlies defeated Fort Vancouver for its lone win last season in a Week 10 game that was secured late in the season after both programs dealt with COVID cancellations earlier in 2021.
Hoquiam, which had just 19 players on the roster for last season’s contest, should fare even better this season after bolstering its roster numbers to over 40 and being battle-tested after a Sept. 2 loss to a much bigger Aberdeen squad.
Fort Vancouver also lost to a larger 2A school in the opening week when it fell to Vashon Island 21-18 last Saturday, meaning the Trappers enter Thursday’s contest facing a long road trip with just four days of rest in between games.
The Grizzlies have the weapons to compete at the 1A level, and if quarterback Zander Jump is able to find some time and space — something he didn’t have against the Bobcats — Hoquiam shouldn’t have to wait until November to pick up its first win of the season.
DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Isaac Phillips (32), Carter Studer (12) and Austin Salazar (16) and the rest of the Elma Eagles will take on Cascade Christian at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, at Davis Field in Elma.
CASCADE CHRISTIAN AT ELMA
When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Davis Field, Elma
Players to watch: Elma — Carter Studer QB/OLB; Austin Salazar RB/DE; Gibson Cain WR/LB; Isaac Phillips RB/LB. Cascade Christian —Cade Sando QB; Jake Mosby WR; Jackson Almond WR.
Fresh off a season-opening win over Centralia, the Elma Eagles will have a tough test when the Cascade Christian Cougars come to East County for a Friday evening matchup.
Elma defeated Centralia 20-7 in Week 1 primarily on the backs of a hard-hitting defense that held the Tigers to 158 total yards of offense.
The Eagles will need a similar performance against a Cougars team that racked up 443 yards of offense in a 25-7 win over Cedar Park Christian last week.
In that game, quarterback Cade Sando completed 14-of-22 passes for 301 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with receivers Jake Mosby (3 receptions, 135 yards, TD) and Jackson Almond (6 receptions, 94 yards) being his favorite targets.
Offensively, Elma was inconsistent at times on Friday as the Eagles are working in more shotgun-spread formations to utilize the throwing prowess of junior quarterback Carter Studer, who went 13-of-24 for 89 yards and a touchdown against Centralia.
If Elma finds its timing on offense, fans could be in for an exciting game featuring two offenses that can quickly put points on the board.
PE ELL-WILLAPA VALLEY AT ADNA
When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Adna High School
Players to watch: PWV — Kolten Fluke QB/LB; Blake Howard RB/LB; Wil Clements RB/LB; Derek Fluke RB/LB. Adna — Lane Johnson QB; Jaxon Dunnagan RB/CB; Asher Guerrero RB/LB.
Just one week into its prep football seasons and the similarities between the Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Titans and Adna Pirates are undeniable.
Each team’s Week 1 loss was against considerably tough opponents.
PWV held a lead for most of the game but let it slip away late in a 20-7 loss to 1A Tenino, which is currently ranked No. 5 in the latest poll on scorebook.live.
Comparatively, Adna’s 40-0 loss in its opener came at the hands of 2B No. 1 Napavine.
Adna returned 12 starters from last season’s squad, led by junior quarterback Lane Johnson and a host of players who — similarly to PWV — played significant varsity minutes as freshman and sophomores.
The Titans led for all but the final two minutes of the game against Tenino, holding the favored Beavers to six points through the first 46 minutes of game clock.
Five different PWV defenders recorded double-digit tackles, but PWV’s offense struggled to move the football.
PWV had lost five straight to Adna until a Garrett Keeton field goal gave the Titans a 3-0 overtime crossover win in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Look for the Titans to get the ball in the hands of playmakers Blake Howard, Wil Clements and Derek Fluke in hopes of getting the offense rolling.
RAYMOND-SOUTH BEND AT WAHKIAKUM
When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Wahkiakum High School
Players to watch: RSB — Austin Snodgrass QB/DB; Ty Reidinger RB/LB. Ferrill Johnson RB/LB; Skyler Hutson RB/LB. Wahkiakum — Brodie Avalon QB/OLB; Zakkary Carlson FB/OLB; Dominic Curl RB/OLB.
The experiment that is the Raymond-South Bend combination team appears to be taking root.
That claim was clearly evidenced by the Ravens’ 35-20 thrashing of previously-ranked Toledo on Friday in South Bend.
Key to the Ravens’ victory was junior quarterback Austin Snodgrass, who dazzled with 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just seven carries.
Wahkiakum is riding the wave of a thrilling 36-28 overtime victory against Rainier in Week 1 and will look to carry that momentum against the Ravens.
The Mules have two running backs with big-play ability in Zakkary Carlson and Dominic Curl in a run-heavy offensive scheme.
Having passed its first test of the season in flying colors, it will be interesting to see how RSB stacks up against a Wahkiakum squad playing with a ton of confidence in its home opener.
Other games
Charles Wright at Wishkah Valley — The Loggers open up their season with an 8-man matchup against Charles Wright Academy — which defeated Crescent 68-0 in Week 1 — at 5 p.m. on Thursday
Chief Leschi at North Beach — North Beach had to forfeit its opening game against Ilwaco and now sets its sights on Chief Leschi, which lost to Muckleshoot Tribal 96-88 in an 8-man contest. Kickoff set for 7 p.m. Friday.
Crescent at Taholah — Taholah will open its season when it hosts Crescent, which lost to Charles Wright 68-0 in Week 1. Game time set for 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10.
Oakville at Lake Quinault — One of the favorites to take the 1B Coastal (8-man) conference this season, Lake Quinault will host the Oakville Acorns in the season opener for both teams at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
