Spudder pride carries Ridgefield over Columbia River

Pride means more than a win-loss record.

The Ridgefield Spudders had no shot at the playoffs, couldn’t even get a winning season with a win Thursday night at Kiggins Bowl.

They could, however, finished the 2016 football season with a win over a playoff squad.

Jeremy Martin scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 4 minutes, 50 seconds left in the game, giving Ridgefield a 22-17 lead, and the Spudders defense did the rest in a Class 2A Greater St. Helens League victory over Columbia River.

“It’s overwhelming,” said senior Riley Abrams, who accounted for 54 of Ridgefield’s 75 yards on the game-winning drive. “I think a lot of people expected us to get whooped. This team is family, though. We stuck it out until the end.”

Ridgefield, with just five seniors on the roster, finished with a 4-5 record in coach Kim Ullman’s first campaign — including a win over Columbia River, a perennial playoff team that moved from Class 3A to 2A this season. The Spudders went 3-3 in GSHL play.

“I have no words for it almost,” said senior Conner Bell, who caught a touchdown pass. “Winning the last game of the season, and the team we beat … no one expected us to perform how we did.”

Ridgefield’s defense held Columbia River to 215 yards of offense. River’s two touchdowns came after Ridgefield turnovers, giving the Chieftains short fields.

Sophomore linebacker Brock Harrison had a third-down tackle for loss on one drive and a third-down sack on another, leading the Spudders defense.

“It’s crazy,” Harrison said. “I was telling the guys, ‘Don’t look at our record. Just finish strong. Finish strong, and we’ll win this game.’ Everyone played their hearts out and we got the W.”

The Spudders also had to overcome sudden change that turned a nine-point lead into a deficit in the fourth quarter.

Columbia River kicker Kent Stricker nailed a 28-yard field goal to cap a 15-play drive — River’s only sustained drive of the game — to make it a 16-10 game. Ridgefield then fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Six plays later, Columbia River had the lead on Koben Jamison’s 2-yard run.

The Spudders did not flinch, though.

Instead, they gained 17 yards on the first play of the next drive — on a run by Martin — before Abrams caught a 23-yard pass and rushed for 31 yards to get to the 4-yard line. Martin took care of the rest for the five-point lead.

Columbia River will be the No. 2 seed out of the 2A GSHL after finishing league play with a 4-2 mark.

“Give Ridgefield credit,” Columbia River coach Christian Swain said. “They played like they had no more games, and we didn’t. We played with no urgency.”

Columbia River scored first on a Hunter Pearson 5-yard run after a Ridgefield fumble in the first quarter.

The Spudders answered when Harrison caught an 8-yard TD pass from Dawson Lieurance. Ridgefield’s Joseph Vossenkuhl kicked a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter for a 9-7 lead.

Bell found the end zone midway through the third quarter on a 23-yard pass from Lieurance to make it 16-7.

Lieurance completed 14 of 20 passes for 163 yards and two scores. Bell led the Spudders with seven receptions for 84 yards and a score.

“It’s one of the greatest feelings in the world,” Bell said. “I just wanted to come out and perform for everyone.”

The Spudders did that, one final time in the 2016 football season.

RIDGEFIELD 22, COLUMBIA RIVER 17

Ridgefield 6 3 7 6–22

Col. River 7 0 0 10–17

First quarter

CR — Hunter Pearson 5 run (Kent Stricker kick)

Rid — Brock Harrison 8 pass from Dawson Lieurance (run failed)

Second quarter

Rid — Joseph Vossenkuhl 36 FG

Third quarter

Rid — Conner Bell 23 pass from Lieurance (Vossenkuhl kick)

Fourth quarter

CR — Stricker 28 FG

CR — Koben Jamison 2 run (Stricker kick)

Rid — Jeremy Martin 4 run (kick failed)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Ridgefield: Luke Goddard 1-4, Tamarick Mendoza 1-6, Kevin Miser 1-2, Riley Abrams 9-55, Jeremy Martin 14-65, Lieurance 2-(minus 15), Team 1-(minus 22). Columbia River: Pearson 11-20, Colby Rabitoy 8-21, Dalton Garrett 2-11, Jack Armstrong 5-24, Jamison 7-37.

PASSING — Ridgefield: Lieurance 14-20-0-163. Columbia River: Armstrong 7-16-1-102.

RECEIVING — Ridgefield: Harrison 2-17, Bell 7-84, Martin 3-28, Abrams 2-34. Columbia River: Pearson 1-15, Dakota Mason 1-5, Nathan Kunz 1-34, Koben Jamison 2-15, Garrett 2-33.