WOODLAND — A message that resonated through the Woodland Beavers’ practice field this week carried over to their Friday night performance against Castle Rock.
“Coach (Matt Greenleaf’s) big motto this week was ‘everybody do their job,’ ” Woodland junior running back Eli Whitmire recalled.
The maxim hit home for Woodland as it showed flashes of near flawless team execution while crushing Castle Rock 47-7.
Through sound offense — Whitmire carried the ball only five times but gained 120 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns — and a defense that only allowed a late touchdown in the running clock-game, the Beavers improved to 2-0 this season.
“That was our whole purpose,” Greenleaf said, “to go and execute and give the ball to our playmakers and it showed tonight.”
The Beavers, who blanked Kalama 40-0 last week, only gained steam from that season-opening victory. Just two plays after kickoff, Woodland established dominance over Castle Rock. Whitmire broke away from the traffic jam at the line of scrimmage and raced through broken tackles down the Woodland sideline for the 42-yard touchdown run.
While Castle Rock appeared to work in quick sand — running just nine plays through the first quarter, each possession lasting less than a minute — Woodland just played quicker.
Little time had expired in the Beavers’ second possession of the game before Whitmire struck again for an 11-yard run. Then during their third series, another two-play touchdown drive, Whitmire sprinted past the Castle Rock secondary for a 48-yard score.
The only time Woodland did not score through the first quarter was when it tried polishing its passing game with a three-touchdown lead. However, late in the quarter, Whitmire, who also doubles as starting outside linebacker, made his mark defensively by picking off a botched option pitch and returning the interception 30 yards for Woodland’s fourth touchdown.
While holding the big lead, Woodland once again focused on getting senior quarterback Hunter Huddleston some reps before the score completely got out of hand. So, Huddleston connected on a pair of second-quarter touchdowns to senior Vince Nigro.
On the second occasion, Huddleston showed that he could operate under pressure. During a series marred with penalties, Greenleaf said that Nigro called his own number on a 2nd-and-30 play from the team’s own 35-yard-line. Huddleston dropped back and hit his wide-open teammate in stride and Nigro capped the pass with the long run into the end zone. Nigro finished with three catches for 85 yards.
“Leadership is improving each and every week,” Greenleaf said. “I keep telling the kids everybody has to step up.”
WOODLAND 47, CASTLE ROCK 7
Castle Rock 0 0 0 7– 7
Woodland 27 13 7 0–47
First quarter
Wo — Eli Whitmire 58 run (pass failed)
Wo — Whitmire 11 run (Dillan Beckwith kick)
Wo — Whitmire 48 run (Beckwith kick)
Wo — Whitmire 30 interception return (Beckwith kick)
Second quarter
Wo — Vince Nigro 10 pass from Hunter Huddleston (kick failed)
Wo — Nigro 65 pass from Huddleston (Beckwith kick)
Third quarter
Wo — Huddleston 40 run (Beckwith kick)
Fourth quarter
Ca — Nate Williamson 20 run (Darren Ayoub kick)
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Castle Rock, Nate Williamson 16-109; Chase Lam 11-14; C.J Baker 1-9; Mason Klingberg 11-(minus) 21. Woodland, Eli Whitmire 5-120; Hunter Huddleston 5-26; Trevor Huddleston 1-23; Troy Flanagan 2-3; Hunter Raney 1-2; Levi Leach 1-0.
PASSING — Castle Rock, Mason Klingberg 1-4-1-10. Woodland, Hunter Huddleston 7-14-134.
RECEIVING — Castle Rock, Zac Akesson 1-10; Woodland, Vince Nigro 3-85; Flanagan 1-16; Leach 1-13; Logan Piper 1-8.
