HOCKINSON — It all started with the defense for the Hockinson Hawks on Friday night against the Ridgefield Spudders.
“We’ve been playing good defense all year,” said Hawks coach Rick Steele after a 34-0 2A Greater St. Helens League victory over Ridgefield. “We’ve just been flying to the football at all three levels, defensive line, defensive backs and linebackers.”
Their defense would be called on again and again to keep the Ridgefield attack from ever getting going.
On the Hawks first play from scrimmage, Austen Johnson broke free down the sideline for a 58-yard touchdown run to capitalize on the first stop.
“That was actually supposed to be a wedge but somehow I bounced that out,” Johnson said. “The line and everybody made a huge wall and then I just had a big opening on the edge. That was not supposed to happen.”
Johnson finished the game with 127 yards on 19 carries to accompany his touchdown.
It was much of the same story for the Spudders in the first half with their offense trying, and failing, to get even one first down until the 5:07 mark of the third quarter.
“We’re really coming together on defense,” Johnson said. “The reason is we are putting new people in every play rather than putting the starters in. Every two plays we have fresh people in there.”
The Ridgefield defense started to get more of a rhythm but the Spudders inability to move the ball on offense hurt. The Spudders also had two mishaps on punts in the first half that resulted in giving the Hawks prime field position.
Most all eyes are fixed on a marquee match-up in two weeks against Woodland but first the Hawks have to face Washougal.
“We’re 6-0, 3-0 in league but we still have three tough league games in front of us. We can’t look past Washougal,” Steele said. “We know what’s down the road but Washougal is a good football team and we need to play them tough.”
HOCKINSON 34, RIDGEFIELD 0
Ridgefield 0 0 0 0— 0
Hockinson 14 7 7 6—34
First quarter
H — Austen Johnson 58 run (Quentin Bodenhamer kick)
H — Tommy Harshaw 5 run (Bodenhamer kick)
Second quarter
H — Jacob Pearrow 6 run (Bodenhamer kick)
Third quarter
H — Kedrick Johnson 25 pass from Mitch Lines (Bodenhamer kick)
Fourth quarter
H — Cameron Loos 4 pass from Lines (kick failed)
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Hockinson: Austen Johnson 19-127, Tommy Harshaw 8-24, Steven Carlisle 4-9, Jacob Pearrow 1-6, Lines 4-(minus 2). Ridgefield: Couch 19-63; Jalen Williams 7-18; Cody Duncan 2-9; Tommy Herz 1-(minus 6); Roberts 9-(minus 24).
PASSING — Hockinson: Mitch Lines 4-11-0-64. Ridgefield: Jonah Roberts 4-13-1-19; Noah Couch 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING — Hockinson: Cameraon Loos 2-32; Kedrick Johnson 1-25; Johnson 1-7. Ridgefield: Spencer Fix 1-12; Herz 2-4; Couch 1-3.
