Battle Ground started with some razzle-dazzle Saturday and finished with a resounding 36-12 non-league victory at Kent-Meridian in the football opener for both teams.
A pitch-and-pass play ended with Battle Ground’s Max Randle going 87 yards for a touchdown on a pass from Kyle Cahoon.
Kent-Meridian did score 22 seconds later on a 78-yard run by Malik Woolery, but a failed extra point kick kept Battle Ground in front — and ahead for the rest of the game.
Gunner Talkington completed 22 of 26 passes for 259 yards and two second-half touchdowns for Battle Ground.
The Tigers defense held Kent-Meridian to 195 yards of offense.
BATTLE GROUND 36, KENT-MERIDIAN 12
Battle Ground 13 0 14 9–36
Kent-Meridian 6 0 0 6–12
First Quarter
BG — Max Randle 87 pass from Kyle Cahoon (kick blocked)
KM — Malik Woolery 78 run (kick failed)
BG — Curtis Stradley 1 run (Reiley Betcher kick)
Third Quarter
BG — Betcher 72 pass from Gunner Talkington (Betcher kick)
BG — Stradley 1 run (Betcher kick)
Fourth Quarter
BG — Cole Grossman 11 pass from Talkington (Betcher kick)
KM — Manny Daigbe 19 pass from Benjamin Woods (kick failed)
BG — Safety, Trevor Geiger sack quarterback in end zone
Individual statistics
RUSHING — BG: Stradley 14-74, Bailey Buckner 12-75, Reed Thompson 6-37, Kyle Cahoon 1-11, Talkington 6-(minus-24). KM: Woolery 11-99, Gabriel Gallman 2-(minus-2), Curtis Hoyle 5-11, Jeremiah Williams 1-(minus-3), Woods 5-(minus-14).
