Storm shut out Tigers in second half for second year in a row
By Paul Valencia, Columbian
High School Sports Reporter
Published: October 13, 2016, 10:07pm
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Battle Ground's Tommy Renfroe (13) and Izak Brundage (11) defend against Skyview's Jeremiah Wright (21) as he hauls in a pass in the second quarter at Kiggins Bowl on Thursday night, Oct. 13, 2016. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)
The Skyview Storm remembered.
They remembered last year, when Battle Ground was trying to beat them for the first time in a decade.
They remembered how close it was at the half
They remembered shutting out the Tigers in that second half.
They liked that memory so much, they did it again this year.
Only this time, Skyview trailed at the half.
The Storm did it again to the Tigers, rallying for a 17-14 high school football victory Thursday at Kiggins Bowl in a crucial matchup in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League.
Brody Barnum found Tavis Pinkney for two second-half touchdowns, including a 21-yarder with 7:50 to play in the game to give the Storm their first lead of the game. It turned out to be the only lead they would need
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From there, the Skyview defense was up to the challenge, stopping Battle Ground two times in the final 7:50, including once from inside 25-yard line.
“We came in at halftime, down 11 points, but we knew. We were calm. We definitely remembered last year,” Skyview defensive lineman Skyler Martin said. “We talked about it, and we got it done.”
Skyview held Battle Ground to 114 yards of offense in this second half, played in a constant downpour.
That gave the Skyview offense the opportunities it needed.
Cole Grossman, a former Battle Ground athlete now playing for the Storm, had a sack to end one Battle Ground drive. On the next Skyview play, Barnum found Pinkney wide open for a 61-yard touchdown to make it 14-10 late in the third quarter.
“That’s definitely a great feeling,” Grossman said. “Making a big play started a big run for us. … Defense wins championships. That’s what it is.”
A couple Skyview players acknowledged they were a little worried about the prospect of losing a second league game. Then they recalled all the work in the summer, all the belief in each other.
“I was just waiting for us to come back,” Grossman said. “When we’re down, we always come back with a fight, with a punch. We knew we were going to make it happen.”
The Skyview defense stopped Battle Ground on its next possession, leading to a field goal attempt. It was no good, and the Storm responded by going 80 yards on eight plays to take the lead on the Barnum-to-Pinkney 21-yarder.
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“It’s a play me and Brody always connect on,” Pinkney said. “I just knew he was going to put it in a great spot.”
Sure enough, the ball floated over the head of a defender, to the only spot his receiver could make a play on it.
“I just dove, gave it all I could, and caught the ball,” Pinkney said.
The Tigers would drive into the red zone again but stalled on the 19-yard line. An incomplete pass on fourth down gave the ball to Skyview with 2:49 to play. The Storm did not run out all the clock, just most of it.
Skyview’s Jayden Chatman got a sack on Battle Ground’s final drive.
“That’s the best feeling ever,” he said.
A defensive end, he dropped into a linebacker position with the job of spying the quarterback. He thanked his coaches for trusting him to get the job done.
Skyview improved to 1-1 in league play. This was a huge step toward the postseason, considering only two 4A GSHL teams will make the playoffs.
“Still got a lot of work the next two weeks,” Chatman said. “We’ve just got to keep working.”
Battle Ground scored first on a 3-yard run from Gunner Talkington in the first quarter. Skyview’s Wyatt Stallman made a 32-yard field goal later in the period.
Bailey Buckner found the end zone for Battle Ground in the second quarter for a 14-3 lead.
Just like last year, though, it was all Skyview in the second half.
