As the national anthem played before Friday’s game against Hudson’s Bay, Brevan Bea fought back tears.
The Washougal junior was back on the football field for the first time since suffering a broken leg in the fifth game of last season.
Once Friday’s season-opening game at Kiggins Bowl kicked off, Bea channeled that emotion into a performance that lifted Washougal to a 16-13 victory.
Bea blocked a punt in the third quarter that set up the game’s first score.
On the next drive, he broke three tackles on a 29-yard touchdown run that put the Panthers back on top 13-7.
Then, right after Washougal had taken a 16-13 lead midway through the fourth quarter, Bea forced a fumble to stop a Hudson’s Bay drive.
“I haven’t seen the stats yet, but it seemed like every tackle he made,” Washougal coach David Hajek said. “He’s that guy. He’s the one who drives this defense.”
For Bea, Friday was a day he had looked forward to since suffering a compound fracture on Sept. 29 last year against Ridgefield.
“When I was on that field, I said ‘put me in, tape it up,’” he said. “Every game I just sat there and watched. I couldn’t wait to get back out there.”
After a scoreless first half, Bea’s blocked punt set up Washougal at the Hudson’s Bay 16-yard line.
Three plays later, Jakob Davis made a sliding grab on a 14-yard touchdown, nabbing Dalton Payne’s pass just before it hit the turf.
“Any ball you can get your hands on, you should be able to catch,” Davis said. “I just felt I needed to go as hard as I could.”
Hudson’s Bay struck back when Carter Morse found Jacquez McDonald for a 69-yard touchdown, tying the game 7-7 with 5:03 left in the third quarter.
But Washougal needed just a few plays to strike back. Bea ran toward the right sideline, where he was seemingly cornered. But the 6-foot, 190 pounder broke through a wall of would-be tacklers, then dashed down the sideline for a 29-yard touchdown run that put Washougal ahead 13-7.
But again, Bay responded with a big pass play from Morse to McDonald. A 60-yard completion brought the Eagles to the 5-yard-line, setting up Morse’s 1-yard touchdown run two plays later to tie the game at 13.
Morse completed 8 of 11 passes for 184 yards, 129 of them to McDonald.
Washougal re-took the lead on Preston Thornton’s 22-yard field goal with 8:54 to play. The kick was set up by a 37-yard catch by Davis, who had five receptions for 109 yards.
Bay’s final two drives ended on fumbles. Bea forced the first, giving Washougal the ball at Bay’s 33 yard line.
After Washougal missed a field goal, Bay drove to midfield with 1:00 left. On third and 4, RC Harton jarred the ball free from an Eagles ballcarrier. Davis recovered the fumble, though Bay argued the runner was down.
Washougal went on to run out the clock, wrapping up an opening win to a season the Panthers hope will result in a third straight postseason berth.
“This is just the beginning,” Davis said. This is just the kickstarter to a great season ahead. We have a lot of work on, so we’ll get right back to the drawing board.”
WASHOUGAL 16, HUDSON’S BAY 13
Washougal 0 0 13 3—16
Hudson’s Bay 0 0 7 6—13
Third quarter
W – Jakob Davis 14 pass from Dalton Payne (Preston Thornton kick)
HB – Jacquez McDonald 69 pass from Carter Morse (Alfonso Balderas kick)
W – Brevan Bea 29 run (kick blocked)
Fourth quarter
HB – Carter Morse 1 run (kick blocked)
W – Thornton 22 FG
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Washougal: Peter Boylan 7-28, Dalton Payne 9-20, Brevan Bea 2-28, Preston Thornton 1-5, Aiden Kestner 1-2. Hudson’s Bay: Treyce Teague 13-38, Akilotoa Kaumatule 10-43, Carter Morse 12-25, Dylan Damos 1-(-8).
PASSING – Washougal: Dalton Payne 12-25-160-1. Hudson’s Bay: Dylan Damos 3-11-7-1, Carter Morse 8-11-184-0.
RECEIVING – Washougal: Jakob Davis 5-109, Peter Boylan 4-24, Tanner Coons 1-13, Aiden Kestner 1-8, Brevan Bea 1-6. Hudson’s Bay: Treyce Teague 4-45, Trent Palin 1-(-1), Joshua McDonald 2-19, Jacquez McDonald 3-135, Akilotoa Kaumatule 1-4.
