Hockinson runs away from Centralia for 59-7 playoff win

HOCKINSON — On a classic setting — November playoff football on a grass field — the Hockinson Hawks went with an old-school recipe to beat Centralia in a 2A district playoff on Saturday — running the ball and tough defense.

Quarterback Levi Crum, coming off back-to-back 300-yard passing games, threw for just 49, but rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns, leading a 383-yard ground attack for the Hawks in a 59-7 win.

“If that’s going to win us a football game, that’s what we’re going to do,” Crum said.

Coach Rick Steele said the injuries to Sawyer Racanelli last summer and Peyton Brammer a couple of weeks ago has forced the Hawks to turn more to their running game.

“For us to anything in the playoffs, people are going to have to respect our run game,” Steele said. “We still have some good kids out there. They’re just not Division I-type athletes. So if we can get them some one-on-one coverage, I think we can be successful.”

To do that, the Hawks will have to run the ball.

Daniel Thompson rushed for 119 yards and Makaio Juarez had touchdown runs of 30 and 65 yards to help the Hawks pull away Saturday.

“Before this year, nobody knew Makaio Juarez’s name,” Steele said. “We always knew that the kid had it in him, but we just kept getting the ball to those two big kids on the outside (Racanelli and Brammer). So Makaio is making a name for himself, and that kid has turned into a big-time player for us.”

Liam Mallory also had a big game all over the field. The sophomore intercepted two passes, had a 22-yard touchdown run and a 26-yard touchdown reception.

“We had Sawyer and Peyton, who are elite-level receivers and defenders,” Mallory said. “But there are guys under them who are just as good as anyone else in the state. They were just overshadowed, until now. I feel like we’ve got the dudes to play at state.”

Andre Northrup returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown to give Hockinson an early 6-0. It was one of  four fumbles the Hawks recovered.

Also Dakota Souders returned a kickoff 60 yards for a touchdown.

Hockinson was 3-for-3 on fourth-down conversions. All three plays ended in touchdowns — a 57-yard run by Crum on fourth-and-4, the 26-yard pass from Crum to Mallory on fourth-and-10 and Thompson’s 67-yard TD run on fourth-and-1.

“I don’t know, maybe we’ll put the punt team away for the rest of the year,” Steele quipped.

It was a fitting conclusion for the Hawks’ final game of the year on their home field. Steele said it was the first time the Hawks have played a postseason game at home in a dozen years.

Normally, the grass field at Hockinson becomes unplayable by November, requiring a move to Battle Ground’s District Stadium.

“It was a lot different,” said Crum, a senior. “It was a little muddy, but it was old-school football. It was fun playing here one last time, and we got the win.”

HOCKINSON 59, CENTRALIA 7
Centralia 0 0 7 0–7
Hockinson 12 19 28 0–59
First quarter
H — Andre Northrup 37 fumble return (kick failed)
H — Liam Mallory 22 run (run failed)
Second quarter
H — Levi Crum 57 run (pass failed)
H — Crum 11 run (run failed)
H — Mallory 26 pass from Crum (John Charles kick)
Third quarter
C — Blaine Wass 48 fumble return (kick good)
H — Dakota Souders 60 kick return (Charles kick)
H — Makaio Juarez 30 run (Charles kick)
H — Daniel Thompson 67 run (Charles kick)
H — Juarez 65 run run (Charles kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Centralia: Chase Sobolesky-Reynolds 9-48, Braidyn Hoyt 5-12, Caleb Simpson 7-10, Kyler Lovato 3-3, Wass 1-(-2), Cameron Erickson 4-(-9). Hockinson: Thompson 6-119, Crum 6-110, Juarez 2-95, Cody Wheeler 5-37, Mallory 1-22.
PASSING — Centralia: Erickson 10-19-2-113. Hockinson: Crum 6-16-1-49.
RECEIVING — Centralia: Benito Valencia 4-33, Sobolesky-Reynolds 3-47, Crystian Bean 1-19, Derek Beairsto 1-6, Wass 1-8. Hockinson: Mallory 1-26, Jeremiah Faulstick 1-18, Wheeler 1-3, Juarez 1-1, Chase Roush 1-1, Northrup 1-0.