1A Trico League football: Castle Rock 66, Fort Vancouver 12

Castle Rock scored four defensive touchdowns and another on special teams in a 66-12 rout of Fort Vancouver in a 1A Trico League matchup on Saturday afternoon at Kiggins Bowl.

The Rockets (4-0) opened the scoring with a 53-yard touchdown run from Wyatt Partridge three plays into the game and never looked back.

Fort Vancouver (0-3) scored on its first drive, Kaeleb Cvitkovich connecting with Evan Mendez on a 15-yard fade, but the ensuing kickoff was returned 85 yards for a score by Partridge.

Castle Rock scored on a fumble recovery and three interceptions in the second quarter, ballooning its lead to 60-6 at halftime. With a running clock, the Rockets held the ball for just six plays in the second half, all runs, capped by a 17-yard score from freshman Ian Burton.

“We knew they were going to be throwing the ball, so getting pressure on the quarterback (was key), which is what we did,” Castle Rock head coach Aaron Gehring said. “They made plays … even special teams. All those guys showed up and played and wanted the ball. They were flying around and making big plays.”

Cvitkovich found Mendez deep down the sideline for a 63-yard score early in the third quarter but the Trappers were hampered by turnovers, committing six in the game. A last-gasp drive ended at the Castle Rock 2-yard line when Mendez caught a pass but couldn’t keep his feet, falling short of the goal line with the Trappers unable to stop the clock.

Partridge led Castle Rock with 81 rushing yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game with an injury in the second quarter. Rockets quarterback Chance Naugle was 4-for-7 for 73 yards and two scores, one passing and one on the ground.

Cvitkovich finished with 285 yards passing for Fort Vancouver with Mendez hauling in six catches for 146 yards. Nikolao Liufau had a team-high 48 yards rushing for the Trappers but left the game early in the first quarter after getting injured on defense.

CASTLE ROCK 66, FORT VANCOUVER 12

Castle Rock 24 36 6 0-66

Fort Vancouver 6 0 6 0-12

First Quarter

CR – Wyatt Partridge 53 run (Chance Naugle run)

FV – Evan Mendez 16 pass from Kaeleb Cvitkovich (run failed)

CR – W. Partridge 85 kickoff return (Naugle run)

CR – Buddy Kayser 56 fumble return (Lane Partridge pass from Naugle)

Second Quarter

CR – Naugle 11 run (Adam Partridge pass from Naugle)

CR – David Garcia 40 interception return (Anthony Enyeart run)

CR – Landon Gardner 19 pass from Naugle (pass failed)

CR – Isaac Trigsted 40 interception return (pass failed)

CR – Austin Mcquilliams 40 interception return (Ian Burton run)

Third Quarter

FV – Mendez 63 pass from Cvitkovich (pass failed)

CR – Ian Burton 17 run (pass failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Castle Rock, Wyatt Partridge 5-81, Ian Burton 4-58, Austin Mcquilliams 1-51, Chance Naugle 2-5, Nolan Williams 1-4, Chase Rusher 2-3, Anthony Enyeart 1-1. Fort Vancouver, Nikolao Liufau 4-48, Anthony Gibson 13-27, Kaeleb Cvitkovich 3-(minus 26).

PASSING – Castle Rock, Chance Naugle 4-7-0-73. Fort Vancouver, Kaeleb Cvitkovich 17-45-5-285.

RECEIVING – Castle Rock, Landon Gardner 2-42, Austin Mcquilliams 1-19, Wyatt Partridge 1-12. Fort Vancouver, Evan Mendez 6-146, Antonio Ronquillo 6-76, Tayvon Nance 4-67, Zebedee Santacruz 1-(minus 4).