HOCKINSON — What did Woodland coach Glen Flanagan learn most about his team in its 34-31 victory over Hockinson to remain unbeaten in 2A Greater St. Helens League football standings on Friday?
Just how much his team can finish a game.
“It showed what they’re made of at the end,” the coach said.
The end was a three-point win on the road to move to 3-0 in league play. The end, in fact, was two celebrations. The first were players celebrating in unison to Josiah Graham’s 32-yard field goal with 1 minute remaining that broke a 31-all tie. And the second was when the game referee signaled the game’s end after Hockinson marched down 71 yards in 52.2 seconds to the Woodland 15. As the clock began with 1.8 seconds left for another set of downs, the Hawks failed to spike the ball in time to stop the clock.
Woodland 34, Hockinson 31.
Coupled with Ridgefield’s win over Washougal and a Columbia River victory over R.A. Long, Woodland and Ridgefield remain the league’s lone unbeaten teams. In a topsy-turvy 2A GSHL, Woodland is nearly on an identical path it was in 2023 when it won its first league title in 16 years as it hits the second half of the season next week.
Woodland’s 0-2 start is far in the rearview mirror. What’s different, senior Chase Hall said, is how the offense is now clicking.
“That was a big focus going into these league games,” the senior receiver and defensive back said. “We felt our defense was good, but we had to put our heads down and work.”
Over the previous two league wins against Washougal and Columbia River, it combined to only allow seven points. Friday, against a pass-heavy Hockinson team, its pass defense was tested early.
But the offense, too, had its big moments.
Elijah Andersen accounted for all four Woodland touchdowns — three rushing, one passing. He finished with a game-high 224 rushing yards and also went 13 of 23 passing for 111 yards.
Its largest lead came at 31-17 when Andersen had three rushes of 12 or more yards on his way to a 3-yard touchdown run.
That’s when Hockinson (0-5, 0-3) orchestrated consecutive scoring drives to make a 31-17 deficit entering the fourth into a 31-all tie with 5:24 to go. In fact, the latter drive took just four plays, 80 yards and 55 seconds when Aiden Donowicz hit Madsen Richardson for the 11-yard touchdown. During that drive, Donowicz connected with Zachary Chung for 69 yards that set up the Hawks in the red zone.
In its previous four September football games resulting in two wins and two losses, Woodland hadn’t faced what it did Friday — a tie game late and going on a game-winning final drive.
Woodland used patience on its last offensive possession. It ate 4:35 off the clock with runs from Andersen and Will Clemens and receptions from Graham and Zachary Young. Facing fourth and 15 after a Hockinson tackle for loss pushed Woodland back 10 yards, the Beavers relied on Graham. He previously hit a 22-yarder, but missed an earlier second-half attempt from 23.
The 32-yarder was a no-doubter.
Hockinson got four first-downs — runs by Donowicz and Leniel Sutton and catches by Richardson and Chung — on its final drive that ended with Chung’s catch to the 15 before time expired.
For Graham, it ultimately became a career night. He hit two field goals, connected on all point-after tries and his 12-yard touchdown reception earlier in the game was his first varsity touchdown.
But the game-winning field goal certainly was a memorable one.
“It’s exciting,” Graham said, “and in a clutch moment? That’s what we practice.”
Flanagan noted he couldn’t recall the last time Woodland had two or more field goals in a single game.
“We’re not really a Kicker U,” he said.
Perhaps with Graham, Woodland now is.
—
WOODLAND 34, HOCKINSON 31
Wood 14 10 7 3
Hock 7 7 3 14
First quarter
W – Andersen 60 run (Josiah Graham kick)
W – Andersen 5 run (Graham kick)
H – Madsen Richardson 25 pass from Aiden Donowitz (Owen Donowitz kick)
Second quarter
H – Richardson 33 pass from A. Donowitz (O. Donowitz kick)
W – Graham 22 FG
W – Graham 12 pass from Elijah Andersen (Graham kick)
Third quarter
H – Owen Donowitz 26 FG
W – Andersen 3 run (Graham kick)
Fourth quarter
H – Zachary Chung 15 pass from A. Donowitz (O. Donowitz kick)
H – Richardson 11 pass from A. Donowitz (O. Donowitz kick)
W – Graham 32 FG
