With longtime defensive coordinator Glen Flanagan taking the helm as Woodland’s new head football coach, the defensive performance in the Beavers’ 12-0 victory over Washougal on Friday is just a glimpse of what and how the Beavers can play defending the ball.
But offensively? Flanagan said it is still a work in progress three games in.
“We’re going to play defense,” the coach said after Friday’s win, “but we still have to figure out our identity on offense. In the second half (Friday), we were predictable. … We have to be able to throw it.”
In Friday’s victory to open 2A GSHL play, senior Elijah Andersen and junior Karsen Northcut combined for 51 of Woodland’s 53 run plays. Andersen had a game-high 37 carries and rushing touchdowns of 14 and 9 yards in Woodland’s first two possessions.
Andersen, last year’s league MVP, shined in 2023 because of his versatility and adaptability playing multiple offensive positions. Through three games in 2024, he’s mostly taken snaps at quarterback on offense, while continuing to play safety and returner on special teams. Friday, he went 6 of 13 passing for 40 yards.
Titans off the schneid with win
The Union Titans delivered Steve Pyne his first win as the team’s head coach, though after Friday’s 21-0 win over Mountain View, Pyne was equally glad to see another streak end.
During Pyne’s decades-long coaching career, including a 21-year stint at Portland’s Central Catholic High School with five Oregon state titles, the coach estimates he’s never lost more than three games in a row.
“I was telling them this week, in my whole coaching career, I think I’ve had one two-game or three-game losing streak, so I’m tired of this stuff,” Pyne said with a laugh after Friday’s game.
After starting the season with losses to Evergreen and Woodinville, the Titans (1-2) remained patient and were rewarded with a wire-to-wire win over the Thunder.
Quarterback Blake McDonald threw for nearly 200 yards with two touchdown passes to Tobias Chappell and Ali Choumane, while the Titans’ defense preserved a shutout with two interceptions and a goal-line stand late in the third quarter.
“Our spirits are good,” Pyne said. “It doesn’t get any easier going forward. We’ve got arguably the best team in Oregon next week (Tualatin), and one of the best 2A teams in two weeks with Tumwater. So, we’ve got our work cut out for us, but hopefully this gives us a little momentum to continue to put the carrot out in front of them.”
La Center picks off Columbia-White Salmon
La Center’s first touchdown against Columbia of White Salmon came on the third play of the game, a 40-yard interception return by Houston Coyle and the Wildcats were off and rolling to a 61-0 Trico League victory on Friday.
There would be four more interceptions by the La Center defense including two by Landen Randall in the second half. He returned his first for a 35-yard TD, and his second led to the final touchdown of the game.
Isaac Chromey had an interception in the first quarter that was created by quarterback pressure from Johnny Linstroth. And that led to a touchdown.
Parker McKinney stopped Columbia’s only possession in La Center territory with his pick and that eventually led to a Wildcats’ field goal.
In all, those five INTs accounted for 179 yards the other way for La Center, and wasn’t far behind the Wildcats’ total offense of 233 yards.
Stevenson’s bright future
Stevenson’s 57-14 win over Fort Vancouver was not only a positive start to the Trico League season for the Bulldogs.
It was also a glimpse into the future.
Coach David Waymire has a large and talented group of sophomores, who were on full display on Friday.
“That’s the best part of our team is my sophomore class,” Waymire said. “My starting quarterback, tight end, running back, a lunch of our line guys, they’re all sophomores. … They’re coming around, for sure — stepping up early as sophomores. You don’t normally see them play that well on varsity, but they are.”
Quarterback Jude Travinski threw for 313 yards and six touchdowns. Running back Skylar Polzel rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Logan Polzel had two catches for 37 yards and two touchdowns.
New Eagle RBs
There is no secret what Hudson’s Bay wants to do on offense this season.
In the first three games, the Eagles have run the ball 138 times and passed the ball just 23.
But the players who have been doing the bulk of the running in the past two weeks is a bit of surprise.
The No. 1 running back, Aqeel Bauman, suffered a broken foot in Week 1, leading the Eagles to turn to different runners.
Sophomore Xavier Lions is Bay’s leading rusher with 239 yards on 50 carries in the past two weeks.
Bay’s second leading runner is an even bigger surprise. It’s senior Taiese Telea, an All-Region offensive lineman last season, is the Eagles’ pounding fullback.
Talea has rushed for 160 yards on 21 carries in the past two weeks. He came up with a big 28-yard game on fourth-and-1 from Bay’s own 10-yard line in a 22-21 loss to R.A. Long on Friday.
