1B Football: Naselle's Big Fourth Quarter Sinks Winlock

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FALL IN THE FOURTH: The Cardinals Surrender 18 Fourth-Quarter Points in Loss to State Power Naselle

WINLOCK — It wasn’t the outcome Winlock was hoping for or wanted, but to be down just two scores at halftime against a team that played in the 1B state title game a year ago isn’t the worst position to be in.

Naselle (2-0) proved to be too much for the Cardinals (0-1) in a 38-14 victory over Winlock Saturday in Pac-5 Conference football action.

Back-to-back Naselle scores in the first quarter, starting with Fa'aoso Tutu'u’s 34-yard touchdown reception, and followed by Brian Smith’s 13-yard TD strike to Antonio Nolan, put the Comets up 14-0 early.

The Cardinals answered with Neal Patching’s 3-yard touchdown run and failed two-point conversion pass to make it 14-6 in the second quarter. Naselle struck back with Jacob Eaton’s 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Comets a 20-6 lead going into the break.

Winlock’s Nolan Swofford hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Payton Sickles in the third quarter, followed by a successful two-point conversion, making it 20-14 entering the fourth quarter.

Then disaster struck. The Comets exploded for 18 fourth-quarter points, including a 4-yard TD run and an 11-yard TD run, capped by a 40-yard touchdown pass to seal the win for Naselle.

Winlock actually outgained Naselle in nearly every statistical category, including rushing yards (206-149), passing yards (159-105) and total yards (365-253).

Patching led the way for the Cardinals, rushing 11 times for 45 yards and a score. Sickles was 9-for-21 passing for 101 yards and a TD, and Swofford brought down six catches for 79 yards and a TD.

Winlock (0-1) will look to get its first win of the season when it travels to Northwest Christian School (Lacey) for a 7 p.m. matchup on Saturday.



Vikings Thump Wildcats 38-8

Mossyrock didn’t let a 46-0 blowout loss to Naselle in their season opener last week linger long. The Vikings instead took their frustrations out on Ocosta Saturday, flipping the script and hammering the Wildcats 38-8 in a non-league matchup.

Senior quarterback Aiden Weist scored a total of four touchdowns, three through the air three, on throws of 18, 5 and 20 yards, and one on the ground, as Mossyrock (1-1) picked up its first win of the season at a neutral site in Montesano.

“Everything started clicking,” Mossyrock’s first-year coach Eric Ollikainen said. “We had a gut check this week and bounced back. When it works, it works.”

Weist started off the scoring with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Gunner Mulligan, followed by a 5-yard TD pass from Weist to Ryan Bellino, both in the first quarter to give Mossyrock a 14-0 lead early on.

Weist tacked on his third score of the night in the second quarter, a 5-yard touchdown run, followed by Keegan Kolb’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Bellino to make it 28-0 at the half.

Weist notched his fourth TD on a 20-yard touchdown pass to Zackary Munoz, and Vikings’ teammates Brenden Cornelius and Kainen Zavodsky combined for a safety to close out the scoring for Mossyrock. Onalaska had a late touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.

Mulligan was the Vikings’ leading receiver, hauling in three catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, while Bellino added two touchdown receptions. Weist was 6-for-11 passing for 70 yards and no picks, while Kolb was 2-for-4 with 81 yards.

“Aiden and Keegan had a great game,” Ollikainen said. “Our backs ran harder and our offensive line opened up holes. Everything starts up front.”

Mossyrock hosts Taholah at 7 p.m. on Friday. Taholah has yet to play a game this season and both the Chitwins and Vikings are a part of the newly-created Class 1B Pac-5 Conference, along with Winlock, Naselle and Northwest Christian (Lacey).