Centralia’s Cameron Erickson (1) throws a pass during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Centralia’s Santos Lafferty (21) runs in to score during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Defenders hang on as Centralia’s Chase Sobolesky (2) runs with the football during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
The Tiger cheer squad raises their arms during a routine and a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Centralia’s Braidyn Hoyt (25) tries to avoid a tackle during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Centralia’s Paris Chavez (57) and Bayden Tietzel (22) embrace after defeating Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Tigers make a defensive stop during a game against Black Hills Monday night in Centralia.
Centralia’s Chase Sobolesky (2) knocks down a pass on defense during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Head Coach Jeremy Thibault talks to Centralia’s quarterback Cameron Erickson (1) during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Athletes slide in the snow following a play Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Centralia’s Noah Aliff (8) is tackled from behind for a first down during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Centralia’s Cameron Erickson (1) makes a pass under pressure during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Centralia’s Chase Sobolesky (2) breaks a tackle during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Centralia’s Bayden Teitzel (22) makes a reception during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Centralia’s Cameron Erickson (1) hands the ball off to Chase Sobolesky (2) during a game against Black Hills Monday night at Tiger Stadium.
Two scores ended up all Centralia needed in its 14-6 season-opening win at home over Black Hills Monday. The Tigers scored once in the first and again in the third, holding off an equally-matched Black Hills squad in a snow-covered Tiger Stadium.
The best part, Centralia coach Jeremy Thibault said, wasn’t even winning.
“That we got to play football,” Thibault said. “I got emotional talking to the kids after the game.”
After months of the WIAA pushing back fall football season due to the pandemic, a lot of teams wondered if they’d even get to play this school year. The Tigers finally got their chance at home Monday.
Centralia utilized its old-school Wing-T offense, with Chase Sobolesky, Santos Lafferty and Brady Holt getting the bulk of the carries against the Wolves.
Thibault praised all-league linebacker Jacob Halseth for his defensive efforts. Black Hills’ lone score came after Halseth left the game with an ankle injury; a play Thibault said Halseth would have stuffed.
The score was also much closer than it should have been, with four of senior quarterback Cameron Erickson’s throws hitting his receivers in the hands and getting dropped, including two balls in the endzone.
Thibault commended Bayden Teitzel for picking up a fumble recovery and nabbing two receptions. The field, even being turf, was sloppy for the entire night. People from Centralia, Onalaska and Napavine shoveled snow from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., including parents and children, to make sure the game was able to be played.
“It was actually pretty cool to see,” Thibault said.
Centralia gets no time to rest as the Tigers take on defending 2A state champion and league opponent Tumwater at home at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Thunderbirds, which feature multiple Division-I recruits, are coming off a 64-0 thrashing of Rochester on Monday night.
“They’re phenomenal,” Thibault said. “They’re the most talented 2A team I’ve ever seen.”
Bearcats Blow Out Bobcats
Just about everything went right for W.F. West in its season-opener against Aberdeen Monday in Ocosta. The running, the passing, the defense, everything clicked as the Bearcats detonated for 455 total yards of offense in a 42-0 pummeling of the Bobcats.
Senior Max Taylor, who made the switch from wideout to the Bearcats’ feature back this season, ran rampant, tacking on three touchdowns and 196 yards on the ground while catching one pass for another score. One of his touchdown scampers went 66 yards.
“He had some good touches,” W.F. West coach Dan Hill said. “Max is an explosive guy. It was a good opening game for him in the backfield.”
Hill also praised the offensive line, which gave up zero sacks and paved the way for 256 yards rushing. Quarterback Gavin Fugate ran the ball eight times for 41 yards.
He was even more efficient in the passing game, going 13-for-18 with 191 yards throwing and three touchdowns. Cade Haller caught five of those passes for 188 yards and a score, including a 60-yard TD reception, while Carter McCoy hauled in five catches for 66 yards and a TD.
“Carter and Cade made some good plays bringing the ball down,” Hill said.
He also commended the defense for shutting Aberdeen out and limiting big plays. The Bearcats limited Aberdeen to juse 114 total yards of offense on the night.
“We played pretty well,” Hill said. “Pretty happy with these boys.”
W.F. West travels to Rochester on Saturday. The Warriors are coming off a 64-0 defeat to Tumwater.
Warriors Get Blasted by Thunderbirds
Rochester had no answer for defending 2A state champion Tumwater in a 64-0 season-opening road defeat Monday night.
“It’s the best high school football team I’ve ever seen,” Rochester coach A.J. Easley said. “There are a lot of teams with recruits. They’ve got guys going to UW, Minnesota, Pac-12 schools.”
The Thunderbirds are filled with Division-I recruits, including two tight ends and their entire defensive line. It showed. The Warriors were held to just 70 total yards, all on the ground, and fought for every inch they got.
Tumwater’s 3-star defensive tackle Jacob Schuster, at 6-foot-2, 300 pounds, busted through the Warrior’s offensive line so quickly that he nearly took the Warriors’ handoff multiple times.
“If there was an offensive line that could block Tumwater’s front four, I’d be impressed,” Easley said.
Junior Talon Betts led the Warriors in rushing with 15 rushes for 24 yards, while Eddie Burkhardt added seven rushed for 13 yards and quarterback Sawyer Robbins had nine carries for 13 yards. Easley said he was pleased with the grit of his team facing a powerhouse.
“I like the fact that they never quit,” Easley said. “Our guys ran the ball hard. They played their butts off. We just ran into somebody more talented. We were in the right position a lot of the time on defense, we just didn’t make the plays.”
Easley said it’s never fun to play Tumwater, or really any team as talented as this one. But he and his team hope to use this as a learning experience to build for the future.
“Tumwater has set a bar,” Easley said.
Rochester hosts W.F. West at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
