NAPAVINE — Read the bolded headline above. And if your eyes mislead you, read it once more.
No, it’s not a typo. No, it’s not fake news.
The Onalaska High School football team, the program coached by Mazen Saade and fortified by others that relish the ground-and-pound power football, won’t shy away from their identity. Of the 62 plays, just four were passes.
Quarterback Lane Gordon completed two of them. And none bigger than his last one up four with under six minutes left in regulation.
Sophomore Haze Hamrick leaked behind the Napavine defense and Gordon lofted his throw right to his receiver and one dive to the pylon later, the Loggers stamped their way to a 22-12 triumph over their arch Class 2B rival on Friday night at Napavine High School.
“It is great,” Gordon said. “Statement win. Our guys worked balls to the wall all week.”
It marks the first time since the COVID-19 winter season of 2020 Onalaska (1-1) upended Napavine. It’s also nearly eight years to the day the last time Napavine lost a game on its home field.
For a group that has only four seniors, a ton of juniors and plenty of sophomores sprinkled in, the Loggers didn’t shy away from the atmosphere or intensity.
“Historically, they’re a seasoned program that year in and year out, plays for a state championship,” Saade said. “Real proud of our kids for stepping into this game and playing hard.”
The Loggers’ offense itself is evolving.
Onalaska will line up with Gordon under center, then motion into pistol formation with two backers going to one side of the line of scrimmage. It’s been a work in progress in the offseason that the players were excited about.
On the first drive of the night, its opponents were called for three pre-snap penalties.
“Kids are always excited for new wrinkles,” Saade said. “We need to make it better.”
“We’re trying to make the kids on defense make the decision, not the coaches," Gordon added. “Doing it fast-paced this year.”
Hamrick gave all the credit to Gordon for the TD. It was in the air for a bit and two Napavine (1-1) defenders were closing in, but it was too late. It’s his first career varsity touchdown.
“When I caught that ball, the only thing I thought off was getting into that end zone,” Hamrick said. “I knew if I got in, I’d seal the deal.”
For stretches of Friday, it was sloppy.
Both sides combined for 13 penalties, Onalaska had the kickoff go out of bounds three times and each team had three fumbles, losing one. It wasn’t until nine-plus minutes into the night the scoreboard lit up.
Grady Wilson capped a six-play, 87-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown for the Tigers, a drive that included a 50-yard scamper. What followed for Napavine were seven drives, three turnovers on downs, two punts and a fumble.
“The game certainly has implications later on, so it is dumb to not think that,” Tigers head coach Josh Fay said. “We’re young, we’re gonna have to do some things better. Didn’t have the best week of practice. Poor practices have consequences.”
Onalaska didn’t miss its opportunities.
Fullback Ethan Thayer darted 50 yards down his teammates’ sideline and dove for the pylon for the two-point conversion with 1 minute, 19 seconds left in the opening quarter. Carson Albertson turned a turnover into points with a 10-yard score.
“I thought it was a pretty good football game,” Saade said. “I was real proud of our guys' next play mentality. We can’t sit and dwell.”
Thayer led the charge with 152 yards on 21 carries. Allen also caught a 44-yard pass from Gordon in the second half while Albertson recorded 40 yards on the ground. The Loggers, for the second straight year, rebounded from a Week 1 loss to Nooksack Valley.
They ran their way through the C2BL East and a playoff win. Can this group repeat, if not extend, their seasons? Next up for them is a Saturday night contest against Cedar Park Christian.
“We play for games like this,” Hamrick said.
Caleb Von Pressentin scored early in the final stanza to cut the margin to 16-12 for Napavine. It failed to stop three third downs and a fourth down on the insurance score by the Loggers.
Wilson only completed five passes on the night. Fay admitted the passing game had some misses and on bubble screens, Onalaska’s secondary was ready. The Tigers now enter a three-week stretch where they host La Center, Montesano and Adna.
“We gotta make plays and we didn’t make enough,” Fay said. “I think these guys wish they could have Monday and Tuesday back. I know they’re gonna get better. The big word we put on the board is learn.”
