The Pe Ell-Willapa Valley defense was dominant in Menlo on Friday night, when the Titans shutout Ilwaco in a 21-0 victory.
As a team, the Titans allowed just 145 total yards of offense, and they also forced three turnovers.
Lucas Lusk led the team with 14 tackles, Tyler Frazier had nine, and Eddie Clements posted eight. Cody Mican recovered a fumble, while Blane King and Lusk both came down with interceptions.
Lusk had 14 tackles, Tyler Frazier had nine, and Eddie Clements had eight.
“We did a terrific job of getting people to the ball,” PWV coach John Peterson said. “We got after it pretty good.”
Offensively, King scored a 44-yard run early in the first, but PWV didn’t score again until early in the fourth, when Spud Swogger hit paydirt from four yards out.
After the fumble, Brody Ritzman hit Mican on a 30-yard touchdown to push the lead to three scores.
Lusk finished with 111 yards on the ground, while King added 60 yards and a touchdown and Swogger tallied 46 yards and his score. Brody Ritzman finished with 83 yards through the air, 40 of which went to Lusk.
Peterson did note that the Titans struggled at times, fumbling five times and committing 11 penalties, but he was proud of how they were able to battle through and finish off the victory.
“Sometimes you gotta win ugly,” Peterson said. “We’ll take it.”
PWV (5-1, 2-0 C2BL West) will make the trip to Forks next Friday, Oct. 17, to face the Spartans before heading to Napavine the following Friday, Oct. 24.
