For yet another week, the Black Hills football team held the advantage on the scoreboard late, and needed to keep it. And for the first time this season, the Wolves did just that, leading from wire to wire in a 34-21 win over Centralia.
“It was exciting,” BH coach Garrett Baldwin said. “The kids put the hard work in, and the hard work paid off. I’m proud of them.”
Black Hills took an early lead on a touchdown run from Jack Ellison, and made it 14-0 on a pass from Jaxsen Beck to Anthony Estrada. In the second quarter, Beck found Ellison to make it 21-0, before Centralia got on the scoreboard, but Jacob Weller answered back to make it 27-6 at the half.
Not that the Wolves (1-6, 1-3 2A EvCo) were fooled into complacency after four one-score losses in the first six weeks of the season, three of which saw them blow leads.
“That was the theme: finish, finish, finish,” Baldwin said. “At halftime we were visualizing a 0-0 scoreboard.”
Coming out of the half, Centralia was the first to score, but the Wolves answered back to keep things at arms’ length.
“We found a way to stick together, call each in, and finish the game,” Baldwin said. “I’m proud of them.”
Beck finished his night 16 for 23 for 346 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Ellison — who led the Wolves with 36 rushing yards on seven carries — caught seven passes for a team-high 199 yards and scored three total touchdowns. Maddox Hodge added three receptions for 94 yards, and Bereket Lester had four for 32.
Roman Cando ran 23 times for 112 total yards for the Tigers (0-7, 0-5 2A EvCo), and scored two touchdowns. Donovon Galloway had the other Centralia score, and racked up 58 rushing yards.
Centralia quarterback Terrell Sanders went 8 for 12 for 128 yards, with Landon Jenkins racking up three catches for 94 yards.
Black Hills will head to Shelton next week, while Centralia will go to 1A Hoquiam.
