Game of the Week
Naselle vs. Wahkiakum, KM Trophy Game, 7 pm, Friday, Sept. 4, Naselle High SchoolIt's payback time for the Comets. Last year the Naselle football team traveled to Cathlamet to open their season against the rival Mules and got their tails handed to them. What's worse, it was their own fault. The Comets gave up 6 turnovers in the 13-0 loss, including one on the opening kick-off that led to the Mules first score four plays later.
The Comets came back to win their next game, 28-12 over Warrenton (who they play in game two this year as well), but it would take the Comets till the last few weeks of the season to get on track — and boy did they ever, running off five wins in a row on their way to a third place finish in the state playoffs.
This year the Comets come into the annual KM Trophy game ranked in the top 10 in the state (#8 by the Tacoma News Tribune and #10 in an online coaches poll). But Naselle will be a different team this year, having graduated several key players including a real piece of the heart and soul of the team, Nick Hines, as well as all-state LB Mike Shirley, the big front line of Marcus Sanchez and Tommy Rose and RB/DB Tony "the Cheetah" Fletcher.
But the Comets are still stacked, especially in a running game that will include Logan Scrabeck, Nate Carlson and freshman Kai Leach (who tore up the field for his undefeated 8th grade team last year) at halfback, Alan Erickson at full back and Austin Burkhalter back for his second year at QB.
The Wahkiakum Mules had an up and down 2008 season, going 5-5 by winning their first two and losing their final two, including a 50-20 drubbing in the season finale with Mossyrock.
Ilwaco @ Winlock, 7 pm, Friday, Sept. 4, Winlock High School
The Ilwaco Fishermen are looking for a little payback themselves after falling by one point in last years season opener with Winlock, 27-28. The Cardinals would win their second game as well but would go on to lose their next seven games (including a 0-54 blowout at the hands of Montesano in the season finale) to go 2-7 on the year.
For Ilwaco, last year was somewhat similar — dropping their first two, winning the next two in blowout fashion, then dropping their last six to finish the year 2-8.
The Fishermen have a young team this year with only a handful of starters returning from last season. They will also likely be without quarterback Rey Sanchez — last years leading passer and rusher — due to a neck injury suffered in a spring game with Naselle, for at least the first few games. Last year's leading receiver Justin Short will start the season behind center for the Fishermen. Ilwaco will have a number of players moving to new or different positions from last season, as well as adding some new faces.
Pigskin Pick'em
A new feature we're going to try this year is a pick'em of each week's prep games. We'll keep track throughout the year and see how our guesses match those of the actual results — all for fun of course.
W-Ilwaco @ Winlock-L
Even with Sanchez out, you gotta think that the Fishermen are going to come out fired up for this game, win for Ilwaco — even though it might be close.
L-Wahkiakum @ Naselle-W
I think the Comets feel that they have a thing or two to prove this year, and I think they'll start doing that right out of the gate with a sound victory over their rival.
Don't forget to check back Saturday for game recaps, a photo gallery from the game of the week and player posts
No comments:
Post a Comment