Ephrata controls Wapato for season's first win
Miles Douglass/Columbia Basin HeraldThe Ephrata Tigers football team celebrates in the endzone following the team's first win of the season. Ephrata beat Wapato 14-0.
Tigers 14, Wolves 0
EPHRATA - The Ephrata Tigers earned their first win of the season Friday night as they hosted the Wapato Wolves in a Central Washington Athletic Conference showdown.
The Tigers held back the Wolves 14-0 to improve their record to 1-3.
With more than eight minutes left in the first quarter, Tiger wide receiver Ross Buchert caught a 20-yard pass from senior quarterback Eric Tinnell for the game's first score. Eric Hensley's extra point attempt gave Ephrata a 7-0 lead.
The Tigers and Wolves continued to fight as Ephrata looked to hold a 7-0 halftime lead with Wapato threatening before the half. On the first half's final play Buchert intercepted a Wapato pass and returned it 75-yards for a touchdown. The score came with no time left in the half and gave the Tigers a 14-0 lead heading into the locker room.
Ephrata and Wapato played a scoreless second half with both team's defenses stepping up.
The win boosted Ephrata's confidence, but there is still plenty of work ahead for the Tigers, Ephrata head coach Jay Mills said.
"They are still not clicking, turning the ball over too much," Mills said. "But, they found a way to get the job done."
Tiger senior standout Tinnell finished the night eight of 19 passing for 47 yards and one touchdown. Cody Mann led the Tigers rushing attack with 17 carries for 62 yards.
The Tigers host conference co-leader Selah Friday night in an important CWAC match up.
Kick off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.