Tigers stumble in 2009 opener

Connell 28, Othello 7 - Quincy 13, Lakeside 6 - Royal 27, Naches Valley 0 - Warden 39, Mabton 14 - ACH 54, Inchelium 36

EPHRATA — Ephrata got off to a slow start Friday night as West Valley of Spokane, Wash., shut out the Tigers 22-0 to kick off the 2009 high school football season.

Despite the loss, the Tigers performed well defensively and head coach Jay Mills said he was proud of his defense.

“I was very pleased with our defensive effort,” he said. “We were able to get some turnovers, get them to turn the ball over a couple times in the red zone.”

While Ephrata played well on defense, Mills said his offense did not play as well as he had hoped.

“The kids played hard, we just really struggled executing on offense,” he said. “When you put a new offense in, you are going to have some missed assignments.”

West Valley broke a scoreless tie in the second quarter and capitalized on an Ephrata error in the Tigers’ own end zone for a safety to take a 16-0 lead into the half.

Ephrata kept West Valley scoreless in the third, but West Valley added another score in the fourth for a 22-0 victory.

Although his team dropped their season opener, Mills was encouraged by his team’s performance.

“I was very pleased with our effort,” he said. “They thought they had a shot the entire game.”

Connell 28, Othello 7

CONNELL, Wash. — Othello took their first lead of the 2009 football season early in the first quarter Friday night, but the Connell Eagles rallied to knock off the Huskies 28-7 in the season opener.

Othello found their way onto the scoreboard when senior Chris Brunetti caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Jeremy Cerrillo for Othello’s first score of the season.

Othello’s first score of the contest proved to be their only score of the contest as Connell rallied to overtake Othello. Connell running back Matt Hadley scored twice in the first half as the Eagles kept Cerrillo to just 5-of-14 passing for 83 yards and a touchdown. Othello’s offense managed just four first downs as he Huskies opened the season 0-1.

The Huskies return to action Friday night when they host the Ephrata Tigers in the Central Washington Athletic Conference opener. The opening kick off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Quincy 13, Lakeside 6

NINE MILE FALLS, Wash. — It was a night of firsts for the Quincy football program as first-year head coach Steve Wallace got his first victory in his first attempt Friday night.

The Jackrabbits rallied from a 6-0 deficit to start the fourth quarter and Quincy started the 2009 season 1-0.

Quincy found themselves trailing late in the contest before Breck Webley scored on a 21-yard touchdown run to help the Jackrabbits pull even at 6-6. Quincy converted the extra-point attempt and the Jackrabbits took their first lead of the 2009 season.

Quincy got some insurance in the form of a 40-yard touchdown run from junior running back Manny Ybarra and Quincy won on the road for the first time in more than a year to improve to 1-0 on the season.

The Jackrabbits kick off their Central Washington Athletic Conference schedule Friday night when they host defending conference champion Prosser at 7:30 p.m.

Royal 27, Naches Valley 0

NACHES, Wash. — The Royal Knights kicked off their quest for another berth into the 1A Washington Interscholastic Activities Association playoffs Friday night with a 27-7 victory over Naches Valley.

Royal senior quarterback Marc Albertson threw two touchdown passes in his quarterbacking debut as the Knights rolled.

Naches Valley found their way onto the scoreboard first in the second quarter when Nic Lukehart scored on a five-yard run to put the Rangers on head 7-0.

Royal responded when Albertson found senior running back Will Christensen open from seven yards out and the Knights pulled within 7-6 after the extra-point attempt failed.

Junior Dylan Delay scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter and the Knights took the lead 13-7.

The Knights got their second rushing touchdown of the third Jeremy Edwards scored on an 18-yard run. Royal converted the two-point conversion attempt and Royal led 21-7.

Albertson threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Ben Singer in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring and the Knights opened the 2009 football season with a 27-7 win over Naches Valley.

The Knights return to action Friday night when Royal travels to Omak to take on the Pioneers. The opening kick off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Warden 39, Mabton 14

WARDEN — Warden took a 13-0 lead into the half Friday night and the Cougars scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to knock off the Mabton Vikings 39-14 to kick off the 2009 football season.

The Cougars capitalized on superior conditioning Friday night to start the season on a positive note, Warden head coach Erik Skone said.

“We were in better shape and better conditioned,” he said. “We try to wear down opponents and it definitely worked.”

Warden quarterback Arturo Reyes was 21-of-35 passing for the Cougars for 278 yards and two touchdowns and Nathan Brown had eight catches for 187 yards and a score to lead the Cougars.

After the win over Mabton, Skone said his team played well offensively Friday night.

“We came out and played some pretty dang good football,” he said. “Offensively we moved the ball well. We scored on our second possession.”

While Skone said his offense was impressive Friday night, his defense played well also.

“(Mabton) fumbled the ball five times and we (recovered) three of them,” he said. “A.J. Ammann played well defensively for us.”

Ammann finished the contest with five solo tackles, five assisted tackles and a sack for the Cougars.

Warden returns to action Friday night when they host Okanogan at 7 p.m. at Warden High School.

ACH 54, Inchelium 36

INCHELIUM, Wash. — Almira/Coulee-Hartline’s (ACH) Dylan Tipps scored three times in the first quarter and the Warriors kicked off the 2009 football season with a 54-36 victory over Inchelium.

Tipps scored the first touchdown of the season for the Warriors when he took the game’s opening kick off 70 yards for an ACH touchdown and a 6-0 lead. His second touchdown came on a five-yard run and he added another score on a run from 25 yards out to help ACH to a 30-0 first-quarter advantage.

ACH continued to add to their lead, taking a 46-8 lead into the half.

Inchelium tried to battle back in the second half, scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but ACH’s lead proved too much for Inchelium to overcome and the Warriors opened the 2009 season 1-0.

ACH returns to the gridiron Friday night when they host the Columbia Hunters at 7 p.m.