Wahluke Warriors show tough defense again, 39-7

MATTAWA - Defensive end Alberto Cruz recovered a fumble in the end zone to score a touchdown just minutes into the game to ignite a 39-7 Wahluke win over Mabton last Friday in a South Central A Conference East opener.

Cruz spearheaded a defense that scored 18 points. It scored four on two safeties and six on a 24-yard interception return by Alvaro Rodriguez.

"We controlled the line of scrimmage," coach Brycen Bye said.

Wahluke scored 14 points in the first quarter and led 23-7 at the half. The Warriors held the Vikings to 60 total yards.

Offensively, the Warriors had to depend on the run. The passing was hampered by the weather.

"It was really windy," Bye said. "The passes were either short or long or off the mark."

Bye had planned to use the game to work on the passing game. But there were only nine passes and only three completions for 31 yards. Two passes were intercepted.

"It was just hard to pass the ball," he said.

One thing that went exceedingly well was the kicking of Jaime Jimenez. He connected on all five of his extra point attempts.

Wahluke took a 14-0 lead in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard run by Jonathan Abarca. After a safety made the score 16-0, the Warriors got a six-yard scoring run from Ricky Silverio to make the score 23-0.

The defense stretched the lead to 30-7 in the third period on Rodriguez's interception. The defense followed up with a safety, and then Rafael Mendoza gathered a 13-yard scoring pass from quarterback Jared Sabin.

Francisco Cuevas led the Warrior rushers with 135 yards on 13 carries. Silverio had eight carries for 39 yards, and Abarca carried five times for 23 yards.

Sabin was snookered by the wind. He connected on three of nine passes for 31 yards, with two interceptions.

The Warriors, 2-1, will finish off their non-league slate at Granger this Friday. It should be a tough test. After dropping a close opener to Burbank, Granger is 2-1, outscoring opponents 99-7 in the last two games.

"I'm not surprised," Bye said. "I knew they were going to be good. It should be a good game."

Granger is not big, Bye said, but the Spartans play hard.

"They have a couple of good running backs," he said.