Wahluke scores 56, drops two grid games

MATTAWA – You would think a team that scores 56 points in two games would be 2-0, or at least 1-1, in high school football

Instead, the Wahluke Warriors are 0-2. After a 22-20 defeat by Kittitas in the opener, and a 47-36 loss to Cle Elum last Friday, Wahluke limps to the home opener this Friday to face Warden.

It will be the last non-league game for the Warriors before starting SCAC East play in two Fridays. Warden has won its first two games against Tonasket, 50-8, and Chewelah, 24-16.

Friday's game was peculiar. Cle Elum raced to 41-12 lead after three quarters. The fourth quarter belonged to Wahluke, 24-6, and the Warriors had a chance to take the lead with time running out.

The Warriors were trailing, 41-36 and had the ball at the Cle Elum 18-yard line. Wahluke fumbled, and Cle Elum picked up the loose ball and returned 82 yards for the clinching score.

Other than that fumble, the Warrior offense had a good night, rushing for 462 yards and passing for 68.

“We didn't play well on defense,” coach Mike Foristiere said.

The offense had trouble through the air. Quarterback Jose Madrigal passed for a 68-yard touchdown play to Eathyn Kinney, but he missed on his four other throws.

The rushing leader, with a brilliant night, was Jason Cruz. He carried the ball 11 times for 232 yards and three touchdowns, and he converted 2-point runs.

“The offensive line blocked very well,” Foristiere said. “Jason's a tough kid. He pounded it in there.”

So did the rest of the running corps. Daniel Corrales had eight runs for 24 yards and one touchdown. Jose Alejo rushed nine times for 53 yards, Daniel Miron had four carries for 25 yards, David Pineda took the ball nine times for 50 yards and Brandon Anaya carried seven times for 78 yards, and he converted a 2-point run.

Although the defense struggled, there were some defensive stars. Cruz had seven tackles, Corrales six and Alejo four.

“We are improving,” Foristiere said. “There were only two times in the red zone that we didn't score.”

That wasn't true for the season-opener at Kittitas, which the Warriors dropped, 22-20. They made eight trips inside the Kittitas 20-yard line and came up empty on five.

“We fumbled the ball inside the 5-yard line twice.” Foristiere said. “We found a way to lose.”

The Warriors struggled with the red zone all of last year. They scored on only about 20 percent of their visits.

At the same time the offense struggled at Kittitas, the defense suffered breakdowns because of the Coyote quarterback's scrambling ability. It led to Kittitas's winning score.

Wahluke had the lead, 20-16, with four minutes to go and Kittitas pinned deep. But the Warrior defenders could not contain the quarterback, and he converted third and fourth downs with passes and scrambles.

“We made their quarterback look like an All-American,” Foristiere said.

Wahluke had one more chance to win, driving to within field goal range as time was running out. The kicker went under the ball and got more tee than ball.

The good news from Kittitas was that the Warriors moved the ball for 410 total yards, 340 rushing. Jason Cruz led the rushers with 10 carries for 95 yards. He scored from 30 yards.

Daniel Corrales went 11-65, Jose Alejo went 11-55, Brandon Anaya went 9-65-TD, David Pineda went 4-26-TD, Jose Madrigal went 2-24, and Daniel Miron went 3-10.

Madrigal completed three of five passes for 70 yards. All three passes went to Ethan Kinney.