Huskies 2-0, ground game overcomes Selah air attack
Bob Barrett Photo Huskie quarterback D.J. Guzman perfectly executes a fake hand-off, causing Selah’s defense to converge on Trevor Hilmes while Guzman scampers away unnoticed and untouched for a 39-yard touchdown.
Bob Barrett PhotoTrevor Hilmes drags two Selah defenders with him as he falls forward. Huskies ground and pound Vikings 20-13.
OTHELLO – Othello’s ground game pounded out a 20-13 victory over Selah’s air attack last Friday at Huskie stadium, and Huskies are 2-0 in the CWAC.
Huskie fullback Trevor Hilmes, quarterback D. J. Guzman and tailback Reese Jones scored a touchdown each while running up 221 yards in Othello’s trademark ground and pound offensive attack.
Selah passed for 271 yards, but the Vikings were held to 31 yards rushing. The halftime score could have been 28-7, but the Huskies had two touchdowns called back by questionable penalties.
The Huskie coaching staff protested both calls on the field and, after watching game film, head coach Roger Hoell was certain.
“The screen pass to Hilmes was behind the line of scrimmage,” Hoell said.
Blockers can be downfield if the pass is caught behind the line of scrimmage.
Sammy Azevedo intercepted a pass deflected by Othello cornerback Micah Giles, and Giles was called for pass interference. Hoell said the film shows he was simply playing solid pass defense.
“We can’t think about what could have been,” Hoell said. “You just have to think about how gutsy their performance was. That almost looked like the Othello of old right there.”
Indeed, it did.
The offensive line of guards Daniel Leal and Anthony Pastor, tackles B.J. Martinez and Roberto Valdez , center Adriel Gutierrez and tight end Mike Garcia paved the way for some big plays.
Jones was his normal bruising force, running hard and earning many of his 151 yards on 19 carries with his second and third efforts. However, it was the big play contributions by Huskie quarterback D.J. Guzman that really made a difference.
“People made plays when they had to be made,” Hoell said. “We were able to hit some home runs with the long run by D.J. and the long pass completion.”
Guzman faked a hand-off to Hilmes on a dive play, and as the Selah defenders tackled Hilmes, Guzman ran untouched around the right end for a 39-yard touchdown to put the Huskies up 14-7.
Later in the game, facing a third and long from his own 40-yard line, Guzman uncorked a bomb downfield. It was caught by Asai Villarreal to give the Huskies a first down in Viking territory.
“Probably the best ball he has thrown all year and the best technique he has used because he sat there and then he stepped up and delivered the ball,” Hoell said.
An unusual offensive formation helped Othello run the clock out. Huskie 5-10, 305 offensive linemen Phillip Pruneda joined Hilmes, Kyler Villarreal and Jones in the backfield with the ball snapped directly to Jones.
Othello travels to Toppenish this Friday to square off with the 1-2 Wildcats. Toppenish quarterback Adonis Shaul threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns in a win last Friday.
After the Connell loss, Hoell said the key was to win each week so the last two games league games with Prosser and Ellensburg will have meaning. With wins over East Valley and Selah, the Huskies have started down that road.