Huskies defeat East Valley 26-13

OTHELLO – After surrendering a touchdown on East Valley’s opening drive, the Othello Huskies rallied to defeat the Red Devils 26-13 on Friday night, improving to 5-0 this season with the win. 

Sophomore quarterback Ryan Martinez stepped in under center after junior Quade Gonzalez IV was injured in the first half to help lead Othello to its fourth league win of the season. 

“We knew they were going to give us the fight of our lives,” Othello Defensive Coordinator Kevin Hale said. “They have so many athletes, they’re bigger and stronger – you can tell that, from last year. We knew we were going to be in for a fight, but we have confidence in our guys.” 

East Valley opened the game with a touchdown drive to go up 7-0, but Othello responded with two second-quarter touchdowns by senior Jordan DeLeon to give the Huskies a 12-7 lead at the half. 

“After that, we switched our defense up and we were able to hold them,” Hale said. “On offense, they were playing us tough; then Quade gets hurt, we get our sophomore quarterback go in and they were putting everybody in the box. It was difficult to move the ball, but we made enough plays. It was a battle in the first half.” 

East Valley opened the second half with a 33-yard field goal to bring the Huskies lead down to just two points, though Othello answered with an eight-play, 57-yard touchdown drive that ended with Martinez throwing the ball to senior Jaxon Gomez for a 15-yard touchdown. 

Earlier on the drive, Martinez completed a 33-yard pass to junior Stadyc Stromberg on third-and-11 to set Othello up deep in East Valley territory. 

Following another East Valley field goal, Othello got the ball back with 10:47 on the clock in the fourth quarter; slowly and methodically, the Huskies marched down the field on a 14-play, 74-yard drive that ended with DeLeon scoring his third touchdown of the night, this time on a one-yard run. 

“Kids were running the football and running so hard,” Hale said. “That last pass play where (Martinez) hits RJay to get down to the goal line – he stood, he was looking all over the field scanning, and luckily he had enough time. That was the play right there.” 

Junior RJay Garza had two 22-yard receptions on the drive, both of which came on third-and-long. The second catch set Othello up on the East Valley two-yard line. 

“I saw the corner bailout and I saw the safety bite under,” Garza said. “I just went over top of him and my quarterback made a great read, threw a great ball and got a first down.” 

Garza credited Martinez for delivering the clutch passes. 

“Ryan (Martinez) stepped up, and we all stepped up to help him out,” Garza said. “Brought the win home for Quade – it was just a really good moment to see everyone come together.” 

Following DeLeon’s touchdown run, East Valley got the ball back with 2:27 down 26-13; a 34-yard run, plus a penalty for a facemask on Othello, set the Red Devils up just outside the red zone, though Othello junior Gavin Carl sealed the game away a few plays later by intercepting a pass near the goal line. 

“I saw the guy to the flats, but before that, I told my safety to hold on to that side because I knew they were going to try and run something up the middle – that's what they were doing the whole drive,” Carl said. “I tried to sit in the middle of the pocket, and it came right to me.” 

With the win Othello improved to 5-0 and 4-0 in the Central Washington Athletic Conference; Toppenish lost 14-6 to Selah on Friday, leaving the Huskies to stand as the lone unbeaten team in the CWAC. Toppenish is 4-1 in the league, while Ephrata and Selah are both 3-1. 

Hale gave recognition of the sportsmanship of the Red Devils when Othello’s starting quarterback was injured in the first half. 

“The East Valley coaches were out there, the players came out – nothing but class,” Hale said. “That has to be recognized because the world needs more of that demonstration of respect.” 

Othello travels to Ephrata on Saturday at 6 p.m. 

Box Score 

EVY: 7-0-3-3 13 

OTH: 0-12-7-7 26 

    Othello junior Stadyc Stromberg (9) catches a 33-yard pass while being covered by an East Valley (Yakima) defender during the third quarter of Friday’s 26-13 win over the Red Devils.
  

    Othello junior RJay Garza (2) fights for extra yards on a 22-yard reception
  

    Othello junior Gavin Carl (38) returns an intercepted pass late in the fourth quarter against East Valley on Friday night.