Jacks fall to Selah in season opener

QUINCY — The return of Quincy Jackrabbits football to the Central Washington Athletic Conference got off to a rocky start with a 59-0 loss to Selah in the season opener Friday at the Quincy High School stadium. 

“Really rocky,” said Quincy head coach Russ Elliott. “I don’t think we’ve looked that bad — I can’t remember looking that bad.” 

The Selah bus got stuck in a massive traffic jam at the Vantage Bridge, which delayed the game by 45 minutes. The Jacks took the kickoff and failed to convert; Selah took the ensuring punt and got close to the goal line but had to settle for a field goal and a 3-0 lead with 8:45 left in the first quarter.  

The Vikings then tried an onside kick, recovered it and took a 10-0 lead on a 45-yard pass reception by wide receiver Keaton Pitzer.  

Quincy’s Jace Reyes returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards; the Jacks got within scoring distance, but Selah ended the drive by recovering a fumble. They converted that to a touchdown and a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Quincy quarterback Pierce Bierlink completed two passes on a drive early in the second quarter — including one where the Viking defense was in hot pursuit — to get the Jacks to the Selah 19. But Quincy couldn’t score on a first and goal, and a field goal attempt was thwarted by a snap that went awry. 

“I don’t think the kids quit, which is encouraging,” Elliott said. “But we couldn’t put together any stops, and we couldn’t move the ball on offense, so it was just a long night. 

“Selah had a part in it, for sure. We knew they were going to be good, but I didn’t think we’d be that bad. We’ve just got to get back and figure some things out,” he said. 

Quincy travels to Ephrata Friday for the annual Battle of the Basin, a longtime rivalry that also will be a league game this year. 

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Elliott told his players after the game. “There’s a lot of football left to play, but we’ve got to make it happen.” 

Ephrata is the defending CWAC champion and advanced to the round of 16 in the 2023 state playoffs.  

“We’ve just got to worry about ourselves and get better. And see what happens,” Elliott said. 

Kickoff for the Battle of the Basin is at 7 p.m. at Kiwanis Field next to Ephrata High School, 333 Fourth Ave. NW.

Box score 
QCY: 0-0-0-0 0
SLA: 17-21-14-7  59 

    Quincy quarterback Pierce Bierlink (3) rolls out to pass In Quincy’s season opener Friday.
  

    Jaxson Ferguson (14) confronts a Selah defender in Quincy’s season-opening loss Friday.
  

    Quincy’s Maximo Serrano tries to elude the grasp of a Selah defender.