Huskies earn homecoming victory over Tigers

OTHELLO – The Huskies (5-1) earned a 33-21victory over the Ephrata Tigers (3-3) on Friday during the Othello High homecoming game. It was a close game between the two conference rivals from start to finish. 

“It was very exciting,” said Huskies quarterback Quade Gonzalez. “I like games like that, where you’re fighting the whole time, but there’s a lot of stuff we can clean up.” 

Both teams started off strong in the first quarter, with each scoring a touchdown, but the Tigers pulled ahead after going for two, making the score 7-8. Both teams would be held scoreless throughout the second quarter until Gonzalez completed a pass to Huskies wide receiver RJay Garza for a touchdown, which put the score at 13-8 at halftime. 

The Tigers and Huskies both scored coming back from the half, with the Huskies putting up 14 with a touchdown run from Alex Garza and another catch in the endzone from RJay Garza. The Tigers added six with a catch from Mitchell Morford to put the score at 27-14.  

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Tigers would gain another touchdown and complete the extra point to put the score at 27-21. The Huskies would respond with their run game, which eventually put up another touchdown, and with the help of the defense, would end the game 33-21. 

“Never underestimate a team, everyone is going to be a battle,” said Gonzalez. 

Friday’s matchup was a great reminder for the Huskies that their greatest strength comes from their fight and their brotherhood on the team, he said. 

“It was a dogfight all the way through,” said Tigers running back Jacob Reyes. “We came in knowing it was going to be a fight to the end, and we did our best all the way through.” 

Reyes said this game was a big lesson for the Tigers in the fact that they need to be more confident in themselves on the field and trust the calls from their coaches.  

Kevin Hale, defensive coordinator for the Huskies, said that this game showed the Huskies that there is still plenty of room for improvement. He said the Huskies had numerous penalties and mistakes, such as a bad snap on a punt that had them disjointed, but still managed to come out on top in the second half. 

“We’re a good football team, but it’s just those things,” said Hale. “I expect us to make a long playoff run, but it’s not going to be very long if we keep making those mistakes.” 

The Tigers' head coach, Patrick Mitchell, said the Tigers did not capitalize enough on opportunities that they had early on in the game, which hindered their ability to score. Despite this, he was very proud of the overall performance the team put up. 

“They put together a good rally to get it within six and then we just couldn’t quite get that last stop,” said Mitchell.   

He said one thing the team can take from the game is that they can find success when they stick together and fight until the very last moments of the game. 

This victory has the Huskies tied with Selah for second in the Central Washington Athletic Conference and Ephrata in sixth. With this, the teams continue to head deeper into the second half of the season and closer to the playoffs. 

For the Tigers, Mitchell said the team is preparing for some tough games ahead and is going to take them one game at a time. Their main goal right now is to finish the season strong and fight for a good spot in the playoffs. 

Reyes said the team is going to stay dedicated to improving by watching film daily and working hard at practice.  

“I feel like for myself it’s going to be working on my mindset during the game,” he said. “I need to be able to know what I get, know what to do and follow through with it.” 

The Huskies will be working on their mental focus at practice in the coming weeks, said Hale. This will allow them to clean up their game as they push closer to the end of the season and push for the top spot in the CWAC. 

Gonzalez said he is ready for this week of practice as they clean up on their game. With the end of the season approaching, both he and his teammates are excited and ready to see what they’re capable of. 

“I feel great; I’m ready,” he said. 

This Friday, the Huskies will be on the road to face Prosser, and the Tigers will head home to play Toppenish. Both games will begin at 7 p.m. 

BOX SCORE: 

OTHL: 7-6-14-6: 33
EPHR: 8-0-6-7: 21 

    Tigers wide receiver Carson Andrus stays upright and makes a push deep downfield despite contact from Tyler Suarez from the Huskies. The game remained close throughout the first half.
  

    Gavin Carl, running back for the Huskies, evades a tackle from Tigers defender Felix Villa. The Huskies brought in a strong running game to the second half where they kept the clock running once they gained a significant lead.
  

    Tigers Quarterback Brady Hendrick prepares to receive the ball to start the play. The Tigers rallied after being down in the third quarter to bring it back to a one score game.
  

    Huskies receiver Zayvier Olazcon tries to power through a tackle from Tigers defender Alexander Belino. Huskies defensive coordinator Kevin Hale said the team will be working on cleaning up their game in the coming weeks.
  

    Tigers kicker Caleb Moberg completes an extra point following a touchdown. Tigers head coach Patrick Mitchell said the team is working to finish the season strong to earn a good playoff berth.