Day After Report Part II (4A, 3A teams): Week 2
Welcome back to the Day After Report. Part II of III this weekend. For Part I, a look at the three rivalry games, click here. This part will deal with the other 4A and 3A teams from Clark County, the ones that did not play a rival.
I think all of us in Clark County can be grateful Jesuit is not a rival with any of our schools. No need to have to play that team every single year. Union did take on the Crusaders over in Oregon. It was all Jesuit.
Kelso and Heritage are not rivals, either. But maybe they should be. The last time the two teams played before Friday, Heritage won 30-29 in overtime back in 2009. On Friday, Kelso won 49-46. We could all get used to watching games like those.
And of course, Camas and Canby, Ore., are not rivals. But Camas showed they are the best team from cities that start with the letter C that played at Doc Harris Stadium this week. Hey, that’s something.
To the games …
JESUIT 48, UNION 12
The Crusaders had 41 points at the half.
Darn, they’re pretty good: Friend of The Columbian Bryan Levesque got a text from a colleague who was at this game. His colleague said it wasn’t even fair, that Jesuit looked like a college team.
Well, there is a reason for that. A lot of the Crusaders will be playing in college. Big colleges. But Jesuit’s players are human. They can lose. Heck, according to OSAA archives, the Crusaders haven’t won a state title since 2006. True, the Crusaders have made it to the state’s final four in seven of the past eight seasons. Impressive. But they’ve got nothing on Washington’s finest. Bellevue has won four state titles in a row and nine of the last 11.
Wonder how many teams have played both powerhouses in recent years?
At least one that I know of.
Union lost to Bellevue three times in three seasons, beginning with the state championship game in 2008. The Titans, one could argue, outplayed Bellevue in the 2009 state semifinals but still lost. And again, in the 2010 season opener, it was a low-scoring game, but Bellevue prevailed.
This season, the Titans played Oregon’s top-ranked team.
I talked with Union coach Cale Piland on Saturday afternoon, wondering his impressions of the two programs.
He said it was difficult to compare the two because they are so different. Bellevue has its system, running the Wing-T to perfection. Misdirection here, there, everywhere, leaving defenses in the dark. Jesuit, Piland said, is more physically imposing.
“They have three linemen who have offers for Pac-12 scholarships,” Piland said. “They’re not handing those out to anybody.”
With those guys up front, the Crusaders “bring it right at you,” Piland said.
Bellevue uses the misdirection. If Bellevue had three Pac-12 linemen, Piland said, there would be no need for misdirection.
He did not say one was better than the other. Just different. Jesuit is blessed with size and talent every year, but this year even more so. Bellevue just keeps winning and winning.
Now to some notes from our correspondent Rene Ferran, who was at the game …
No, really. They are good: The Titans are not on the wrong end of too many 36-point margins. Then again, they do not play national-caliber teams the likes of Jesuit too often, either.
The Crusaders, ranked No. 91 in the nation by Rivals.com, rolled out to a 41-6 halftime lead.
Jesuit features three offensive linemen who have received Division I offers, another who is getting looks, a junior (Michael Miller) who coach Ken Potter said could be the best of them all, and junior tailback A.J. Glass, a punishing runner who makes the most of the gaping holes provided him.
“This was a great opportunity for growth and learning, for us to play a team of their caliber,” Union coach Cale Piland said. “We played them even in the second half. We have a lot of teachable moments from this, and most important, we came out of the game healthy.”
Jesuit coach praises Titans: The Titans also came out of the game with a healthy dose of respect from the opposing sideline.
“They competed the whole game,” said Potter, a three-time Oregon state champion in his 26 seasons at Jesuit. “We put them down early, and when you do that, it can take the wind out of your sails. But they’ve got a good football team. They’ve got some good playmakers, some tremendous athletes. They flew around the field really well. They will learn a lot from this game.”
Union’s player of the game: One of those playmakers for Union is senior Trent Cowan, who had a big night with four catches for 117 yards, a team-high 12 tackles, and a 40.2-yard punting average.
“Trent raised his level of play tonight,” Piland said. “He was up to the challenge and competed hard.”
…………………………………
…………………………………
…………………………………
CAMAS 31, CANBY 7
The Papermakers have scored 94 points in the first two weeks of the season.
The Papermakers will take it: Last week, Camas quarterback Reilly Hennessey threw for more than 400 yards. Which means this week, Camas’ opponent was playing the pass all night.
Nathan Beasley and Vincente Huber did not mind. They rushed for more than 80 yards apiece. Huber and John Norcross combined for three rushing touchdowns.
“We’re a throwing team first, but they were giving us the run,” Camas coach Jon Eagle said.
Strong finish: No one could expect Hennessey to throw for 400 yards every game. But he could not have been happy with how he started Friday’s game. Yes, there were some dropped passes, but he was off a bit, too, completing 4 of 13 passes for 30 yards.
But based on his final numbers, that means he looked really sharp the rest of the way. He completed six of his last seven for 126 yards, with a touchdown.
More importantly, Hennessey is 2-0 as a starting quarterback.
2-and-oh again: This marks the fifth season in a row, all under Eagle, that the Papermakers have started 2-0. Always fun to get a fast start. But also understand, every team is different. Eagle is pleased with this squad’s performance.
“I’m very proud of our young team, they way we’re getting better,” Eagle said. “They’ve accepted every challenge, every week.”
…………………………………
…………………………………
…………………………………
KELSO 49, HERITAGE 46
Heritage has scored 80 points in two games and is 0-2.
Scary good: Some 23 years ago, and 100 pounds ago, I was a starting cornerback for my high school team. As much as I love the game, I’m glad I do not have to play it anymore. Not that position, anyway. Not if I was going to be asked to defend against Heritage’s E’lon Mack or Tim Hergert.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Mack caught three passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns. One was a 93-yard score. Hergert had three catches for 120 yards and two scores, including an 82-yard TD. Oh, and both of them returned kickoffs for touchdowns, too.
Special special teams: Here is something you don’t see every day. I am too old and too wise to say it’s never been done before Friday. Of course it has. Somewhere. But I am not sure I’ve seen three kickoff returns for touchdowns from three different players from the same team in the same game. Victor Duran also returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the Timberwolves.
By the way, Kelso’s Taylor Radcliffe returned a kickoff for a touchdown, too.
That’s gotta hurt: Both teams scored seven touchdowns. Kelso made three extra points and made good on two 2-point conversions for a total of 7 points after touchdown. Heritage made four extra points and did not convert on its lone 2-point try.
…………………………………
That’s it for now. Look later for my Day After Report featuring the smaller schools. But probably not until after the NFL games are over on Sunday. I have my priorities!
