Woodland looks forward to annual clash with La Center

Woodland opened the season with a loss to Kalama and the Beavers will try to bounce back against La Center in Week 2.

Woodland Beavers

Beavers hope to rebound after Week 1 loss to Kalama

Week 1: Kalama 26, Woodland 14 Week 2: La Center at Woodland, 7 p.m. Friday The Beavers had their opportunities but never led in their Week 1 matchup. Oh, and an offensive lineman gets picked by the coach as the team’s MVP. Gotta give the guys up front some love. (Note: Woodland was one of two teams I did not get a chance to watch, which is why this report will be brief. I expect to be able to watch future Woodland games. And I did get these notes from coach Mike Woodward.)

Coach Speak:

What did Mike Woodward learn about his team in Week 1? “All eleven have to execute in order to be successful. We had the right attitude and effort, but we were sloppy and we paid for it.” Coach’s pick for MVP on offense: Offensive lineman Alex Wakefield. Graded out as the highest of Woodland’s linemen in Week 1. Did an excellent job in both the run game and pass protection. It was his debut as a varsity player. Coach’s pick for MVP on defense: Sometimes, when a quarterback is just too good of an athlete, he must play defense, too. Wyatt Harsh is Woodland’s pick for the MVP on defense. The defensive back had a strong night in coverage and with his tackling. “An absolute warrior for us on both sides of the ball all night,” Woodward said.   Thoughts on Week 2: “La Center is always an exciting rivalry for us,’’ Woodward said. “We have to slow down their run game to have a chance. I'm confident our kids will step up to the challenge.”