Spudders have lost six straight games after Week 1 victory

Ridgefield Spudders (1-6, 0-4 2A GSHL)

Week 1: Ridgefield 41, Castle Rock 0
Week 2: W.F. West 33, Ridgefield 13
Week 3: La Center 35, Ridgefield 7
Week 4: Hockinson 42, Ridgefield 15
Week 5: Washougal 34, Ridgefield 14
Week 6: Mark Morris 30, Ridgefield 27
Week 7: R.A. Long 29, Ridgefield 7
Next: vs. Woodland, 7 p.m. at Ridgefield

The Spudders will look to play spoiler in the the final two weeks of the season by trying to knock off one or two playoff contenders.

Closer than the score appears:

The final was a 22-point loss. The game did not look like a three-touchdown result.
Ridgefield trailed by just seven at halftime. The Spudders had plenty of drives that picked up first downs, that moved the ball. They just had a tough time finding a way to score.

One example: After an R.A. Long punt, Ridgefield started at its own 2-yard line. That’s a dangerous position.

But Ridgefield got a 7-yard run from Jeremy Martin, then a 13-yard pass from Dawson Lieurance to Andrew Rommel. Soon after, another Lieurance to Rommel pass, this one for 30 yards to get into R.A. Long territory.

Fourth-down conversion:

Jeremy Martin should get a medal for converting one fourth-down play. The center-quarterback exchange was far from perfect. Lieurance never really had control of the ball when he got hit. The ball was knocked loose, back to the running back position. Martin picked up the ball, but immediately had two defenders around him. Martin made a spin move to avoid a 5-yard loss, then ended up with a 7-yard gain and a first down.

Offense and defense:

Matthew Gama had an interception and a long return for Ridgefield in the first half.

In the second half, he had the highlight of the game.

(Pet peeve: When media members say someone made a one-handed catch when it was not a one-handed catch. Most “one-handed” catches are not. A receiver might use one hand to try to get control of the ball but then usually brings the ball down to two hands for full control. That’s not a one-handed catch.)

Well, Gama had a real one-handed catch for the Spudders. Going down the sideline, he stuck his right hand out on a long pass from Lieurance, made the grab, pulled the ball into his body, but never used his left hand.

Ridgefield would score on that drive.

Coach Speak:

What did Kim Ulman think about his team’s performance in Week 7? “We need to continue to work hard to improve in all aspects of the game.”

MVP on offense: Jeremy Martin

MVP on defense: Matthew Gama

Thoughts on Week 8 vs. Woodland: “We will have our hands full,’’ Ulman said. “(Wyatt) Harsh and (Tyler) Flanagan are two of the best in our league.”