Five lead changes in Skyview-Union game; defense rules in Hockinson-Ridgefield matchup
The games were played in March, but they felt like late-October matchups.
Heck, maybe in November.
No playoff seedings were on the line, but the games were played by the athletes as if everything was on the line.
Because, in a way, everything was on the line.
For Skyview.
For Union.
Then for Hockinson.
And Ridgefield, too.
The intensity in those games was matched throughout Clark County, in fact.
Other squads went to battle, as well, to display so much more than football skills.
The athletes showed off their pride in this abbreviated schedule.
Mountain View trailed 24-8 in the fourth quarter but rallied to beat Prairie in overtime. Oh, and a salute to Prairie, too. The team had lost back-to-back games, then came into McKenzie Stadium with a chip on its shoulder, stunning the home team with a big early lead.
How about Heritage? The Timberwolves, who have been solid on defense all season, picked up a big win against Kelso. That makes Heritage 2-1.
Washougal improved to 3-1 in the 2A Greater St. Helens League with a victory over Columbia River, setting up a Friday game against undefeated Hockinson with a chance for the Panthers to share a league title.
Hudson’s Bay won its first game, a true home game on campus, as well.
La Center bounced back to get a win. Seton Catholic also scored a victory, and under the lights for the first time at home. Woodland has won two in a row now.
In terms of intensity, competition, and some wow factors, one could argue this was THE week for high school football in this odd campaign.
Headlining the week were undefeated teams going up against undefeated teams. Skyview vs. Union. Hockinson vs. Ridgefield.
Both games lived up to the hype, as well. (Below, there are links to my thoughts from those games.)
Today, we bring you video highlights from both games, in a celebration of football.
And, briefly, here is what it all means:
Skyview’s victory over Union turned heads across the state. The Titans had, after all, beat the defending state champions, Camas, in Week 1, then put 60 points on Mountain View in Week 2.
Skyview’s defense held the Union offense to two touchdowns in a 23-20 victory. The Storm got a late touchdown pass from Clark Coleman to Xavier Owens for the victory.
This puts Skyview in the driver’s seat, of course, for a league title. But nothing is decided yet in the 4A Greater St. Helens League.
In the 2A GSHL, Ridgefield came into its game with Hockinson on quite the roll, scoring more than 40 points in three consecutive games while not allowing any points.
Hockinson, though, was up to the challenge, showed off its championship pedigree, and took home a 14-7 victory to clinch at least a share of its seventh consecutive league title.
What’s next?
The small schools finish their abbreviated football season this week. Hockinson-Washougal is the big game of the week in the 2A GSHL. La Center is facing Castle Rock in a 1A clash.
The 4A and 3A teams still have four more dates to play. But they are going to do all that in a hurry in order to finish on April 2.
Here’s how it starts: There are playing dates this Thursday (March 18), then next Tuesday (March 23) and the following Saturday (March 27). For some teams, that will be three games in 10 days. Then the 4A/3A schedule wraps up with Friday night games April. 2.
More fans
Athletic directors have been scrambling to come up with plans for more fans to be allowed in stadiums after the governor announced the state was moving ahead on the path to recovery. We hope to have a story with more details on those plans Tuesday.
