King’s Way Christian Knights • La Center Wildcats • Seton Catholic Cougars
King’s Way Christian enjoys memorable road trip, win
King’s Way Christian Knights (2-2)
Week 4: King’s Way Christian 45, Riverside (Boardman, Ore.) 0
Next: at La Center, 7 p.m. Friday
The road has been good to the King’s Way Christian Knights. They made it 2 for 2 away from home with a win in Oregon.
Of course, it gets tougher now. The Knights open Trico League play at defending league champion La Center.
Don’t let the record fool you, though. La Center is 0-4 but is getting better and better. Plus, the Wildcats are still the defending champions.
“We are really, really excited,” King’s Way Christian coach Brian Rodriguez said of his team’s first league game. “Oh-and-four doesn’t mean anything. They’re zero-and-zero, and we’re zero-and-zero. They’re hungry for a win. It’s going to be a challenge.”
The Knights did not have much of a challenge in Week 4, shutting out an overmatched team from Boardman, Ore. But the Knights had a blast with the long trip on the chartered bus. They watched “Rudy” on the way there, had pizza and watched “Remember the Titans” on the way home.
That’s a successful road trip right there.
Gage Koenders had a big night, rushing for 118 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns. Freshman Connor Delamarter got some carries, as well, rushing for 38 yards and a score.
“He’s going to be a great player in the future,” Rodriguez said. “He’s on HUDL all the time, asking questions, always trying to get better.”
Kemper Shrock was near perfect from the quarterback position, going 18 for 19 for 250 and three TDs.
Rodriguez loved the defensive play of lineman Bailey Meek. And he said he would be remiss if he didn’t mention Tayler Shega for making a field goal.
La Center is 0-4 but clearly improving
La Center Wildcats (0-4)
Week 4: Kalama 14, La Center 7
Next: vs. King’s Way Christian, 7 p.m. Friday at La Center HS
This is John Lambert’s 20th season, and he believes it is the first time one of his teams has started 0-4.
He has been around long enough to know, though, it is not how one starts but how it finishes.
“Maybe we’re the best 0-4 team north of Ridgefield and south of La Center,” the coach said with a laugh.
La Center is getting close. The Wildcats know it, too.
“I think we’re doing fine,” he said of the team’s mental well-being after such a tough start. “It’s a process of getting to where we need to be and how we want to get there. We played a lot better (against Kalama). We’re getting there. Just taking a while.”
It was, by far, the best defensive performance of the season for the Wildcats, going up against the defending Class 2B state champions. Kalama scored with 8 seconds left to win.
Oh, and Kalama got the winning score by going 70 yards in just a matter of seconds. It was not like La Center was out of position. Instead, Lambert praised Kalama for executing two perfect plays.
Lambert noted the play of defensive lineman Sam Kitchell in the Kalama game.
“He was in their backfield a lot. We pressured their quarterback a lot. They had very little time to throw,” Lambert said.
If that defense comes alive and the offense improves, look for La Center to be a contender in the Trico League.
“It’s a new season. We’ve told the kids there are three seasons. Preseason (non-league), league season, and hopefully the playoff season,” Lambert said. “This is our second season. The kids are working hard to get better.”
Up first in league is King’s Way Christian, an interesting matchup.
“King’s Way has got some good kids. They’re better than they were last year, and we’re not as good,” Lambert said.
The Wildcats, though, are getting there. Trust the process.
Seton Catholic gets defensive again
Seton Catholic Cougars (3-1)
Week 4: Seton Catholic 21, Tenino 0
Next: vs. Stevenson, 1 p.m. Saturday at Seton Catholic HS
Don’t look now, but the Seton Catholic Cougars are 3-1 and in their three wins they have not given up any points.
Got a chance to watch some of the video from the win over Toledo. Forgive me if I got some of the numbers wrong. It video was tough to see. But here are just a few highlights:
It looked to me that it was No. 1 Luke Price who recovered a fumble on Tenino’s first drive of the game. Tenino was in scoring position, too. Price lined up on one side of the field, the ball went the other way, but he continued pursuit and was rewarded with the hustle recovery.
Seton would score off that turnover. A swing pass to a wide receiver and a great block downfield by Luke Pitzer.
It appeared to me that Alex Macca had a tackle-for-loss on Tenino’s next series. The third Tenino series was stopped by a host of Cougars on fourth down.
Later in the half, Myles McGovern got a tackle-for-loss.
And Tyvauntae Deloney helped preserve the shutout with an interception.
Seton Catholic opens league play with a home game Saturday against Stevenson.
