Daniel Thompson breaks free for Battle Ground Friday at District Stadium. He rushed for more than 200 yards and scored two touchdowns to help the Tigers defeat Prairie 35-14.
Hockinson receiver Peyton Brammer collides with a Columbia River defender in the first half Friday at Columbia River High School. Brammer grabbed three touchdown passes to help the Hawks beat the Chieftains 42-6.
Dan Trujillo
dan@thereflector.com
After giving up seven points to its 503 rivals, Battle Ground scored three touchdowns in a row in the first half and forced two turnovers in the second half to secure a 35-14 victory against Prairie at District Stadium Friday.
“It means everything to us,” said senior linebacker Colin Friese. “It’s the best feeling in the world. I can’t explain it in words.”
Quarterback Seth Workman and Boden Strouse connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass to tie the score in the first quarter. Workman and Strouse hooked up two more times on catches that led to touchdowns for the Tigers. Brothers Daniel and Trent Thompson combined for more than 300 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
“It’s a big game for us. It’s the rivalry game. Last year, we let it slip away. It was 14-0 at half and they came back and beat us 21-20. And that was the most discouraging thing,” Trent Thompson said. “So this year, we knew right when they scored on the first drive that they had we just couldn’t give up. We had to keep on pushing.”
Taylor Lawhead snagged a six-yard touchdown pass from A.J. Dixson on Prairie’s first offensive drive of the game. The Falcons got the ball back and drove to the Battle Ground 19-yard line before turning the ball over on downs.
The Tigers scored 21 points before halftime to take command of the game. Strouse hauled in his touchdown pass, Daniel Thompson added a 23-yard touchdown run and Trent Thompson bowled into the end zone following a diving catch on the 1-yard line by Strouse.
Turnovers prevented the Falcons from getting any closer in the third quarter. Workman intercepted a pass in the end zone.
“It feels really amazing just going up and being able to pick them off,” Workman said. “It’s a good feeling knowing that what you do is going to help contribute with a win.”
Prairie got the ball back, but then fumbled it to Friese. Daniel Thompson crossed the goal line for the second time to give Battle Ground a 28-7 advantage.
“I think the energy level even got higher in the second half,” Daniel Thompson said. “Looking up at the student section and everybody thinking we were going to win. It was just way better, honestly.”
Dixson opened the fourth quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run for the Falcons. Prairie recovered the on-side kick, but the Tigers dug in their claws on defense. Daniel Thompson sacked Dixson to force the Falcons into a fourth-and-24 situation. Dixson fired the ball to the end zone, but Workman and Garrett Moon kept it away from the receiver.
“We just didn’t let it get to us when they scored,” Trent Thompson said. “We just had to keep the same intensity the entire second half.”
After Friese made an amazing one-handed catch and run into Falcon territory, Trent Thompson plowed into the end zone again on a 14-yard touchdown.
“That was a blessing, right there,” Friese said of his one-handed grab. “It went off the end of my fingers and I just watched it with my eyes the whole time and brought it in.”
This was the first win of the season for Battle Ground (1-3), while Prairie drops to 2 wins and 2 loses. Both teams begin league play Friday. Battle Ground hosts Skyview and Prairie travels to Kelso.
Around North County
After getting down 0-6 in the first quarter and putting a touch of fear in their fans for the first time in awhile, Hockinson never looked back and never let Columbia River put another point on the board.
The Hawks took down the Chieftains 42-6 in a 2A league matchup, improving to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in league.
Levi Crum threw for 398 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for another 45 yards.
Three of those touchdowns went to Peyton Brammer, who ended with 10 receptions for 150 yards. Sawyer Racanelli had a touchdown of his own to go with 114 yards on 13 catches. Aidan Mallory and Garrett Gundy pulled in the other two touchdowns.
Tyler Flanagan had another big night for the Beavers.
The senior quarterback scored six touchdowns to lead Woodland to a 41-8 victory against R.A. Long.
Four games into the season, and Flanagan has already eclipsed the 20 touchdown mark.
Woodland rolls into Hockinson Friday. Like the Hawks, the Beavers are 4-0 overall and 2-0 in league.
La Center lost to Kalama 14-7. The Chinooks scored the winning touchdown in the final eight seconds of the game. The Wildcats (0-4) host King’s Way in their first league game Friday.
Mark Morris beat Ridgefield 28-19. The Spudders (2-2) host Washougal Friday.
