The La Center Wildcats were unable to gain momentum in a stalemate-esque gridiron affair with the Seton Catholic Cougars on Friday, Oct. 16.
The result was a 14-7 loss for the Wildcats in a marquee 1A Trico League matchup that La Center High School football coach John Lambert believes should have been a two-score game in favor for the Wildcats in the first quarter.
“Just stupid little penalties. We should have been up 14-0 in the first quarter. And we just shot ourselves in the foot,” Lambert said.
Lambert said missed assignments and undisciplined penalties hurt his team in a loss to Seton, despite a defensive effort that limited the opponent’s running game.
In the first quarter, the Wildcats lined up for a field goal, rather than landing on the scoreboard up 3-0, La Center was trying to chase down the Cougars after a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown.
Lambert emphasized that football requires every player to execute his assignment on each play, noting that even a small mistake can derail an otherwise successful sequence.
“It's little things. On that block, (point-after) team, it takes one guy not to do his job,” Lambert said. “And so, we talked all week about, you know, the play lasts five, six seconds, every play. We need to get locked in during those five or six seconds.”
The Wildcats bounced back with a first half rushing touchdown by way of senior running back Brady Brandenburg.
The La Center defense held strong, giving up just one touchdown from the Seton offense. In the big scheme of things, the Wildcat defense dominated the entire game besides the lone Cougar touchdown drive.
Lambert praised the Wildcats’ defensive performance, particularly their ability to contain Seton’s ground game. He described the unit’s effort as a collective achievement while highlighting Jett Johnson’s consistent contributions.
“Boy, they couldn't run the ball on us, obviously. … It just really was a team effort from the defense,” he said.
“Kids like Jett Johnson. Week in and week out, our best defensive player. And he gives his effort all the time,” Lambert highlighted.
The Wildcats drove the ball deep into Seton Catholic territory in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. In the red zone with less than a minute remaining, looking to tie, a fourth-down passing play resulted in the ball being thrown into the ground before the line of scrimmage, ending the Wildcats’ hopes.
The week may look longer after falling short of remaining undefeated in the 1A Trico League as the Wildcats will line up against Castle Rock High School to remain in second place in the Trico League. Both the Wildcats and Rockets enter week eight 3-1 in league play.
Lambert said players must take responsibility for improving during film sessions, practices and team meetings. He pointed to penalties, missed reads, ball security and blocking assignments as areas requiring attention in preparation for the final stretch of the season.
“I feel like this team has the character to come back from a game like this,” he said, “and show what they're really able to do. We just have to make sure that we're focusing on the details, and get better at the little stuff.”
The La Center Wildcats will host Castle Rock High School on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. before finishing off the year with another home matchup against the Fort Vancouver Trappers on Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
