CHIMACUM — The East Jefferson football team went up against a powerhouse squad from Cascade Christian that has handled Chimacum and Port Townsend both pretty handily the past few years and gave the Cougars everything they could handle, falling 14-0 in a defensive battle.
“They’re one of the best 1A teams in the state. We felt pretty good about it,” said East Jefferson coach Patrick Gaffney. “It was actually a really good game.”
Gaffney said the game largely came down to turnovers, with East Jefferson committing six of them. However, the defense was outstanding, allowing just two Cougars touchdowns.
On one of the Cascade Christian touchdowns, East Jefferson actually held, but then roughed the kicker on an attempted field goal. Cascade Christian was then able to score a TD with a new set of downs. “And we almost held them out even that time,” Gaffney said.
Gaffney said the highlight of the game was a goal-line stand by the East Jefferson defense. Chris Fair made one tackle to prevent a score. Lonnie Kenney made another tackle at the goal line, then Kyle Caldwell made yet another tackle on fourth down at the goal line.
Gerald Lindsey led the team with 13 tackles, while Jesse Kithcart had 12 tackles. Fair had seven tackles, Kenney six and Trevor Wilson, Logan Massie and Josh Davis all had five.
On offense, Caldwell had 23 yards rushing, while Lindsey and Anson Jones each had 20 yards. Micajah Shiflett had 13 yards on the ground and Massie had 11
Being able to stick so close to Cascade Christian was a fitting end for the year. “Being competitive with Cascade Christian gives us a lot of confidence,” Gaffney said.
This year, Chimacum and Port Townsend combined rosters to play as a single 2A team in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re excited. The kids want the combine to continue,” Gaffney said. “We’ll have a lot of starters coming back.”
2B Football
Forks 43, Kalama 36
MONTESANO — Forks finished the season with a winning record and the Spartans are calling themselves the third-best 2B team in the state after going up against three powerhouses of the class in Forks’ first year at 2B.
The Spartans dropped down to 2B this season, but it turns out that the teams in southwestern Washington are among the most powerful 2B teams in the state. Forks took last year’s state champion Onalaska to overtime before falling, lost to Napavine, and then beat Kalama, the state 2B runner-up last year, 43-36 in a finale played in Montesano on Saturday. Napavine was also in the state semifinals in 2019 and was beaten by Kalama.
Hayden Baker had an incredible game for the Spartans, rushing for 244 yards. He also threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Rancourt. Dalton Kilmer had a touchdown catch and two interceptions.
“[Baker] ran with extreme power and vision,” said coach Trevor Highfield. “He ran incredibly tough and he really did leave everything on the field.”
Highfield said the Spartans’ offensive line “did an incredible job” opening holes for Baker. “The physicalness of our team took its toll,” he said.
Highfield said Trey Baysinger also had a great game on both the offensive and defensive lines, but especially on the defensive line. Highfield called Kalama’s quarterback Jackson Esaray a “difference maker.” Esaray threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns, but most of that damage was in the first half. Highfield said Baysinger “put a tremendous amount of pressure on their quarterback. He really took over on the defensive line.”
Forks finishes its COVID and snow-affected season 3-2.
Sea-Tac 1B Championship
Quilcene 46, Evergreen Lutheran 34
PORT ORCHARD — The Quilcene Rangers found themselves in unfamiliar territory in the Sea-Tac 1B championship — Down in the second half, and not only down, but down big.
The Rangers fell in a 28-6 hole Saturday night against Evergreen Lutheran and were still down 34-22 entering the fourth quarter when they erupted for 24 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win the Sea-Tac title 46-34.
“It was fun,” said coach Trey Beathard. “Personally, I’d rather just comfortably win.
“I think it’s a game these kids will always remember,” Beathard said. “it wasn’t pretty, but our kids played hard and never game up. That effort in the second half was impressive.”
Beathard said a lot of penalties killed Quilcene early as Evergreen Lutheran scored 22 unanswered points to take 22-6 lead into the half. The Eagles were able to build that lead after scoring the first touchdown of the second half.
Then Chase Newman, returning after missing several weeks from a broken bone in his hand, had a 78-yard kickoff return in the third set up a quick touchdown run by Bishop Budnek. That return turned the tide, Beathard said.
“It was the momentum boost we needed, frankly,” Beathard said.
Kevin Alejo had an interception in the fourth quarter. And Newman responded again with a 40-yard touchdown run on the first play after the turnover. Nathan Kieffer added a 37-yard touchdown pass to Austin Hough for an insurance touchdown.
Budnek ended up with 227 yards rushing on 28 carries. He had four touchdowns and five 2-point conversions.
“He was super physical in the second half,” Beathard said.
Newman ran for 89 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown and Kieffer passed for 55 yards with the TD to Hough.
Zack Budnek had eight tackles and two sacks, caused a fumble and recovered a fumble in his last game as a senior. Alejo had nine tackles, a fumble recovery, an interception and a sack. Cash Thacker had 12 tackles, Newman nine tackles and Ashton Johnston seven tackles.
Quilcene finishes the season unbeaten (5-0).
Quilcene 46, Evergreen Luth. 34
Quilcene 6 0 16 24 — 46
EL 8 14 12 0 — 34
First Quarter
Q—B. Budnek 4 run (PAT failed)
Third Quarter
Q—B. Budnek 7 run (B. Budnek PAT)
Q—B. Budnek 17 run (B. Budnek PAT)
Fourth Quarter
Q—B. Budnek 1 run (B. Budnek PAT)
Q—Newman 40 run (B. Budnek PAT)
Q—Hough 37 pass from Kieffer (B. Budnek PAT)
Individual Stats
Rushing—Q: B. Budnek 28-227, Newman 10-89, Alejo 3-7.
Passing—Q: Kieffer 3-12-55, TD, INT.
Receiving—Q: Hough 1-37, Newman 1-9, Z. Budnek 1-9.
Six-man football
Crescent 70, Clallam Bay 12
JOYCE — Crescent and Clallam Bay completed their seasons with a 70-12 win by the Loggers in six-man football.
Filling in at quarterback as coach Brian Shimko let some of his younger players play, Austin Sage had 235 yards passing on 10 for 20 passing with four touchdown passes. Shimko also played a lot of seniors for their final games as Crescent finished the season 3-1, the Loggers’ only loss coming to an undefeated Quilcene team.
Sage had a 34-yard touchdown pass to Weston Hart, a pass of 30 yards to Brendan Bergstrom for a score, a 30-yard pass to Aiden Otis for a touchdown and a 70-yard pass to Randy Lee for a score. Darren Lee had a 55-yard kick return for a touchdown and Wyatt Lee had a touchdown on a 45-yard run. Randy Lee had two other touchdowns on runs of eight and four yards. Evan Matumeak had an 18-yard touchdown and an interception and Jimmy Bruch a four-yard touchdown.
For Clallam Bay, Tanner Buskeness had a 40xx-yard touchdown and Maricio Cruz-Lopez had a 50-yard touchdown catch on a pass from Buskeness.
Clallam Bay coach Aaron Burdette thanked Crescent for scheduling the game and for the Loggers’ sportsmanship.
“We need to see more of that,” Burdette said. “”We’re very young. We have a lot of young kids coming back next year.”
Crescent 70, Clallam Bay 12
Scoring
C—Wyatt Lee 45 run (PAT fail)
C—Matumeak 18 run (PAT fail)
C—Randy Lee 4 run (Bruch PAT)
C—W. Hart 34 pass from Hart (Bergstrom pass from Bruch)
CB—Buskeness 40 run (PAT failed)
C—Randy Lee 8 run (PAT failed)
C—Otis 4 run (Bruch PAT)
C—Darren Lee 55 return (PAT failed)
CB—Cruz-Lopez 50 pass from Buskeness
C—Bergstrom 30 pass from Sage (PAT failed)
C—Otis 30 pass from Sage (PAT failed)
C—Randy Lee 70 pass from Sage (Bruch PAT)
C—Bruch 4 run (PAT failed)
