CLALLAM BAY — Clallam Bay scored on its first offensive play and never looked back, beating Crescent 70-12 to open 1B Northwest Football League play.
Following a Loggers fumble on the opening drive, Calvin Ritter scored on a 28-yard pass from Kelly Gregory to give the Bruins an 8-0 lead.
Clallam Bay scored 20 more points in the opening quarter, and the rout was on.
“We played well in all aspects of the game,” Clallam Bay coach Cal Ritter said.
“[Crescent] is a young team, but a tough team.
“It was a good win to have, a good morale-booster for the kids. We wanted to be ticking on all cylinders for league play, and that’s what we did.”
For the first time this season, the Bruins effectively passed the ball, with first-year starter Kelly Gregory completing 8 of 10 passes for 90 yards and three touchdowns.
“Just too much Clallam Bay,” Crescent coach Darrell Yount said of Friday night’s game.
“They are a very big, senior-led team with great kids and a load of talent. By far the most talented team we have faced to date.”
The Loggers were once again with speedy running back Travis Walker, who remains sideline with injury.
The Bruins, meanwhile, had their speedster, Casey Randall for the second time this season.
“It was good to have him back. He has a lot of speed,” Cal Ritter said.
Randall scored four touchdowns, including a 60-yard kickoff return for a score, and ran for 143 yards.
“It was really just a nicely oiled offensive machine in Clallam Bay,” Yount said.
“Their running back, Casey Randall, is just so quick and runs with great passion vision.
“And of course Mohr and Smith are huge loads. And with Gregory pulling the strings, they were just awfully efficient on offense.”
Randall’s effectiveness was boosted by the move of Mohr, a senior who was a second-team All-State running back in 2012, to center.
“It gave us more experience, and he helped the younger guys on the line,” Cal Ritter said.
“He wants to do what’s best for the team. Everyone wants to have the glory, but he’s looking at the big picture for us, and right now that’s with him on the line.”
On defense, Mohr had three interceptions.
Calvin Ritter ran eight times for 98 yards and caught three passes for 71 yards. He ran for two scores and had a pair of touchdown receptions.
Senior Evan Messinger had the Bruins’ other touchdown reception, a 14-yarder in the second quarter.
Crescent (0-1, 0-5) scored on an 80-yard kick return by Martin Waldrip, and a 24-yard run by quarterback Quenton Wolfer.
Wolfer threw four interceptions, but hooked up with KC Spencer four times for 110 yards.
“It was good to see the Wolfer-to-Spencer combo in the passing game,” Yount said.
“Spencer, only an eighth-grader, has got quite a future in front of him.
“And the big kickoff return from Waldrip, that’s just a great return and he kind of surprised us with some serious wheels.”
Waldrip caught three passes for 45 yards.
“We would have liked to see our kids perform a little steadier, eliminate some unforced turnovers, clean up some assignments; but those kind of games happen. We certainly don’t fault their effort,” Yount said.
“And on a night that we run into a juggernaut like Clallam Bay, who had just come off a disappointing loss to Quilcene, a game that they felt they probably should have won, we knew they would probably take the lumber to us, and they didn’t disappoint in that regard.
“It just gets tougher for us as we head to No. 3 state-ranked Lummi this coming Friday.”
Like Clallam Bay, Lummi (0-1, 3-2) will likely be playing with a chip on its shoulder after being blasted by top-ranked Neah Bay 76-32.
Clallam Bay (1-0, 2-3) next hosts Lopez (3-0) in the second of four consecutive home games for the Bruins.
“Hopefully, we can capitalize on those [home games],” Cal Ritter said.