Nighthawks finish happy at Kettle Falls

The legs of Earl Gaines and Will Dedic helped put a happy punctuation on the Tekoa/Oakesdale/Rosalia football team’s 2010 season.

With Gaines’ running and Dedic’s kicking leading the way, the Nighthawks capped a 4-6 season with a 17-14 win over Kettle Falls in a long road trip Friday night.

“It was a good way to end it,” said TOR Coach Ken Lindgren. “It was a tough year, but you can’t measure everything in wins and losses. We had a great group of guys that really grew as men throughout the year.”

Dedic drilled a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter that ended up being the ‘hawks winning margin.

Gaines toted the ball 31 times for 174 yards. Set up by a big fourth down pass play from QB Scott Eberle to Flash Hodges, Gaines scored the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard plunge in the fourth quarter.

Kettle Falls capped the scoring with fourth quarter touchdown run with two and a half minutes on the clock. The Bulldogs opted to kick the ball deep to the ‘hawks and chance getting it back.

They almost did, stopping TOR on a couple of runs to force a third and long with just over two minutes left. But a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Kettle Falls gave the ‘hawks another four downs and they were able to run out the clock.

Bulldog Brandon Thomas opened the game’s scoring with a 59-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, but the ‘hawks answered right back when quarterback Scott Eberle found the end zone on a two-yard run.

The Kettle Falls match was a crossover consolation round game between state Districts 7 and 9.

The ‘hawks finished with a 1-4 record in SE 2B league play, and fell short of making the playoffs when they fell to Dayton in a three-team playoff Nov. 2.

Fourteen seniors ended their careers with the Kettle Falls game, including Eberle, Gaines, the entire offensive line and receiving corps.

“We lose a great group of guys,” said Lindgren. “They really played their hearts out, and it’s going to be tough to replace them.”

The ‘hawks will bring back some underclassmen who gained key experience this year.

Micah Pittsley spent some time as quarterback and looked strong, and Chris Hanson, who opened the season as starting center, will be snapping him the ball. Peyton Boxleitner showed promise as linebacker, and Joe Gaines was successful as a Swiss army knife utility player.

“We really bring back a pretty good nucleus of kids that have contributed for us,” said Lindgren.