Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Colton vs. Rosalia
The fwap, fwap of Colton lineman Austin Staley’s thick gloves penetrated the cold Clarkston night.
As he clapped between plays, trying to rally the Wildcat defense against Rosalia, star quarterback Jake Straughan’s helmet was in a bag on the sideline.
In a Washington state 1B quarterfinal game, Straughan had gone out with an ankle injury in the first quarter, with Colton looking to counter a 20-6 Spartan lead.
Rosalia kept it up and soon took command of the game as Craig Nelson ran toward 350 yards rushing on 25 carries and Clay Shelton added 265 yards on 17 carries.
In addition, quarterback Ryan Maley, another senior, ran for 144 yards and completed three of four throws in a steady performance on both sides of the ball.
"We had a game plan and it worked out really well," said Rosalia Coach Kaleb Madison, indicating he expected Maley to need to throw more. "When the running game is working so well, just keep it going."
While the Spartans racked up yards and touchdowns, they also had substantial penalties in what became a 76-32 win.
"We’ve got some guys that get a little worked up so it’s my job to keep them calm," said Maley afterwards.
"It was a pretty emotional game, unfortunately with Jake getting hurt in the first quarter,” said Colton coach Clark Vining. “I don’t think that game is representative of our season for sure."
Backup quarterback Carter Dahmen completed 13 of 20 passes for 153 yards as the Wildcats finished the year 9-3.
The Spartans now advance to play Touchet in a state semifinal game Saturday in Pasco. Gametime is 6 p.m. at Edgar Brown Stadium for a rematch with the team which beat the Spartans 54-14 on Sept. 19.
CLARKSTON
The Rosalia-Colton game began with an 82-yard scoring run by the Spartans’ Shelton before his team stopped Straughan on a quarterback keeper on fourth and short at the Rosalia 40.
The Spartans took the ball back and drove again, with Nelson scoring on a six-yard run.
Colton then countered with two long completions from Straughan, one to Dalton Patchen for a score of 14-6.
Rosalia took over again and faced a fourth down and six on the Colton 43-yard line. They went for it, with a throw from Maley to Shelton to get the first down before Shelton ran around end on the next play for a 25-yard touchdown. Straughan couldn’t catch him.
On Colton’s next drive, Straughan went down on a running play in which Rosalia was called for a facemask on the tackle. The Wildcats soon scored again, though, when Dillon Frank ran 52 yards for a touchdown.
"It was shaping up to be one of those games where maybe we couldn’t stop each other but it would be a high-scoring (affair)," Vining said.
After Frank’s score, Rosalia answered once more to make it 26-12 on an eight-yard run by Nelson with 1:09 left in the first quarter.
From there, Rosalia kept expanding their lead, with a fake handoff from Maley to Shelton, which the quarterback took for 88 yards and a touchdown.
While Straughan sat on a bench behind his team with his ankle wrapped in ice, Colton’s Dahmen took over at quarterback, throwing to Patchen to cut the lead to 34-20.
The Spartans answered once more, however when Shelton scored on a 40-yard run before a series of penalties slowed down the game.
On one play, a facemask and a late hit went against Rosalia for a 30-yard detriment.
All the while, the Spartans expanded their lead.
Shelton intercepted a Dahmen throw before Nelson took a handoff to the outside. Colton’s Jordan Druffel and Dahmen chased across the field and neither could catch him.
After the Nelson two-point conversion, Rosalia led 48-20 and Straughan was gone from the sidelines, taken to Tri-State Memorial Hospital to be evaluated.
Nearing the end of the half, Rosalia lineman Jason Brown tipped a Dahmen pass and intercepted it to give the Spartans the ball back.
"Let’s go defense, stop ‘em right here," called out Staley from the Colton line, followed by the clap of his gloves.
Maley then scored on a 25-yard run up the sidelines for 54-20.
In the second half, Rosalia kept control.
The Spartans’ Eli Richardson got two sacks on Colton’s opening drive. Then, on Rosalia’s first possession, Nelson went up the middle for a 60-yard touchdown.
"This time it’s No. 15 Craig Nelson breaking free for the touchdown," said the announcer over the loudspeakers.
Soon the Colton defense was back on the field, with Staley’s voice and the clapping of his gloves again prodding them on.
Rosalia handed off to Nelson and two penalties were called against them on a play which Nelson fumbled and Colton recovered.
"Everything the Spartans did will be declined," said the announcer.
The clock dwindled and, on the next series, Colton’s Staley went down hard on the Rosalia sidelines, while blocking for Dahmen.
Eventually, he was able to get back up.
At the end, he had to watch the Wildcats’ season end while on one knee next to also-injured Dalton Patchen.
TOUCHET AGAIN
After a 36-14 win over Wilbur/Creston in another quarterfinal game last Saturday, the Touchet Indians (11-1) advance to play Rosalia for the second time this season.
"They’ve done a great job," said Madison. "They’re a well-disciplined team, very well-coached."
The Indians advance to the state semifinals after three consecutive seasons playing in the quarterfinals. Last year they lost to Cusick on a late interception which led to a deciding touchdown on the final play.
Last week, Cusick’s 2013 season ended with an 80-28 loss to Neah Bay, who will play Lummi in the other semifinal game.
While Rosalia prepares to meet Touchet again, Madison said the difference this time could be in two areas.
"It’s game experience with players and the coaching staff, that learning curve. There’s definitely a gametime learning curve," he said of the first year he and his staff have coached eight-man football.
The second part is the Spartans up front.
"Our offensive line is clicking," Madison said. "They understand who’s blocking who on every play. I think they clicked about five games ago."
Overall, Madison indicated that this is just where his team wants to be.
"If you can get to the playoffs, that’s where it’s made," he said.
The bus leaves at 12:30 Saturday for a chance to play in the state championship game at the Tacoma Dome.
For a group of seniors in their lone year as independent Rosalia, it would be quite a destination.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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