Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Vikings football
With a dominant win over Republic to open the 1B football playoffs Nov. 10, Garfield/Palouse advanced to the state quarterfinals, to play unbeaten Odessa Friday in Royal City.
The same matchup happened three years ago in the playoffs, Garfield/Palouse winning at Odessa, against a team that was then Odessa/Harrington.
They have since returned to being just the Odessa Tigers and played in last year’s state championship game, losing to Neah Bay at the Tacoma Dome.
Gar/Pal has made the playoffs two of the three ensuing years, following the 2014 run that went through Odessa. Vikings senior linebacker/running back Travis Knauff played in that game as a freshman. Gar/Pal’s current three-year starter at quarterback, Evan Weagraff, was a starter then at defensive back, although he was injured and did not appear in the playoffs.
The 2017 matchup with Odessa expects to be a daunting task.
“I tell you they’re good. They are good. They’ve got an awesome sophomore class,” said Vikings coach Will Woltering. “It’s going to be an uphill climb. They’re awful athletic and quick.”
The two teams almost played each other already this year. A Sept. 8 non-league game at Palouse was canceled due to smoke from wildfires.
So now Gar/Pal prepares again for the Tigers (10-0), this time the No. 1 seed from the Northeast 1B league. Garfield/Palouse is the No. 2 seed from the Southeast 1B.
In practice this week, Vikings freshman backup quarterback Austin Jones ran the scout team, imitating Odessa’s I-formation/shotgun-formation offense with two tight ends.
Opposite the line of scrimmage, missing from Gar/Pal’s first-team defense – along with the starting offense – is senior linebacker/center Chad Hansen, who went out with a knee injury against Republic.
Woltering has moved players around on the line to make up for Hansen’s absence.
The Gar/Pal bus leaves Palouse Friday at 2 p.m. with the traditional team “dinner” on the bus – served from coolers – handed out past Colfax.
From there its straight east on Highway 26 to Royal City. Further on is the Tacoma Dome.
“We’re ready to roll,” Woltering said. “Odessa is more athletic than us. But we’re more physical. We’ll see.”
Game time is 6 p.m.
1B PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Garfield/Palouse 70, Republic 8
Fog thickened over the field Nov. 10 as Garfield/Palouse scored on their first play from scrimmage against Republic to open the playoffs at home. On the ensuing kickoff, could the crowd even see the play`ers on the field?
ROAR!
They saw junior Ely Hawkins, the kicker, with a big hit on the Republic returner and the tone was set.
A quick defensive stop, another score, another two-point conversion and the ebb and flow of the fog.
With 6:58 left in the second quarter, Woltering took out Weagraff and put in freshman backup Jones.
He promptly led a scoring drive for 54-0.
The Gar/Pal band kicked in once more, playing from bleachers behind the near end zone.
“Good job Gar/Pal band,” called out the game announcer over the loudspeaker. “I can hear you. I can’t see you.”
The Vikings finished with a final score of 70-8, advancing to the eight-team state 1B bracket.
“I think we hit hard, we had the right mentality,” said Woltering. “We put our second team out there and we still beat those guys. Our younger kids got a lot of playing time and everyone found some success.”
1B PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Almira/Coulee/Hartline 72, Colton 46
Playing at Coulee City Saturday afternoon, Nov. 16, Colton faced Almira/Coulee/Hartline in a first-round playoff game and went down 72-46, ending the Wildcats season.
It started out close, each team scoring twice before ACH scored three touchdowns without answer and built a 66-26 halftime lead.
Colton quarterback Parker Druffel, a junior, carried the ball 10 times for 137 yards in the game, also running back a kickoff for a touchdown. Senior Cameron Bean finished his Colton career with six carries for 57 yards and five catches for 90 yards.
For ACH, quarterback Maguire Isaak threw for five touchdowns and ran for three touchdowns.
Colton concluded with a season record of 7-4, with a third consecutive playoff appearance.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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