Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Vikings vs. Odessa, tackle
Vikings vs. Odessa
Vikings vs. Odessa
Vikings vs. Odessa
Gar/Pal’s Jordan Paddock and Caden Sanderson tackle Camden Weber. (Below) Riley Pederson, No. 55, in the scrum.
On a cold, strange night in Royal City, the Garfield/Palouse football season ended in a state 1B quarterfinal loss to Odessa.
The unbeaten Tigers went to 11-0 and advanced to meet Sunnyside Christian in the semifinals Saturday at Pasco.
“It was probably the weirdest football game I've ever been involved with,” said Garfield/Palouse coach Will Woltering.
The young, athletic Odessa team ran clear of Gar/Pal in the second half Nov. 17 after leading at halftime 24-14. The Vikings started without senior running back/linebacker Travis Knauff, who went down with a sprained knee during warm-ups on the FieldTurf. Doing a back-pedal, turn and catch the ball drill he twisted his knee – a knee that was troubled already.
It was the second twist on a day that had more to come. First, senior tight end/linebacker Nathan Aston did not even make the trip, stopped by a disciplinary issue – missing his last class Friday before the team bus left with a police and fire escort out of Palouse.
Nonetheless, the game began with a prompt Gar/Pal touchdown drive, their thicker players pushing through the Odessa defense as Vikings fans cheered in 10-degree cold from the visitors' bleachers.
Gar/Pal scored again on a pass from quarterback Evan Weagraff to Caden Sanderson – after Odessa answered. Gar/Pal missed the two-point conversion, still with a 14-8 lead.
“It's a beautiful night in Royal City,” called the game announcer from the windowed pressbox across the field. “It's a balmly 68 degrees in here.”
Odessa scored again to go up 16-14 in the second quarter.
Then Garfield/ Palouse all-league junior noseguard Tyson White took a shot to the head and neck, was evaluated on the sideline and not cleared to return.
“We were seriously short-handed at that point,” said Woltering. “Tyson stuffs up the middle. We really didn't have many injuries all season -- right up until the final game.”
Untested freshman Jacob Anderson went in in White's place.
On Odessa's next drive, on a fourth-down play from the Garfield/Palouse 35-yard line, Tigers quarterback Camden Weber escaped up the sideline toward a tin barrel fire with EMS personnel huddled around it. Touchdown Odessa, and with the two-point conversion, it was 24-14.
The change had come. Another long run by the sophomore Weber ended the half.
On the first drive of the third quarter, Odessa pushed the lead to 30-14.
They followed with an onside kick, the ball bouncing wide toward the Tiger sideline.
A roar followed from the home stands as Odessa covered it at their own 49-yard line.
Soon it was 36-14.
After the Tigers' next score, they recovered a second onside kick, then following the next touchdown, an onside kick to the same spot went out of bounds.
Gar/Pal pushed to get back in the game and with 5:30 left in the third quarter, came to a fourth down on the Odessa 11-yard line. Weagraff handed off to Daniel Orfe and he got stacked up short.
After Odessa scored to make it 50-14, coach Jeff Nelson, formerly of four state championships with LaCrosse/Washtucna, called for another onside kick and they got it – to the same spot.
“I don't think he was trying to rub salt in the wound, it's just what they do,” said Woltering.
Weber finished the game for Odessa with 172 yards rushing and 158 yards in the air.
Gar/Pal’s Weagraff, a senior, carried the ball 21 times for 103 yards while Orfe ran 15 times for 107 yards. Weagraff threw 3 of 6 for 79 yards.
Garfield/Palouse finished the season at 7-3.
“We had a heck of a good year,” Woltering said. “This game was a comedy of errors but no way we let that taint the season.”
Camden Weber, sophomore quarterback, takes the corner of the end zone to put Odessa up 24-14. (Below) Gar/Pal quarterback Evan Weagraff looks for an option as defenders converge.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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