Pe Ell-Willapa Valley returns to form in rout of Evergreen (Seattle)

Published 8:30 pm Sunday, September 7, 2025

MENLO–Pe Ell-Willapa Valley’s physical brand of football was too much for Evergreen (Seattle) to handle in the Titans’ 41-8 romp on Friday at Crogstad Field in Menlo.

The Titans (1-0 overall) wasted little time asserting their will, scoring on their first drive when junior running back Lucas Lusk ran it in from 19-yards out.

A few plays later, Lusk was at it again, stripping Evergreen running back Enoch Fernandez of the ball and returning it 24 yards for a score, his second touchdown in just under 70 seconds.

“He was wrapped up, so I was going to take it. I wasn’t going to let him have it,” Lusk said before offering his thoughts once the ball was in his hands. “I was just hoping no one was behind me.”

After the PWV defense held Evergreen on a fourth-down conversion, the Titans went up 21-0 on a Blane King 5-yard run at the end of the first quarter.

The Titans put the game away with three touchdowns in the second frame.

Lusk scored on a 10-yard run just two plays into the Titans’ first drive of the period followed by King breaking loose for a 62-yard touchdown run with 4:27 to go in the first half.

With time winding down in the second quarter, Lusk took a short pass in the flat from quarterback Brody Ritzman and sprinted to the end zone for a 48-yard touchdown, putting PWV up 41-0 at the half.

With the game well in hand and a running clock in the second half, the Titans allowed its reserved to play the majority of the final two quarters, allowing a lone Evergreen touchdown in the fourth quarter to earn the 41-8 victory.

PWV ran for 232 yards as a team, led by King with 95 yards on just four carries.

Lusk and Spud Swogger added 54 yards apiece on the ground.

The secret to the Titans’ rushing attack was their ability to get to the edge, where their speed exposed the Wolverines defense.

“With these backs, if you give them a crease, they’ve got a chance,” PWV head coach John Peterson said. “Their defensive line was so darn big, it was hard to run inside. … There were just no lanes in there tonight.”

Lusk was quick to give credit to the work of his offensive line.

“Our line wanted it more than theirs did. That’s all there is to it,” he said. “They worked for it.”

The Titans defense allowed 127 rushing yards – most of that coming against the reserves in the second half – held Evergreen to four first downs and forced three turnovers, two via interceptions by King and sophomore defensive lineman Dylan Andrews.

“Our D-line was standing them up and there was no holes,” Lusk said. “They were in the backfield for half the game.”

“It’s kind of in the DNA of these kids,” Peterson said of his team’s physicality on Friday. “We won the game at the line of scrimmage and they were significantly bigger than we were. We shot through gaps and got hats to the ball. I was really pleased with our line play. … We were ready to play and answered the bell.”

PWV hosts Blaine at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Evergreen 0 0 0 8 – 8

PWV 21 20 0 0 – 41

Scoring

First quarter

PWV – Lusk 19 run (kick fail), 7:31

PWV – Lusk 24 fumble recovery (Ritzman run), 6:22

PWV – King 5 run (Swartz kick), 0:49

Second quarter

PWV – Lusk 10 run (Swartz kick), 9:58

PWV – King 62 run (Swartz run), 4:27

PWV – Lusk 48 pass from Ritzman (kick fail), 0:56

Third quarter

None

Fourth quarter

Evergreen – 35-yard run (Fernandez run), 7:45

Passing: PWV – Ritzman 2-2-0-51.

Rushing: PWV – King 4-95; Swogger 5-54; Lusk 5-54.

Receiving: PWV – Lusk 1-48; King 1-3.