1A State Football Preview: State playoff journey begins across state for Montesano

Bulldogs face seventh-seeded Riverside Rams Friday in Chattaroy

By Ryan Sparks • November 10, 2021 1:30 am
THE DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Montesano running back Isaiah Pierce (31) breaks loose for a 35-yard touchdown reception during Montesano’s 42-20 victory over La Center in a 1A District playoff game on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Woodland. Pierce and the Bulldogs travel to Chattaroy to face the Riverside Rams in the first round of the 1A State Playoffs.
THE DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Montesano running back Isaiah Pierce (31) breaks loose for a 35-yard touchdown reception during Montesano’s 42-20 victory over La Center in a 1A District playoff game on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Woodland. Pierce and the Bulldogs travel to Chattaroy to face the Riverside Rams in the first round of the 1A State Playoffs.

Earlier this season, in the midst of a three-game losing streak and in the unfamiliar position of finding itself on the outside looking in for a playoff spot, the furthest thing from the Montesano Bulldogs’ minds was a berth in the 1A State Football Tournament.

Yet, here we are.

With last week’s 42-20 win over La Center in a 1A District playoff game in Woodland, the Bulldogs found themselves once again in the state playoffs after finishing third in a 1A Evergreen League it is used to dominating.

Montesano earned the No. 10 seed despite the three losses on its schedule, likely due to the quality of competition as those losses all came against highly-ranked opponents in Napavine (2B class No. 2), Eatonville (1A No. 2) and Tenino (1A No. 6) according to scorebooklive.com.

The WIAA seeding committee didn’t do Montesano any favors with their first-round opponent, however, as the Bulldogs will make the six-plus hour drive across the state to face No. 7 seed Riverside Friday in Chattaroy.

And in the Rams, Montesano will face another high-quality opponent, which is expected when competing in the state playoffs.

The Rams only loss of an otherwise sparkling 9-1 season came in a 6-0 defeat at the hands of undefeated Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls, which is currently the No. 4 team according to scorebook.live and No. 3 in the most recent WIAA RPI rankings.

Riverside has allowed no more than 14 points in a game and has three shutouts this season as proof the Rams possess a premium defense.

Led by senior quarterback Silas Ng, the Rams offense averages 32.7 points-per-game this season and has plenty of weapons in both the running and passing game for Ng and the coaching staff to utilize.

The Rams often set up in a shotgun-twin backs formation, allowing Ng to run read-option plays or drop back and sling it out to one of several receivers. But Riverside isn’t against lining up in an I-formation and handing the ball off to backs Aaron Desroches and Gavin Jaeger, especially in short-yardage situations.

The key for Montesano if they are to pull off the upset and advance to the quarterfinal round is likely going to be the key the Bulldogs have relied upon all season — senior running back Isaiah Pierce.

Pierce torched La Center for 208 yards in Friday’s play-in game win, often steamrolling and dragging Wildcats defenders along the way.

As Pierce goes, Montesano goes and be sure the Rams will be well aware they need to stop No. 31 or they’ll have a tough time keeping Montesano off the scoreboard.

But Monte has never been a one-man show, and the same is true this season. The Bulldogs are battle-tested after completing arguably one of the toughest regular-season schedules in the 1A class.

Montesano has multiple weapons of its own, particularly in quarterback Jayden McElravy and wide receiver Caydon Lovell, which gives the Bulldogs a deep threat when teams stack the box to stop Pierce.

While they may be the underdogs, no program in the state should take Monte head coach Terry Jensen and his Bulldogs lightly. Teams that look at Monte’s three losses and lower-than-normal ranking as an easy state-playoff victory will find themselves sitting at home the following week, watching the Bulldogs play while wondering what happened.