HOQUIAM–Aberdeen’s recent dominance in one of the state’s longest and most cherished rivalries continued on Friday as the Bobcats willed their way to a 43-7 victory over Hoquiam in the 120th Myrtle Street Rivalry game at Olympic Stadium.

Aberdeen (3-1 overall) turned the ball over on its first possession of the game thanks to a strip and fumble recovery by Hoquiam senior linebacker Joey Bozich.

After the Bobcats defense held to force a turnover on downs from the Grizzlies (2-2), Aberdeen used its power-running game to score when senior running back Micah Schroeder scored after taking a quick handoff from fellow running back Riley Wixson on a criss-cross counter run for a 22-yard touchdown.

Hoquiam responded with its best drive of the game, going 60 yards in six plays culminating with a 15-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback K.J. McCoy to junior tight end Lincoln Niemi. Ethan Byron’s point-after kick tied the game at 7-7 at the 1:55 mark of the first quarter.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam tight end Lincoln Niemi (right) hauls in a touchdown pass while defended by Aberdeen defensive back Brody Sherman during Aberdeen’s 43-7 win in the 120th Myrtle Street Rivalry on Friday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.

Aberdeen regained the lead on its next possession as Schroeder runs mixed in with two short-range passes from junior quarterback Mason Hill had the Bobcats inside the Grizzlies red zone.

Schroeder cashed in with a hard-nosed run from 13 yards away to put the Cats up 13-7.

An interception of a McCoy pass by Sherman gave the Bobcats the ball at the Hoquiam 46-yard line.

Aberdeen converted the turnover into points, embarking on another run-heavy drive capped by a 4-yard touchdown rush from Wixson. Hammonds’ two-point run staked the Cats to a 21-7 lead with just under five minutes left in the first half.

Hoquiam opened the third quarter with a drive that stalled at midfield, forcing a punt to the Bobcats’ 7-yard line.

Aberdeen then drove nearly the length of the field – picking up a big chunk of yardage on a 29-yard run into Hoquiam territory from Schroeder – and scored when Wixson punched it in with a physical 8-yard run. Hill would hit Creamer for two-points and a 29-7 lead.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen senior running back Riley Wixson (left) is pursued by Hoquiam linebacker Joey Bozich during the Bobcats’ 43-7 win in the 120th Myrtle Street Rivalry on Friday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.

Another Hoquiam drive stalled out at midfield followed by an Aberdeen drive into Grizzlies territory that was thwarted when Bozich intercepted a Hill pass.

But a Grizzlies offense that had scored 30 or more points in its three games leading up to Friday’s matchup, continued to struggle. On a third-down play from the Hoquiam 31, McCoy scrambled and was sacked by Bobcats junior linebacker Glenny Black, pushing the Grizzlies back to their own 18-yard line.

Hoquiam then ran a fake punt, hiking the ball to the upman in talented running back Kingston Case, but no running lane was found as Case was stopped well short of the first-down marker, turning the ball back over to Aberdeen.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam running back Kingston Case (5) is wrapped up by Aberdeen defensive back Luke Martin (12) during the Bobcats’ 43-7 win in the 120th Myrtle Street Rivalry on Friday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.

The Bobcats then provided some excitement when a pass from Hill to receiver Sam Schreiber on an out route was then lateraled to senior Carter Kolodzie, who picked up a first down at the 11-yard line.

A few plays later, senior running back Kenyon Crawford scored on a 4-yard run. Crawford would run in the two-point conversion for a commanding 37-7 with with just over eight minutes to play in the game.

Wixson would intercept a McCoy pass on the following possession, and the Bobcats would score when Hill found Hammonds behind the Hoquiam secondary for a 31-yard touchdown reception and the 43-7 lead.

Hoquiam’s offense would turn the ball over on four downs, allowing Aberdeen to run out the clock, securing their sixth-straight win over their Myrtle Street Rivals.

“It feels awesome. It feels great,” Wixson said of his fourth victory over Hoquiam. “I love my line. They push hard.”

“It’s awesome to play on this historic field,” said Schreiber, a junior. “I can’t wait for next year, my last one, and get another W.”

Aberdeen had 407 total yards in the game – 307 of that on the ground – while holding Hoquiam to 116 total yards, less than 60 per half (59-57).

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen senior running back Micah Schroeder finds some running room during a 43-7 win over Hoquiam in the 120th Myrtle Street Rivalry on Friday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.

Schroeder led all rushers with 136 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

Wixson carried the ball 13 times for 93 yards and two scores for the Bobcats.

Aberdeen’s defense bottled up Case, who finished with 41 yards on 18 carries, and held the talented freshman McCoy to seven completions and 75 passing yards.

“Our defense is very aggressive,” said Aberdeen head coach Todd Bridge, who commended a “pretty inspired” Hoquiam team for their play in the first half. “That was a stingy defense and we had to fight and scrap for every yard in the first half. Eventually, we just wore them out.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen defensive back Adonis Hammonds (4) breaks up a pass intended for Hoquiam receiver Ethan Byron during Aberdeen’s 43-7 victory in the 120th Myrtle Street Rivalry on Friday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.

“Coming off of Rochester, we were on point with tackling. Going against a really powerful team (in Rochester), we were already ready,” Schroeder said of his team’s defensive effort. “We contained really well, had good edge rushers, had good deep help and pass coverage.”

“(Defensive coordinator Dave) Tarrence spends so much time preparing us and going hard at practices, our scout team gives us great looks all the time,” Schreiber said. “It’s knowing what we’re going to see and that’s due to Coach Tarrence. We’re really prepared and we take pride in knowing what we’re going to see out there and be able to perform.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen senior Jack Dawson (54) is greeted by offensive coordinator Macoy Gonseth after Dawson joined the team huddle for a play during the fourth quarter of a 43-7 win over Hoquiam. It was the last time Dawson will play football for the Bobcats as he is scheduled to undergo knee surgery this week.

Bobcats honor one of their own

With time winding down in the game and the outcome no longer in doubt, Aberdeen called a timeout while all but one player took a knee on the sideline and in the huddle. That player was senior lineman Jack Dawson, who dressed but was unable to play due to a knee injury that requires surgery scheduled for later this week.

Dawson, a four-year player in the Aberdeen program, stood in the huddle surrounded by his teammates before being called back to the sideline to the cheers and applause from his teammates and the crowd.

“It means everything,” Dawson said of the gesture. “These guys have been my brothers for four years, five years. I didn’t expect that at all. They didn’t tell me beforehand and it made me really emotional. I don’t want to go, but I know it’s my time. I love these people and I love my city.”

“It was a great moment,” Bridge said. “It was initiated by (Aberdeen offensive coordinator) Macoy Gronseth. I think he thinks of everything. I thought, ‘Let’s do this right. Jack’s going to go out there and talk to the boys in the huddle.’ I don’t think there was a dry eye on our sidelines. The kid’s been playing his guts out now with no ACL. But he wanted to play.”

“It just shows how close we are as a team and a brotherhood. I think that helps a lot when you go out and play on Friday nights,” Schreiber said. “It stinks Jack is not going to be able to play with us for the rest of the year, but he’s still going to be a big part and has been a big part all four years he’s been in high school.”

At first, Dawson said he wasn’t sure what to make of being called out to the huddle.

“I thought they wanted me to go back in because someone got hurt or something,” he said. “Honestly, I didn’t even know what we were doing. I had to keep asking my teammates because I wasn’t really listening, but it hit really hard.”

At halftime, Dawson made a locker-room halftime speech to impact the game despite being unable to play.

“I told them, ‘Pull together. We’ve got to get out of our heads and go and hit someone,’” he said. “I hope it inspired them.”

Hoquiam head coach activated for the game

Hoquiam head coach Jeremy McMillan was back on the sidelines for the first time this season after he was reactivated on Wednesday after being away from the team for undisclosed reasons since summer practice.

“That was a pretty inspired Hoquiam football team tonight. We kind of expected to have our way and have our will, but (Hoquiam) was stingy,” Bridge said, noting he figured the Grizzlies would be inspired from their head coach’s return. “I tip my hats to those Hoquiam kids. They’ve been through a lot and their coach has been through a lot and they persevered. They showed up and played very inspired football.”

Hoquiam hosts Toutle Lake in a non-league game at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Aberdeen opens 2A Evergreen Conference play against W.F. West at 7 p.m. on Friday in Chehalis.

Aberdeen 7 14 8 14 – 43

Hoquiam 7 0 0 0 – 7

Scoring

First quarter

Aberdeen – Schroeder 22 run (Matthews kick), 5:01

Hoquiam – Niemi 15 pass from McCoy (Byron kick), 1:55

Second quarter

A – Schroeder 13 run (kick fail), 10:49

A – Wixson 4 run (Hammonds run), 4:42

Third quarter

A – Wixson 8 run (Creamer pass from Hill), 4:13

Fourth quarter

A – Crawford 4 run (Floch run), 8:08

A – Hammonds 34 pass from Hill (kick fail), 5:58

Passing: A – Hill 9-18-1-100. H – McCoy 7-17-2-75.

Rushing: A – Schroeder 16-136, Wixson 12-93, Crawford 7-31, Schreiber 5-24, Hammonds 6-9, Kolodzie 1-5, Hill 1-4, Floch 1-3, Caroll 1-2, Crowder 1-0. H – Case 18-41, McCoy 8-2, No. 26 1-0, Byron 1-(-2).

Receiving: A – Hammonds 6-86, Matthews 1-7, Schreiber 1-4, Creamer 1-3. H – Koth 2-27, Case 2-19, Niemi 1-15, Byron 1-7, Bozich 1-7.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Players from Aberdeen (dark blue) and Hoquiam meet for a team prayer at midfielder after the 120th Myrtle Street Rivalry game on Friday in Hoquiam. Aberdeen won the game 43-7.