Prep Football Preview: Tough opponents on the docket for Twin Harbors teams

Aberdeen takes on Prosser, Hoquiam faces Nooksack Valley, PWV versus Napavine highlight Week 4 games

By Ryan Sparks • September 20, 2023 5:00 am
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Hoquiam quarterback Zander Jump (10), seen here in a file photo, and his Grizzlies’ teammates will face off against Nooksack Valley on Friday at Nooksack Valley High School.
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Hoquiam quarterback Zander Jump (10), seen here in a file photo, and his Grizzlies’ teammates will face off against Nooksack Valley on Friday at Nooksack Valley High School.

Aberdeen, Elma, Hoquiam and Montesano wrap up their non-league schedules as we preview Week 4 games for Twin Harbors teams.

Hoquiam at Nooksack Valley

When and where: 6 p.m. Friday at Nooksack Valley High School

Players to watch: Hoquiam – Zander Jump QB/DB; Dominic Standstipher RB/LB; Trevor Turpin OL/DL; Chance LaBounty WR/DL. NV – Noah Clark QB, Colton Adams WR, Jack Fuller WR.

Hoquiam’s schedule doesn’t get any easier when the Grizzlies take on a ranked Nooksack Valley team on Friday.

One week after falling to undefeated La Salle, the Grizzlies (1-2) face a Pioneers team that is licking its wounds after dropping out of the No. 1 spot on the scorebooklive.com rankings.

Nooksack Valley made several mistakes, including two turnovers, in suffering a 28-26 loss to King’s on a Matthew Williams 23-yard field goal late in the game.

Pioneers quarterback Noah Clark passed for 266 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a score in the loss.

Grizzlies quarterback Zander Jump continued to put up some big stats despite last week’s loss. The senior ran for 175 yards and scored Hoquiam’s lone touchdown against La Salle one week after scoring six touchdowns and being named one of the WIAA Athletes of the Week after a win over Fort Vancouver.

DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Aberdeen running back Marcus Hale (2) rushed for 171 yards last week in a win over Centralia. The Bobcats host Prosser on Friday.

DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Aberdeen running back Marcus Hale (2) rushed for 171 yards last week in a win over Centralia. The Bobcats host Prosser on Friday.

Prosser at Aberdeen

When and where: 6 p.m. Friday at Stewart Field, Aberdeen

Players to watch: Aberdeen – Grady Springer QB/DB; Aidan Watkins RB/LB; Marcus Hale RB/LB; Paul Baltazar OL/DL. Prosser – Kory McLure QB; Aaron Gonzalez WR; Josiah Campos WR.

Aberdeen (2-1) will look for its second straight win when the Bobcats host Prosser on Friday.

Both the Bobcats offense and defense played well in last week’s 28-6 win over Centralia.

Aberdeen’s ground game rushed for 346 yards as a team while the defense held the Tigers to 173 yards of offense.

But the Bobcats’ season-long nemesis – penalties – reared its ugly head once again at the Cats were flagged 16 times for 120 yards, something Aberdeen will look to clean up this week.

Prosser (2-1) is coming off a close shave in a 20-13 win over Grandview last week and has a win over 4A Sunnyside and a loss to 4A Skyline this season.

The Mustangs like to throw the ball, with senior quarterback Kory McLure has 105 pass attempts and 701 passing yards with three touchdowns and seven interceptions this season.

The Mustangs rushing offense is averaging 100 yards per game through its first three games, with no running back cracking 100 total yards as the Mustangs have been without two starting offensive linemen.

Prosser – ranked No. 8 in the latest scorebooklive.com 2A poll – is averaging 23.3 points per game entering Friday’s contest while giving up 30.3 points a game defensively, a stat skewed by a 56-21 loss to Skyline on Sept. 8.

Columbia (White Salmon) at Elma

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Davis Field, Elma

Players to watch: CWS – Wyatt Stelma QB/LB; Landon Castilla RB/LB; Wongani Schlegel RB/DB. Elma – Carter Studer QB; Isaac Phillips FB/MLB; Isaac McGaffey WR/DB; Jacob Meadows WR/CB.

Elma will look to snap a two-game skid when it takes on winless Columbia (White Salmon) on Friday.

Not much has gone right for the Eagles since an opening-week overtime victory against Centralia, losing two consecutive games, including last week’s 28-10 loss to Castle Rock.

Despite having a talented quarterback in senior Carter Studer and an emerging standout in sophomore receiver Isaac McGaffey, the Eagles offense has been out of sync at times.

Numerous penalties, poor snaps and missed assignments dotted the Eagles loss, often killing drives well into Castle Rock territory, aspects of its game the Elma coaching staff hopes to fix.

The Bruins are coming off a blowout loss to a ranked Montesano team and have been outscored 111-28 this season, which means Elma has an excellent opportunity to get back in the win column.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN DAMASIEWICZ Montesano’s Jaxson Wilson (10) and Gabe Bodwell, seen here in a file photo, will join their teammates when the Bulldogs take on Castle Rock on Friday at Castle Rock High School.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN DAMASIEWICZ Montesano’s Jaxson Wilson (10) and Gabe Bodwell, seen here in a file photo, will join their teammates when the Bulldogs take on Castle Rock on Friday at Castle Rock High School.

Montesano at Castle Rock

When and where: 7 p.m. Thursday at Castle Rock High School

Players to watch: Montesano – Jaxson Wilson QB/LB; Gabe Bodwell RB/DL; Cam Taylor OL/DL; Mason Rasmussen WR/LB.Castle Rock – Trevor Rogen QB/FS; Owen Langdon WR; Ian Burton RB.

Montesano will look to continue its romp through the non-league schedule when the Bulldogs face Castle Rock in a rare Thursday game in Castle Rock.

The Bulldogs (3-0) dominated its latest victim, Columbia (White Salmon), 48-6 last week.

Third-ranked Monte amassed over 500 yards of offense – 488 on the ground – and was led by a standout performance from senior running back Gabe Bodwell (18 carries, 193 yards, three touchdowns) and senior quarterback Jaxson Wilson (11-109, 2 TD).

Castle Rock (1-2) is coming off its first win of the season after a 28-10 victory in Elma on Friday.

The Rockets got a big performance from running back Ian Burton, who carried the ball 19 times for 107 yards against the Eagles.

The Bulldogs have won 11 straight against the Rockets dating back to 2008.

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley at Napavine

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Napavine High School

Players to watch: PWV – Nathan Fluke QB; Tyson Portmann RB/LB; Blake Howard RB/LB; Cody Strozyk TE/LB. Napavine – Ashton Demarest QB; Cael Stanley RB; Karsen Denault WR.

Though they may be ranked as one of the state’s top 10 teams and are sporting an undefeated record, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley will be heavy underdogs when it faces defending-state champion Napavine on Friday.

PWV (3-0) thumped Wahkiakum 46-12 last week, racking up 445 yards of total offense in the process.

The Titans offense did most of its damage on the ground, with 303 rushing yards led by running back Blake Howard (15-97) and tight end Cody Strozyk (8-99).

Ninth-ranked PWV will need a similar performance if it hopes to upset Napavine, the state’s clear No. 1 team.

The Tigers (3-0) opened the season by scoring 59 and 58 points in its first two games before last weekend’s 30-0 victory over Carson Graham Secondary School out of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The Tigers are led by quarterback Ashton Demarest, who went 12-for-24 for 124 yards in last week’s win, and running back Cael Stanley.

The two are just a few of the standouts on a deep, talented Tigers roster.

Raymond-South Bend at Adna

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Adna High School

Players to watch: RSB – Austin Snodgrass QB/LB; Ferrill Johnson RB/DB; Robby Stigall RB/LB. Adna – Lane Johnson QB; Beau Miller RB.

In a tough 2B Central-North League that features three ranked teams, these are the games you have to win.

That’s the case for sixth-ranked Raymond-South Bend when it takes on Adna Friday in Adna.

After suffering a misstep in a Week 1 loss, the Ravens have scored 103 total points in two straight wins, including a convincing 41-14 win over Ilwaco last week.

The Ravens (2-1) got a huge game from senior running back Ferrill Johnson (12-202, 3 TD) and appeared to have found its explosive, big-play capability with three touchdown plays of 30 yards or more.

In Adna, the Ravens face a team with a misleading record.

The Pirates (1-2) lost to defending state-champion Napavine to open the season followed by a 22-20 loss to No. 9 Pe Ell-Willapa Valley in Week 2.

Adna picked up its first win of the season last week with a 62-12 thrashing over White Swan.

Other games

Ocosta at Naselle – Ocosta (1-2) will look to avenge a Week 1 loss when it takes on Naselle at 7 p.m. Friday at Naselle High School.

North Beach at Toutle Lake – North Beach (0-2) will look to pick up its first win of the season when the Hyaks take on Toutle Lake at 7 p.m. Friday in Toutle Lake.

Lake Quinault at Mary M. Knight – Lake Quinault (2-0) continues to dominate in 6-man football and will face Mary M. Knight at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Mary M. Knight High School.

Muckleshoot Tribal at Taholah – Taholah (0-1) plays in just its second game of the season in a game against Muckleshoot Tribal at 7 p.m. on Friday in Taholah.

WA School for the Deaf at Wishkah Valley – Wishkah Valley (0-2) looks to get its first win of the season when the Loggers host the WA School for the Deaf at 4 p.m. Thursday at Wishkah Valley High School.