FORKS — The Nooksack Valley Pioneers trekked to Forks and beat the Spartans 42-14.
“They have a really tough line,” Forks coach Mark Feasel said of Saturday’s game.
“They have a really shifty quarterback [Tanner Myhre]. We couldn’t get a pass rush and gave him plenty of time to throw.”
The Spartans’ two scores came on an interception return by Dmitri Sampson and a long run from Brett Pederson.
Forks (0-2) next plays at Toledo on Friday night.
Lake Quinault 62,
Crescent 36
AMANDA PARK — The Loggers lost big in a game that was a tale of two halves.
The first two quarters were played to a 28-28 standoff, but the Elks dominated after halftime to drop Crescent to 0-2 on the season.
The Loggers struck first, running over eight minutes off the clock in a methodical, run-dominated 70-yard opening drive.
Travis Walker burst in from the 7-yard line, and then took a quick pass from Quenton Wolfer for the two-point conversion to give Crescent an early 8-0 lead.
The lead didn’t last long.
The Elks took only two plays to answer, punctuated by a 45-yard scramble down the sidelines. With the successful conversion, the game was knotted at 8-8.
The Loggers would again answer with Walker, and again from 7 yards out on a quick five-play drive that covered 55 yards.
Zach Fletcher flew in on the successful conversion and the Logger lead was back to 16-8.
The big, fast Elks continued to take advantage of the youthful Loggers’ defensive miscues to fly down the field and even things back at 16-16.
Crescent wasn’t done yet.
An 11-play, 60-yard drive was finished off by Walker once again, this one a 5-yard scamper that moved the score to 22-16.
Walker pushed Crescent’s advantage to 28-16 with another touchdown, this time on a 30-yard fumble return aided by Collin West’s defensive strip.
Lake Quinault rallied for two quick touchdowns in a four-minute span to even things at 28 going in for the break.
The second half belonged to the Elks, who outscored the Loggers 34-6 after halftime.
Crescent was hampered by the absence of Walker, who missed the entire second half after sustaining an injury in the final minutes of the second quarter.
Walker rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns — and scored four total — on 18 carries, and helped the Loggers control the clock and much of the game’s early tempo.
“This was just a very physical and hard-fought game by two teams who both wanted very much to win,” Crescent coach Darrell Yount said after Saturday’s game.
“I liked the way we fought and competed for the most part.
“A great first half when we had all our weapons. But we’ve been so shorthanded due to some injuries and ineligible athletes, that when Walker went down, we just didn’t have the right combos to compete effectively the rest of the way.
“But, boy, oh boy. Give Quinault a bunch of credit. This is a big, strong and fast football team with a ton of talent.”
Zach Fletcher added 120 yards on 17 carries, and West ran for 42 yards on six carries for the Loggers.
Wolfer had seven tackles for Crescent’s defense.
Kobe Kalama ran for six touchdowns and passed for another for Lake Quinault.
The Loggers play Saturday against Evergreen Lutheran at Franklin Pierce High School in Parkland.
