CLALLAM BAY — After losing its starting quarterback and top two running backs to season-ending injuries and a backup QB to a concussion, Neah Bay’s offense doesn’t have much, if any, element of surprise.
The Red Devils, in the words of coach Tony McCaulley, have to rely on being tougher than other teams.
“We’ve lost so many guys we just have to line up and run it,” he said. We don’t have a lot else to go to.”
That was evident in a 28-6 loss to rival Lummi Friday night at Clallam Bay, a loss that gave the Blackhawks (2-1, 7-3) the Northwest Football League’s top seed and a bye to the Quad-District playoffs.
The second-place Red Devils (2-1, 4-5) will host a playoff game next weekend, likely in Forks, against the winner of a pigtail play-in game between Crescent and Taholah.
Neah Bay is one-dimensional on offense, with most plays resembling a rugby scrum as ball carriers take the snap, bash into the line and hope for a slice of daylight.
The Red Devils managed 110 rushing yards on 46 carries, an average of 2.39 yards per carry, and completed just 2 of 14 passes for 40 yards.
“We struggled offensively, we just have no passing [game],” McCaulley said. “Our style was successful against some other teams, but we are talking about guys [Lummi] that are coached very well and are disciplined.
“We don’t have the explosive ability, we are either going to grind it out or that’s it.”
Neah Bay opened strong, scoring on its lone explosive play of the game, a 42-yard rumble up the middle by Leroy Greene on the game’s opening drive, but the Red Devils couldn’t keep pace with the Blackhawks dynamic passing attack.
“I’m disappointed that we had a bad week of practice and it influenced us and we didn’t play well,” McCaulley said. “We are having a hard time playing consistent games.”
The Red Devils played relatively well defensively, with strong performances rushing the passer from Curtis LaChester and Daniel Kilmer, but over-pursuit hurt Neah Bay and left Lummi players open for long gains in the passing game.
Dashawn Lawrence, the Blackhawks’ strong-armed senior quarterback, was able to avoid on-rushing defenders and hit his receivers, completing 16 of 35 attempts for 226 yards and first-half touchdown tosses of 34 and 30 yards as Lummi led 20-6 at halftime.
“He got away from us a little bit and made some throws,” McCaulley said.
“I think the defense played pretty well for the most part, you have to prepare for a lot of stuff that Jim [Sandusky] does. The screens hurt us. But physically, I thought we played pretty well.”
Five bad shotgun snaps on offense, including one that led to a safety, also diminished the Red Devils’ chances at a comeback.
Neah Bay would put itself in good position with stops by its defense, including a LaChester interception deep in Lummi territory, but a poor snap or missed block would send the Red Devils in the opposite direction and halt momentum.
“Bad snaps killed us tonight,” McCaulley said. “Our center [Joe Yallup] didn’t practice all week because he’s playing on an injured ankle.”
Neah Bay did improve in the second half, limiting Lawrence to 40 of his 226 passing yards, and allowing one big play, a 50-yard TD run by Stanford Hoskins to seal the game late.
“We didn’t want to show the defense we played in the second half but they were killing us on the screens,” McCaulley said. “We kind of shut that stuff down in the second half. There’s a few things in the bag that we held on to.
“We will dial it back up and hopefully see them again. Every game is going to be a struggle for us. If we were still healthy with everybody I think we’d stand a better chance.”
Lummi 28, Neah Bay 6
Lummi 6 14 0 8— 28
Neah Bay 6 0 0 0— 6
First Quarter
NB—Greene 42 run (run failed)
L—Revey 34 pass from Lawrence (run failed)
Second Quarter
L—Hoskins 10 run(run failed)
L—Toby 30 pass from Lawrence (run failed)
Fourth Quarter
NB—Hoskins 50 run (Toby run)
Individual Stats
Rushing—L: Hoskins 5-69, Lawrence 7-21, Solomon 3-16, Revey 2-12, Washington 1-0, J. Toby 1-(-2) NB: Greene 14-61, Knaus 30-37, Swan 1-9, Toby 1-3.
Passing—L: Lawrence 16-35-226, 2 TD, INT; N. Toby 0-1-0; Revey 0-1-0. NB: Knaus 1-13-21, Greene 1-1-19.
Receiving—L: Toby 4-113, Revey 6-88, Hoskins 3-28, Lane 1-4, Washington 1-(-7). NB: Swan 2-40.
