QUILCENE — The Quilcene football team got three long touchdowns from James Miller and swamped a good Darrington team 44-6.
It was the Rangers’ third-straight lopsided win after starting the season 1-3 and losing quarterback Jayden Love to injury.
Miller had touchdown runs of 40, 60 and 80 and finished with 259 yards rushing on 13 carries. Meanwhile, Mason Iverson also had a good game with a 40-yard run for a touchdown and a 50-yard run for a score. He finished with 108 yards rtshing on five carries. Iverson also scored on four point-after runs while Andrew Perez had a PAT.
Dominic Smith also had a 50-yard touchdown reception on a pass from Oliver Hopkins.
The Rangers got up 36-0 in the first half and cruised. Darrington started the season 5-0 but has lost two straight to perennial powerhouses Neah Bay and Quilcene.
Coach Trey Beathard said Miller and Iverson “are pretty good backs. They’re strong and fast,” but that the secret to the team’s running was the front line blowing open some big holes.
“Our guys dominated the line of scrimmage,” Beathard said. He gave credit to Smith, Deakon Budnek, Maxx Budnek, Taylor Boling and Hunter Simmons.
Beathard also said Miller didn’t start out as a running back for the Rangers. His sophomore and junior years, he was a guard but was moving to running back when other kids graduated or moved away.
“He’s got good speed. He’s been working and working and doing a good job,” Beathard said.
Deakon Budnek also had 17 total solo tackles while Smith had nine tackles for loss and two sacks.
The Rangers have a huge challenge coming up next week — a road game at Neah Bay. The Red Devils are one of the best 1B teams in the state with a 6-0 record, including a forfeit this weekend by Concrete. And Neah Bay is averaging 68 points a game this season. Quilcene is averaging 57 points a game over its past three games.
That game will be played at Neah Bay at 7 p.m. Friday.
Clallam Bay 52, Wishkah Valley 19
WISHKAH VALLEY — Clallam Bay had just seven players available for a road game at Wishkah Valley, but still came away with a 52-19 victory.
“I credit that to our guys being in great shape,” said coach George Patecek. Patecek said the Bruins’ William Hull got off to a slow start in the first half, but “really stood out” with a big second half.
“And we made some defensive adjustments and shut them down,” he said.
Clallam Bay (2-2, 3-2) will play its last home game of the year and finish its first full season of 6-man football since before the pandemic at 3:30 p.m. Thursday against the Washington School for the Deaf out of Vancouver.
In other games from Friday night:
Forks 76, Rainier 22
Forks’ Nate Dahlgren ran for more than 200 yards in a Spartans victory.
North Mason 36, Sequim 21
Sequim couldn’t overcome two North Mason touchdowns in eight seconds in the second half.
Bainbridge 31, Port Angeles 0
Port Angeles was shut out by 3A Bainbridge on the road.
Neah Bay 2, Concrete 0
The winless Lions forfeited their game against 6-0 Neah Bay.
Charles Wright Academy vs. East Jefferson
The East Jefferson-Charles Wright game was canceled.
For more details on the Friday night football games, go to www.peninsuladailynews.com.
