PORT ANGELES — To be the best, you have to beat the best. But before you beat the best, you have to get beat down by the best.
At least that’s what Port Angeles coach Tom Wahl hopes is the result of the Roughriders’ brutal non-league schedule that saw them lose to W.F. West and King’s by a combined score of 76-7.
The Riders (0-2) have made the playoffs the last two years.
However, Wahl said the Riders’ weak preseason schedule the last two years was detrimental when they made the playoffs.
“The last two weeks have been about rubbing shoulders with the best,” Wahl said after Friday’s 43-7 loss to King’s at Civic Field.
“That’s been our plan all along. We wanted to rub shoulders with the best and learn from them.
“We want to be a state championship team, and so we’re doing what we think we need to do to get us to the next level.”
The Knights (2-0) jumped on the young Riders early.
Quarterback Billy Green, who has committed to play for BYU, picked apart the Port Angeles defense with touchdown passes of 26, 35 and 45 yards in the first quarter to put King’s ahead 20-0 after one quarter.
The second quarter wasn’t much better.
On the first play, King’s blocked a punt and returned it for another touchdown.
The Riders lined up to punt again after going three and out, but the snap sailed over Miki Andrus’ head and out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
King’s added a Trevor Hansen touchdown run and a fourth touchdown pass by Green to push the lead to 43-0 before half.
Wahl said the Riders were aware of how good Green is prior to the game after facing him in 7-on-7 games during the offseason.
“He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the state, and the country, actually, right now,” Wahl said.
“He’s obviously the real deal. He’s not a fluke.”
Green didn’t play after halftime, and because of the large margin the second half was played with a running clock.
Port Angeles moved the ball better and scored its first points of the season when sophomore running back Nathan Angevine ran eight yards for a touchdown with 1:53 remaining in the game.
Despite the lopsided defeats, Wahl is pleased with where the Riders are as they begin Olympic League play next week by hosting North Mason.
Wahl doesn’t expect the Riders, who open Olympic League play against North Mason (1-1) next week, to dwell on the lopsided losses.
“Well, they keep responding in a positive way when we challenge them,” Wahl said.
“To put it in perspective, we just played two good teams in the preseason and now everybody’s in the same place, we’re all in league at 0-0, and so now we go out in league and get a chance to play the games that really count.”
King’s 43, Port Angeles 7
King’s 20 23 0 0— 43
Port Angeles 0 0 0 7— 7
First Quarter
KING—Caleb Taylor 26 pass from Billy Green (kick blocked by Garrett Payton)
KING—Ben Welch 35 pass from Green (Brian Hughes pass from Green)
KING—Ben Welch 45 pass from Green (kick failed)
Second Quarter
KING—Trevor Hansen 33 punt block retrun (Lucas Swanson kick)
KING—Safety (ball snapped out of end zone)
KING—Hansen 10 run (Swanson kick)
KING—Hughes 17 pass from Green (Swanson kick)
Fourth Quarter
PA—Nathan Angevine 8 run (Vincent Ioffrida kick)
