NEAH BAY — Neah Bay went above and beyond the call of duty of a defending state champion Friday by blasting Crescent 96-12 on the Red Devils’ Senior Night.
“We played an exceptionally good game, I thought,” Neah Bay coach Tony McCaulley said.
“It was a ramped-up game. The players were jacked up to play.”
The 1B state champs scored 40 points in the first quarter and 38 in the second to take a 78-0 lead into the intermission.
The Red Devils (4-0, 8-0) started the game by recovering an onside kick and scoring three plays later on an 18-yard run by 2011 1B state player of the year Josiah Greene.
Greene scored again on a 26-yard run after the Neah Bay defense held the Loggers to a three-and-out.
Another three-and-out by Crescent set up the first of Tyler McCaulley’s three touchdowns, a 30-yard run that gave the Red Devils a 24-0 lead after just eight minutes of play.
Though the offense lit up the scoreboard, the Neah Bay defense kept things dark on the Crescent side for most of the game.
“Our defense was outstanding,” Tony McCaulley said.
The lead blossomed to 40-0 before the first quarter was over. Joey Monje ran a score in from 60 yards out and Josiah Greene connected with Leyton Doherty on a 16-yard scoring strike.
The second quarter was just as brutal for the Loggers, who brought with them a stout 6-1 overall record.
“The game quickly became a rout of epic proportions,” Crescent coach Darrell Yount said.
“If there was ever a question as to the talent level of the Neah Bay Red Devils and their desire to repeat as 1B state champions, it was answered.”
Zeke Greene scored on an 11-yard run and Tyler McCaulley scooped up a fumble and rumbled 30 yards for the score. Neah Bay’s lead was 54-0 with eight minutes left in the half.
The Red Devils then recovered the ensuing kickoff, a line-drive kick that was touched by the Crescent front line.
Tyler McCaulley then took a screen pass from Josiah Greene 45 yards for a touchdown.
A bad snap on a Crescent punt gave the Red Devils the ball on the Loggers’ 26. DeShawn Halttunen finished of that drive with a 3-yard touchdown run.
Cole Svec completed the first-half barrage with a 19-yard run, and the Red Devils led at halftime 78-0.
Normally Neah Bay would have mercifully backed off earlier, but Tony McCaulley doesn’t want his best players getting rusty with the postseason looming.
“We’re trying to get ready for the playoffs,” he said.
“We needed to get at least two quarters out of our starters. All year long, they’ve been playing one quarter, but we need to get them in game shape.”
The Loggers (2-2, 6-2) finally reached the end zone in the third quarter on a 9-yard pass from Beau Bamer to Eric Larson that was set up by a 30-yard pass from Mike Zapien to Bamer on a fake punt.
That score was sandwiched by two long Halttunen touchdown runs, a 53-yarder and a 55-yarder, and Neah Bay led 90-6 going into the final quarter.
Zapien took over at quarterback for Crescent and performed well out of the pistol formation. He hooked up with Colin West on a short dump pass which West took to the end zone for a 33-yard score.
Zapien complete 4 of 5 passes for 114 yards and the one touchdown.
Michael McGee ended the scoring with a 2-yard run for the Red Devils with under two minutes to play.
“Well, there’s really not much to say after this sort of an outing,” Yount said.
“Neah Bay comes at you hard all night long. They have a great mentality in that regard, and we’re just not there yet.
“We would make a play or two in spurts but if you can’t get first downs and can’t get their offense off the field, you’re going to be in for a long night.
“Now granted, we didn’t play well; but how much of that is Neah Bay? A whole lot, to be honest.
“Very impressive team; so disciplined, fast and they hit like trucks.”
The Loggers now prepare for a pivotal match-up on the road against Lopez in a game that could decide which team finishes third and grabs the third and final playoff spot in the Northwest Football League North Division.
“With our season on the line, we shouldn’t need any additional motivation,” Yount said.
Neah Bay stays on the North Olympic Peninsula to face Clallam Bay on Friday night. The Bruins (1-3, 3-4) ended their four-game slide by beating Tulalip Heritage 40-30 late Saturday afternoon.
Neah Bay 96, Crescent 12
Crescent 0 0 6 6— 12
Neah Bay 40 38 12 6— 96
First Quarter
NB—Josiah Greene 18 run (Joey Monje run)
NB—Josiah Greene 26 run (Cody Cummins run)
NB—Tyler McCaulley 30 run (Cody Cummins run)
NB—Monje 60 run (Leyton Doherty pass from Josiah Greene)
NB—Leyton Doherty 16 pass from Josiah Greene (Zeke Greene pass from Josiah Greene)
Second Quarter
NB—Zeke Greene 11 run (pass failed)
NB—McCaulley 30 fumble return (Cody Cummins run)
NB—McCaulley 45 pass from Josiah Greene (Cody Cummins run)
NB—DeShawn Halttunen 3 run (Halttunen run)
NB—Cole Svec 19 run (Kenrick Doherty pass from Leyton Doherty)
Third Quarter
NB—Halttunen 53 run (pass failed)
C—Eric Larson 9 pass from Beau Bamer (run failed)
NB—Halttunen 55 run (run failed)
Fourth Quarter
C—Colin West 33 pass from Mike Zapien (pass failed)
NB—Michael McGee 2 run (run failed)
Individual Stats
Rushing—C: Zapien 14-35, Larson 11-28, Bamer 6-14, West 2-0, Wolfer 1-0, March 1-0, Findley 1-0. NB: Halttunen 7-148, Josiah Greene 6-93, Cummins 10-89, Monje 2-81, McGee 4-50, Svec 3-35, McCaulley 2-34, Leyton Doherty 1-11, Zeke Greene 1-11, Kenrick Doherty 2-(-5).
Passing—C: Zapien 4-5, 114; Bamer 2-10-1, 13. NB: Josiah Greene 5-10, 92; Leyton Doherty 1-1, 3; Kenrick Doherty 0-3.
Receiving—C: Findley 2-54, West 1-33, Larson 2-14, Bamer 1-26. NB: McCaulley 1-45, Zeke Greene 2-28, Leyton Doherty 2-19, Kenrick Doherty 1-3.
