Gorillas get defensive in win
DAVENPORT – If defense is the cornerstone of a championship football team, its no wonder the Davenport Gorillas are considered one of the B-11 favorites.
They dominated the Waterville offense Friday night, and handed the Shockers a 40-0 defeat in a first-round state playoff game.
The Gorillas have yielded only one score in their last five games, but because of the competition and the importance, this shutout may have been their best effort.
“Yes, we did a great job tonight but actually, we’ve been playing great defense all year,” Davenport coach Harold Patterson said. “We’ve had great leadership on that side of the ball. It’s been a strong point for us.”
Especially up front.
“We didn’t want to have a repeat of last year,” said Davenport linebacker (and guard) Jonathan Wood, who had eight tackles and a blocked punt in a little more than three quarters. “We hit the weight room hard all summer.”
That strength showed. The Davenport defensive line – with juniors Michael Villa and Tyler Dehn showing the way – dominated the line of scrimmage.
“The guys up front get in the gaps and get off their blocks,” Wood said.
“They keep the other guys busy so I can make tackles.”
The Gorilla defense limited Waterville (the No. 3 seed from District 5-6) to 123 yards of total offense in the first three quarters, including holding the Shockers’ (6-3) leading rusher, Drew Heid, to 71 hard-earned yards.
The defense also won the field-position battle, and the Gorilla offense took advantage.
The offensive line – center Dehn, guards Tommy Guhlke and Wood, and tackles Kevin Schweiger and Villa – opened huge holes on most every play and Luke Rodenbough and Cory Christman took advantage.
“Coach told us they were huge, and they were,” Wood said of the Shockers. “So we knew we had to get after it.”
Rodenbough got after it on the outside, with 20 carries for 176 yards, including a 37-yard run after he picked up an errant snap on the rain-slick field. He also scored twice, both on pitches around left end.
Christman was the inside force, hammering out 107 yards on 13 carries. He pounded his way to eight first downs in his first nine carries, including a 35-yard run through the middle of the Shocker defense for a score.
“They complement each other real well,” said Patterson, who, in his first year as Davenport’s head coach, guided the Gorillas to a Northeast B-11 title, a 10-0 record and the No. 2 state ranking.
“One likes to work the inside and the other dances around the edges.”
Dehn got to dance as well, when he received a lineman’s dream, scooping up a fumbled Waterville kickoff and rambling 6 yards for a score. Exchange student Gabriel Ferrarato added two field goals and sophomore Tyler Bailey capped the scoring with 16-yard, fourth-quarter run.
The first-round work done, the Gorillas will travel across the state next weekend to face Willapa Valley (10-1), a 28-12 winner over Adna.
“Once we got it going tonight, we didn’t stop,” Wood said.
“Now we have to keep it going against Willapa.”
Or as they’ve been doing all year, keep the other team from getting going.
In other State B-11 first-round action, Ryan Witters‘ 1-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run gave visiting Asotin a 17-10 victory over previously undefeated Mabton (10-1). Witters also threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Charles Appleton, who preserved the upset for the Panthers (8-2) by forcing a fumble on the 1-yard line with a minute remaining. … Jake Ferderer ran for 128 yards and a touchdown on nine carries to lead No. 4 Reardan to a 42-6 victory over visiting Kittitas (5-5). Reardan (8-1) scored a pair of special-team touchdowns in the first half, including a blocked punt recovery by Bob Christerson and a 75-yard punt return by Brad Alberts, on its way to a 36-0 halftime lead. The Indians will visit Asotin in the quarterfinals next weekend. … Justin Whitney ran for 117 yards and a touchdown and Nick Ashley added 100 yards and two scores as No. 9 Lind-Ritzville held off a late La Salle charge to earn a 27-21 victory in Yakima. Mike Better ran for touchdowns of 75, 77 and 86 yards in the fourth quarter for the Lightning (7-4), but Whitney’s 55-yard run iced the victory for the Broncos (7-3), who will face the winner of tonight’s game between Orcas and Wahkiakum. … Jack Dickson threw for two touchdowns and Bryce Hayunga ran for two as top-ranked DeSales cruised to a 25-0 victory over No. 6 Liberty (7-3) in Kennewick. The Irish (10-1), who have played in the seven of the last nine State B-11 championship games, will face Tacoma Baptist (9-2) in the quarterfinals.