Scotties beat Bulldogs, capture NEA crown
Some secrets are easier to keep than others.
Literally playing with quarterback Andrew Dresback’s strong right arm tied behind their collective backs, the Freeman Scotties put their Northeast A League football title hopes on the shoulders of their offensive line and in the hands of senior running back Chris Davis.
They didn’t disappoint.
The Scotties captured their fourth consecutive league championship Thursday night, rolling over visiting Colfax 45-14 behind Davis’ 335 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
“We lost our first game of the season,” Freeman coach Jim Wood said. “To come back and win the next eight straight is an accomplishment. All you can ask is that you have a shot at a league title when the last game rolls around.”
The victory means the Scotties (8-1) will host the No. 4 team from the Caribou Trail League next Friday or Nov. 4. Colfax (6-3), the NEA No. 3, will travel to face the CTL No. 2 next Friday or Nov. 4.
Kettle Falls (7-2) earned the NEA No. 2 seed after beating Chewelah 46-14 at Kettle Falls and will host the CTL No. 3 next Friday or Nov. 4. No. 4 Lakeside (4-5) will play at CTL champion Cascade (Leavenworth).
Dresback, a three-year starter, separated his throwing shoulder in last week’s 20-6 victory over Lakeside – throwing a pair of touchdown passes after the injury.
“This week my doctor pretty much told me I couldn’t throw a pass,” Dresback said. “We weren’t too sure how long it was going to be before (Colfax) caught on that I couldn’t throw. We threw the deep ball on them effectively when we played them down there and they were still waiting for us to do that here. Even in the second half I caught their safety sliding over to help out on our wide receivers a couple times and checked off to a different running play to take advantage.”
Davis, who carried 35 times and had touchdown runs of 8, 35, 65, and 75 yards, threw Freeman’s lone pass, connecting with Scott Ferguson for a 44-yard first-quarter touchdown.
“I have to give all the credit to our offensive line,” Davis said. “We said coming into the game that we were putting the game in the hands of our offensive line and they came up big for us. I didn’t have to hit anyone until I was well into the secondary the whole game. My job was easy.”
“Elsewhere in the NEA, Lucas Fox rushed for 133 yards on 16 carries and scored three touchdowns as Kettle Falls rolled up 398 yards of total offense in a drubbing of Chewelah. Fox scored on runs of 19, 5 and 9 yards as the Bulldogs wrapped up the No. 2 seed. Jacoby Bradeen, Ryan Strobel, and Chad Hawn each added touchdown runs in the victory. Cody McBride recovered a Jay Clemons-blocked punt in the end zone for another score. … Dustin Baldwin rushed for 139 yards on 18 carries and a 10-yard touchdown run to lead host Lakeside past Newport 29-15 at Nine Mile Falls.