Braves defeat Darrington decisively, bouncing back

Sep 20, 20170

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RISING TO THE OCCASION – La Conner receiver Jeffrey Johnson helped give the Braves a lift in their league opener at Whittaker Field on Friday. Johnson went airborne to reel in this 30-yard touchdown pass from Bradey Wiles, the first score in what would be a 38-8 La Conner win over Darrington. The Braves are 1-1 overall going into this weekend’s action. – Photo by Brad Reynolds

Funny, the difference a week makes.

After looking tentative in a lopsided non-league grid loss at 1A Coupeville in their season opener, the La Conner Braves posted a decisive 38-8 win over NW2B foe Darrington in their home debut Friday night.

“Getting more physical was a top priority going into this game,” Braves head coach Peter Voorhees said afterward. “It was a big turnaround for us, and much needed. We had a great week of practice and it carried over.”

On several levels.

Senior fullback Kaden Murdock ran nine times for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while freshman quarterback Brady Wiles completed six of nine tosses for 148 yards and two scores, one each to Jeffrey Johnson and Mason Miles.

“We felt going into league that Kaden and Jeffrey would pose some matchup problems,” Voorhees said. “Tonight, Kaden ran hard and Jeffrey really sold our bubble screen well.”

The 6’-4” Johnson used his height to good advantage on La Conner’s first series, going airborne to reel in the first Wiles TD pass, a 30-yard strike.

In addition to his hard running, Murdock set up a second period La Conner touchdown by recovering a Johnson kickoff that Darrington misplayed, treating it as if it were a punt.

Voorhees praised Wiles for marshaling a Braves attack that shrugged off a slew of early penalties to net over 350 yards total offense, even though Darrington repeatedly milked the clock with long huddles and snap counts.

“He had a really good start,” Voorhees said of Wiles.

His best throw was likely the 59-yard hookup to Miles just prior to the break. Wiles hit the streaking Miles in stride as he raced past Logger defenders along the home sideline.

Matt Harper and Trey Casey, the latter of whom added a pair of conversion kicks, rounded out La Conner’s scoring with second half TD bursts.

Casey set up his 18-yard dash with a great cut at the line of scrimmage. Harper powered his way 13 yards up the gut to close the third quarter.

Defensively, the Braves held Darrington under 100 yards of offense.

The Loggers didn’t record their initial first down until the 9:28 mark of the second frame, by which time La Conner was ahead 19-0.

Linebacker Harley Hulbert snuffed one second half Logger threat by blasting Darrington’s Justin Draper out of bounds short of the sticks in front of the Braves bench.

The Loggers had little success running between the tackles, with freshman nose guard Edmond McCoy recording several key stops.

Darrington averted a shutout with a methodical 11-play, 56-yard march late in the game that was aided by a La Conner penalty.

Flags hamstrung the Braves at the outset. Penalties negated nice pickups by eighth grader Luke Marble on La Conner’s opening series.

The Braves recovered quickly, though. Murdock and Corbin Silk combined to churn out 54 yards on the ground, setting up the Wiles alley-oop to a leaping Johnson in the end zone.

It was all downhill from there.

With the win, La Conner squared its overall ledger at 1-1. The Braves, 1-0 in conference play, resume NW2B play at Friday Harbor this Friday. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.

La Conner returns to Whittaker Field Sept. 29 opposite league and Skagit County rival Concrete.

DARRINGTON 0 0 0 8 – 8

LA CONNER 6 19 13 0 – 38

(LC) – Jeffrey Johnson 30-yard pass from Bradey Wiles; Kick blocked. 5:20 (1).

(LC) – Kaden Murdock 18-yard run; Trey Casey kick. 11:46 (2).

(LC) – Kaden Murdock 15-yard run; Kick blocked. 11:35 (2).

(LC) – Mason Miles 59-yard pass from Bradey Wiles; Run failed. 3:43 (2).

(LC) – Trey Casey 18-yard run; Kick failed. 6:20 (3).

(LC) – Matt Harper 13-yard run; Trey Casey kick. :25 (3).

(D) – Lucas Reuwsaat two-yard run; Lucas Reuwsaat run. 4:25 (4).

LA CONNER STAT LEADERS

PASSING