State power Napavine defeats rebuilding Braves

A young La Conner High team knew it would need some luck to upset State-ranked Napavine in a non-conference grid clash at Whittaker Field.

But the game was played on Friday the 13th.

Enough said.

The powerhouse Tigers, with highly touted quarterback Dawson Stanley at the helm, rolled to a convincing 48-6 victory on a chilly night during which Napavine was coldly efficient on both sides of the ball.

Stanley completed eight of 15 tosses for 206 yards and two touchdowns, both before halftime. He also ran five times for 94 yards and a score.

The Tigers, operating out of a spread set that allowed Stanley to run an assortment of read options and play-action passes, amassed 465 yards total offense.

Jordan Purvis and Noah Lantz were Stanley’s favorite targets. Purvis tallied 84 yards on four grabs, including a four-yard TD reception. Lantz reeled in a couple passes for 77 yards, the second of which was a 42-yard touchdown that gave Napavine a commanding 21-0 lead late in the first period.

Operating behind a big and veteran offensive line, the Tigers churned out 259 yards on the ground, much of that coming after the break, by which time the visitors had built a 35-0 cushion.

Napavine’s go-to back –11 Tigers earned carries on the night – was 5’-9”, 170-pound senior Cole VanWyck. VanWyck ran seven times for 48 yards, highlighted by TD blasts of one and three yards. His 25-yarder in the third period put the Tigers on top 41-0.

The Braves, meanwhile, netted just 113 total yards, with 12 plays going for minus yardage.

La Conner averted a shutout when head coach Peter Voorhees dialed up a textbook gadget play early in the final stanza.

Facing a fourth down near midfield, the Braves lined up in punt formation. Punter Trey Casey, who had earlier gotten off several booming kicks, faked an errant deep snap. The ball instead went to upback Kaden Murdock, who dashed 54 yards to paydirt.

But, otherwise, the Braves couldn’t catch a break.

A potential first down completion from Fabian Brooks to Casey along the La Conner sideline just before halftime was ruled out-of-bounds, thwarting a potential Braves drive.

The gain was waved off even though it appeared Casey had gotten a foot down inbounds before being forced out.

“I’d like to see that one on film,” a La Conner assistant coach lamented.

Given possession, Napavine scored on the ensuing play when Stanley took it to the house from 45 yards out.

Brooks managed to extend plays with roll-out action to avoid a fierce Tiger pass rush. He connected on seven of 17 passes for 88 yards. Bryce Bolsinger had three receptions for 46 yards. Jeffrey Johnson caught two passes for 28 yards.

Friday’s game was in stark contrast to the two teams’ pairing a year ago. In that earlier meeting, La Conner – en route to a sixth straight playoff berth and led by since-graduated runner-up for State Player of the Year Budda Luna – suffered a tight single-score loss on the Tigers’ turf.

The Braves, now 1-5 overall, return to NW2B action at Darrington this Friday (7 p.m.) after two straight weeks of non-league play.

La Conner defeated the Loggers 38-8 in the team’s home opener last month.

In related notes:

• Despite the score, the La Conner defense had its moments. The Braves quashed a Napavine scoring drive by forcing two consecutive incomplete passes by Stanley. Murdock and freshman Zeb Joe also stopped VanWyck short of the goal line with a big hit.

• The La Conner High boys’ soccer team dropped 9-2 and 6-0 decisions last week to Providence Christian and Mount Vernon Christian, respectively. The Braves host Cedar Park Christian tonight (Wednesday, 6 p.m.). They beat them 2-1 on the road last month.

NAPAVINE 21 14 6 7 – 48

LA CONNER 0 0 0 6 – 6

(N)---Cole VanWyck three-yard run; Alex Goana kick. 9:05 (1).

(N)---Jordan Purvis four-yard pass from Dawson Stanley; Goana kick. 5:14 (1).

(N)---Noah Lantz 42-yard pass from Stanley; Goana kick. 3:30 (1).

(N)---VanWyck one-yard run; Goana kick. 6:11 (2).

(N)---Stanley 45-yard run; Goana kick. 2:14 (2).

(N)---Van Wyck 25-yard run; Kick failed. 9:58 (3).

(LC)---Kaden Murdock 54-yard run; Pass failed. 11:29 (4).

(N)---Laythan Demarest 10-yard run; James Hollinger kick. 1:51 (4).

INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS

NAPAVINE

RUSHING

Dawson Stanley 5/94-YDS, 1 TD

Cole VanWyck 7/48-YDS, 3TDS

Kyson Newcomb 4/32-YDS

Draven Riddle 3/20-YDS

Laythan Demarest 3/19-YDS, 1 TD

Russell Vaughn 2/15-YDS

Tanner Lowe 2/13-YDS

Chase McCarter 2/9-YDS

Austin Gilbert 2/5-YDS

James Hollinger 2/3-YDS

Noah Lantz 1/1-YD

PASSING

Dawson Stanley 8-15-206-YDS

RECEIVING

Jordan Purvis 4/84-YDS, 1 TD

Noah Lantz 2/77-YDS, 1 TD

Randy Kinswa 1/31-YDS

Alex Gaona 1/14-YDS

RUSHING 259

PASSING 206

TOTAL 465

LA CONNER

RUSHING

Kaden Murdock 9/43-YDS, 1 TD

Fabian Brooks 9/(-2)-YDS

Bryce Bolsinger 1(-4)-YDS

Corbin Silk 4(-12)-YDS

PASSING

Fabian Brooks 7-17-88-YDS

Corbin Silk 0-1-0-YDS

RECEIVING

Bryce Bolsinger 3/46-YDS

Jeffrey Johnson 2/28-YDS

Trey Casey 2/14-YDS

RUSHING 25

PASSING 88

TOTAL 113