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The Dayton-Waitsburg Wolfpack defense held their own against a big and athletic Cle Elum-Roslyn Warrior team on the home gridiron Friday, rallying with 22 second-half points to notch a 22-7 non-conference win. Defensive lineman Jayce Gleason counted three unassisted tackles in the contest, plus three hurries, like this one of quarterback Cash Najar.
WAITSBURG–After a slow start, the Dayton-Waitsburg Wolfpack came back with 16 third-quarter points and tacked on a third touchdown to put a 22-7 non-conference win into the record books here Friday.
DW visits Highland this Friday for its third non-league warm-up.
While the offense pumped the gas pedal and ground the starter in the first half, the Wolfpack defense put up a good fight. "We came out sluggish and sloppy in the first half," said Head Coach Troy Larsen, "with three turnovers leading to the Warriors' only score late in the second quarter.
"The good news is our defense played another terrific game, bending some but never breaking, against a big and athletic team," he said.
With Cle Elum-Roslyn holding a 7-0 lead at half time, Larsen and his assistant coaches went into the break with ideas. "We had a very productive half time and came out strong, forcing a three-and-out," Larsen said.
Then senior signal-caller Monte Pettichord, 6-0, 180 lb., "went to work," he said.
Pettichord found senior wide receiver Daylan Marlow (5-10, 130 lb.) in the corner of the end zone. "Daylan pulled down a highlight-reel catch for the touchdown," Larsen said. Senior running back Hudson Reser punched in the extra point.
Marlow was the target for DW's second touchdown of the third quarter, with the extra-point pass from Pettichord to Spencer Hansen on the money and a 16-7 lead.
Pettichord went on to find receivers on his way to an 11 of 25 night, leading the team to 166 yards of passing gains while rushing for a touchdown in the fourth period.
"Spencer made multiple catches over defenders that really broke the back of the Cle Elum defense," Larsen said. One of those passes from Pettichord to Spencer Hansen was a "courageous" deep throw which Hansen caught over two defenders.
DW's defensive line and held pretty well against the Warrior run game, Larsen said. Wolfpack linebackers were able to "fly up" and stop the run.
"Monte Pettichord played well at both sides of the ball leading the defense with 10½ tackles, while Preston Hansen, Kaylub Prather, and Levi Boudrieau flew around the field stopping the run," Larsen said.
DW 22, CER 7 (9-9)
CER 0 7 0 0-7
DW 0 0 16 6-22
