2A GSHL football: Ridgefield 31, Hudson’s Bay 0

RIDGEFIELD — From winless to a winning season.

That’s the one-year turnaround completed by Ridgefield on Friday night with a 31-0 victory over Hudson’s Bay in both teams’ 2A Greater St. Helens League finale.

“This means the whole world to us,” said Spudders senior Jonah Roberts, who tossed a touchdown pass and also had an interception. “We worked our butts off all summer, and it paid off. I can call everyone on this team my brothers.”

The Spudders (5-4, 2-4 GSHL) ended the year on a three-game winning streak after four straight losses had killed their chances of returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence.

“We dropped a league game early to Washougal that we shouldn’t have, and then we lost a tight game with R.A. Long,” said third-year coach Dan Anderson, whose team lost to Bay 29-25 in 2013. “Those two games would have put us right in the playoff race, but it wasn’t in the cards this year.

“But every team has ups and downs, faces adversity, and because of our senior leadership, we fought right through it. They kept this team on task. We’re happy to finish with the 5-4 record.”

Ridgefield racked up 321 yards on the ground, starting with a 69-yard touchdown run by senior tailback Nathan Eggleston on its first play from scrimmage as he took a simple off-tackle power run and burst through a big hole over the left side.

“That felt amazing,” said Eggleston, who finished with 181 yards on 20 carries. “Once I got through that hole, I knew this was the last football game of my high school career, and I had to run as hard as I could.”

After being stopped on downs on their next possession, the Spudders scored the next three times they had the ball to build a 24-0 lead by halftime.

Tommy Herz capped a seven-play, 58-yard drive with a 16-yard TD run on the first play of the second quarter.

Roberts’ interception set up Ridgefield’s next score, as he hit tight end Tamarick Mendoza on a 34-yard crossing pattern for a 21-0 lead.

Following a three-and-out by Bay, Ridgefield got a 32-yard field goal from Michael Martin with 2 minutes left in the half.

The Spudders capped the scoring on the second play of the third quarter, as Bill Martin forced a fumble that Cade Morrill picked up at the Bay 2 and walked into the end zone.

It was one of three Bay turnovers, and the Eagles (1-8, 0-6) also had a kickoff return for a touchdown called back for an illegal forward pass as they were shut out for the fourth time this year.

“We just made too many mistakes tonight,” said Bay co-coach Andy Meyer.

Ridgefield 31, Hudson’s Bay 0

Hudson’s Bay 0 0 0 0— 0

Ridgefield 7 17 7 0—31

First quarter

R — Nathan Eggleston 61 run (Michael Martin kick)

Second quarter

R — Tommy Herz 16 run (M.Martin kick)

R — Tamarick Mendoza 34 pass from Jonah Roberts (M.Martin kick)

R — FG M.Martin 32

Third quarter

R — Cade Morrill 2 fumble return (M.Martin kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Hudson’s Bay, Nehemiah McDougal 9-40, Jordan Hickman 8-45, Cody Fiscus 8-27, Anthony Sanchez 4-25, Julio Vara 1-0, team 1-(minus 14). Ridgefield, Eggleston 20-181, Herz 11-87, Roberts 5-7, Cody Duncan 4-27, Jalen Williams 3-16, Noah Couch 2-7, Morrill 1-1, team 2-(minus 5).

PASSING — Hudson’s Bay, Hickman 10-24-1-95, Sanchez 0-1-1-0. Ridgefield, Roberts 3-4-0-53, Morrill 0-1-1-0.

RECEIVING — Hudson’s Bay, McDougal 5-34, Sanchez 3-21, Tristan Maxwell 1-30, Fiscus 1-10. Ridgefield, Mendoza 1-34, Nick Thomas 1-16, Eggleston 1-3.