Battle Ground football makes its statement

BATTLE GROUND — The Battle Ground Tigers are a playoff-worthy team.

Now they just hope to make the playoffs.

The Tigers unleashed years of frustration on the Union Titans, beating a program they had never beaten before Friday night. The Battle Ground defense sacked the quarterback nine times, had four interceptions, and picked up its third shutout of the season in a 31-0 victory at District Stadium.

Gunner Talkington threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns to lead the offense.

Battle Ground completed the 4A Greater St. Helens League schedule with a 4-2 record, good enough for at least a tie for second place. Good enough to ensure playing in a tiebreaker. Good enough to get to play football in the 11th month of the calendar.

“Our goal was to be playing in November,” said Landon Hall, who had 2½ sacks and an interception. “We don’t want to be done in October. We want to keep going.”

The rest of the teams in the 4A GSHL will play league games next week to determine the final outcomes. If Battle Ground, Mountain View, and Skyview all finish with 4-2 records, the three will meet in a tiebreaker, scheduled for Nov. 2. Only two of those teams — behind league champion Camas — will make the state preliminary round playoffs in Week 10.

All of that will eventually work itself out.

This week, though, Battle Ground (6-2) had to do something it had never done before, and the Tigers did it.

Big time.

“It just feels great. I don’t know how to explain it in words. Great feeling. Great,” said defensive lineman Travis Stewart, who had a fourth-down sack and was in on another sack, as well. “I keep saying great. I’m kind of a little bit excited.”

“We worked our hearts out,” said linebacker Kolton Lehto, who also had 2½ sacks. “Just knowing we had the confidence and strength to beat this team is incredible. I’m proud of all my boys.”

Battle Ground coach Larry Peck recalled his first season, when the Tigers went 1-8 in 2010.

“In five years, how far we were behind the Unions and the Skyviews of the world. This was big for us to get a win for our school, for our community,” Peck said. “Our kids were ready to play. They weren’t going to be denied.”

Curtis Stradley scored on a 1-yard run and Max Randle caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Talkington as Battle Ground jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.

Bailey Buckner made it 21-0 with a defensive touchdown, intercepting a pass and returning it 41 yards to the end zone.

“It was crazy,” Buckner said. “Beyond words.”

Late in the second quarter, the Tigers made it the Talkington-Kyle Cahoon Show. The two connected on three consecutive passes, going 68 yards in 38 seconds to make it 28-0 with 19 seconds left in the half.

Riley Betcher kicked a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the finishing touches on the scoreboard.

The Battle Ground defense still had some more work to do. Union’s best drive of the night brought the Titans to the Battle Ground 15-yard line. The Tigers wanted the shutout, though.

From there: Sack, sack, incomplete pass after a quarterback pressure, and another sack.

Loss of downs.

Game over. And a momentous victory for Battle Ground.

“Beating Union, a school we’ve never beat before, that’s just amazing,” Hall said. “Great way for the seniors to leave their mark.”

Reed Thompson and Randle also had interceptions for the Tigers. Taylor Stewart, Buckner, Andrew Johnson, and Brady Brick also were in on sacks.

Battle Ground held Union to 197 yards of offense.

“It was another challenge for us, an opportunity to show how good we are, for us to step up to the plate,” Talkington said. “It’s a great accomplishment, but we still have more season left.”

The Tigers have a non-league game to finish the regular season.

But he meant beyond the regular season.

That is something that has not happened at Battle Ground since 2005.

BATTLE GROUND 31, UNION 0
Union    0    0    0    0—0
B. Ground    14    14    0    3—31
First quarter
BG — Curtis Stradley 1 run (Riley Betcher kick)
BG — Max Randle 75 pass from Gunner Talkington (Betcher kick)
Second quarter
BG — Bailey Buckner 41 interception return (Betcher kick)
BG — Kyle Cahoon 20 pass from Talkington (Betcher kick)
Fourth quarter
BG — Betcher 24 FG

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Union, JoJo Siofele 19-89, Adriane Andrade 1-8, Rey Green 1-2, Jordan Lawson 14-(minus 54). Battle Ground, Stradley 6-37, Buckner 7-28, Talkington 4-(minus 16), Betcher 1-8, Reed Thompson 5-18.
PASSING — Union, Lawson 15-27-3-152 Battle Ground, Talkington 15-20-0-246, Cahoon 1-1-0-27.
RECEIVING — Union, Nate Kuratli 8-87, Keithen Shepard 5-52, Carter Clay 1-7, Kai Gamble 1-6. Battle Ground, Chase Gunter 3-13, Betcher 2-15, Buckner 2-38, Cahoon 4-63, Randle 2-102, Stradley 1-9, Cole Grossman 1-9, Thompson 1-24.