R.A. Long finishes Washougal 37-18

WASHOUGAL — For three quarters, the Washougal Panthers had almost everything go right.

But in the fourth quarter, R.A. Long’s balanced offensive attack and attrition caught up with them in a 37-18 loss to the Lumberjacks at Fishback Stadium.

Washougal lost starting offensive tackle Aubrey Kraft in the first quarter. Do-it-all sophomore Kade Coons was in and out of the game in the fourth quarter.

Running back/middle linebacker Zach Neketuk also left the game in the fourth quarter after making one of his many tackles. Receiver Jake Klackner battled cramps.

The Lumberjacks, it resulted, were built for the long haul as they move to 2-0 in 2A GHSL play as the Panthers drop to 0-2.

R.A. Long running backs Gunnar Blix and Riley Opgrande combined to run for 202 yards on 20 carries while 6-foot-5 quarterback Owen Bertram threw for 168 yards.

The ’Jacks also successfully made two-point conversions after each of their first three touchdowns, while the Panthers missed two extra points and had a failed conversion.

“Hats off to R.A. Long,” Washougal head coach Dave Hajek said. “They have a pretty good team and a great quarterback.”

All told, Hajek was proud of the improvement he saw in his team after their 42-7 loss last week at Ridgefield.

“We played a lot tougher,” Hajek said. “Right now, it’s about us trying to get better. And for the first three quarters, at least the first half, I thought our kids played great.”

“Towards the end, we were running out of bodies,” Hajek added. “When that happens, things start to fall apart a little bit.”

The Panthers win, which felt so close when leading the Lumberjacks 18-16 after three quarters, disintegrated in the fourth quarter.

Coons, who left last week’s game against Ridgefield due to injury, returned. And with him, so did the Panthers’ offense.

Coons finished with 157 total yards on 14 carries and seven catches, as well as some big kick returns.

“He’s a small kid, a sophomore. But he’s tough, he plays hard,” Hajek said. “He gets banged up a little bit. But I think you’ll see in the next few years he’s a pretty darn good player.”

Washougal junior quarterback Tyler Bowlin was very efficient with his best weapon back in the fold, completing his first six passes.

It was one the Panthers thought they had and something they’ll have to learn from.

“We have to learn how to finish,” Hajek said. “We’re a young team and it shows we’re a young team.”

R.A. LONG 37, WASHOUGAL 18

R.A. Long 8 8 0 21—37

Washougal 6 6 6 0—18

First Quarter

R.A. Long – Gunnar Blix 27 pass from Owen Bertram (Brett Coons pass from Blix)

Washougal – Kade Coons 3 pass from Tyler Bowlin (missed kick)

Second Quarter

RAL – Riley Opgrande 20 pass from Bertram (Blix run)

WASH – Kade Coons 19 run (missed kick)

Third Quarter

WASH – Coons 5 run (run failed)

Fourth Quarter

RAL– Riley Opgrande 7 run (Coons pass from Blix)

RAL – Blix 44 run (run failed)

RAL – Opgrande 8 run (Julio Magana-Huerta kick)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING — R.A. Long, Blix 13-100, Opgrande 7-102, Justin Holmdahl 7-31, Parker Reeves 1-5, Owen Bertram 2-(-12). Washougal, Coons 14-64, Zach Neketuk 13-39, Tyler Bowlin 1-(-3).

PASSING — R.A. Long, Bertram 12-20-1-168. Washougal, Bowlin 16-21-1-138.

RECEIVING — R.A. Long, Hunter Jones 4-64, Opgrande 4-52, Blix 1-27, Mason Nickerson 2-8, Ronald Higgins 1-17. Washougal, Coons 7-93, Daniel Davis 4-12, Neketuk 2-8, Jake Klackner 2-25