Hudson’s Bay and Evergreen hadn’t faced each other in a league football game since 2005.
It was sure worth the wait.
Hudson’s Bay beat Evergreen 28-24 Friday in one of the best finishes of the season.
With five seconds to go and trailing 24-21, Hudson’s Bay had the ball on the 5 yard line. Jordan Hickman hit Palaina Gasper on a quick slant route for the winning score.
One second remained on the clock. After Evergreen was tackled on the ensuing kickoff, Hudson’s Bay players swarmed the Kiggins Bowl turf.
Just once since 2005 has Hudson’s Bay won more than three games. Now the Eagles are 2-1 and 1-0 in the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League.
“For us, it’s hard to minimize this,” Hudson’s Bay coach Mark Oliverio said. “It is just one game and just one win. But it’s a big step that we’ve been waiting to take for a long time.”
Oliverio decided against trying a field goal that could have tied the game in the final seconds.
“I just felt like my guys were ready to make a play,” Oliverio said. “I said ‘I’m just going to put it on the kids. They know what’s at stake. They’re ready to make a play.”
Hickman, a senior, only threw 11 passes Friday. None was bigger than his last.
Showing his grace under pressure, Hickman checked down off his first target to find Palaina.
“It was originally supposed to go to Myles (Artis) on the backside,” Hickman said. “But I saw the safety move over. As soon as Palaina made that cut, it was right there.”
Gasper had caught just one pass in Friday’s game. He was ready when the second came his way.
“I saw the linebacker come up so I knew I could beat my guy to the inside,” Gasper said. “I just had faith in my quarterback. When it came to me, I was going to make that play no matter what.”
Bay jumped to a 21-10 lead behind three touchdowns from Marco Cadiz. The running back scored on a 90-yard kickoff return and a 10-yard run in the first half.
His third touchdown saw him break three tackles and squeeze between multiple defenders on a double-take worthy 10-yard run.
“He’s a magician,” Oliverio said. “He’s like Houdini. You think you’ve got him, he just comes out the other side.”
Cadiz finished with 150 yards on 21 carries.
Evergreen’s Dustin Nettles rushed for 130 yards on just 14 carries. His 15-yard touchdown run pulled the Plainsmen within 21-16 early in the fourth quarter.
Evergreen (0-3, 0-1) recovered a fumble on Bay’s 44 yard line, then took a 24-21 lead on Jevauhn Hampton’s 5-yard run with 3:52 to play.
Bay responded with its drive of the season, thus far. The Eagles covered 80 yards in 12 plays, including a 33-yard Cadiz run that took Bay across midfield.
“He has grown so much,” Oliverio said of his quarterback. “He has shown in many games that he’s cool under pressure.”
HUDSON’S BAY 28, EVERGREEN 24
Evergreen 3 7 0 14 – 24
Hudson’s Bay 14 0 7 7 – 28
First quarter
E – FG, Killian Burris 25
HB – Marco Cadiz 90 kickoff return (Alfonso Barajas kick)
HB – Cadiz 10 run (Barajas kick)
Second quarter
E – Dustin Nettles 1 run (Burris kick)
Third quarter
HB – Cadiz 6 run (Barajas kick)
Fourth quarter
E – Nettles 15 run (run failed)
E – Jevaughn Hampton 5 run (Nettles pass from Peyton Monda
HB – Palaina Gasper 5 pass from Jordan Hickman (Barajas kick)
Individual statistics
RUSHING – Evergreen: Jevaughn Hamptpon 14-86, Dustin Nettles 14-130, Dalvin Johnson 1-10, Payton Monda 2-1. Hudson’s Bay: Marco Cadiz 21-150, Jordan Hickman 6-30, Akilotoa Kamatule 4-37, Julio Vara 1-9, Myles Artis 1-38 .
PASSING – Evergreen: Payton Monda 6-16-102. Hudson’s Bay: Jordan Hickman 4-11-41.
RECEIVING – Evergreen: Johnson 3-40, Nadil Hodzic 1-38, Nettles 1-14, Hampton 1-10. Hudson’s Bay: Myles Artis 1-10, Palaina Gasper 2-31, Akilotoa Kamatule 1-10.
