WOODLAND — No need for late-game dramatics for the Hudson’s Bay Eagles this week.
Just a start-to-finish victory.
Oh, it got close. But the Eagles truly are learning how to finish these days.
Jordan Hickman threw for a score, rushed for another, and the Hudson’s Bay defense was solid most of the night in a 39-24 victory over Woodland in a non-league contest Friday.
The Eagles have won three in a row for the first time in 14 years, showing Southwest Washington that it is possible to turn around a struggling program.
“I think Hudson’s Bay, as a whole, we’ve been patient. Now we have a solid team,” senior linebacker Jalon Howard said. “We trust each other. We love each other. That closeness, that bond, makes us play a lot better.”
The Eagles held Woodland to 99 yards of offense in the first half, then got the job done again in the fourth quarter when it got close.
“I love my team. They got my back and I got their back,” said defensive lineman Angel Terry. “I won’t stop fighting for them.”
The Eagles soared to a 24-6 lead at halftime, but Woodland answered the call in the second half with two third-quarter touchdowns.
A week ago, the Eagles won on the final play of the game. This week, though, they just got the job done the entire fourth quarter to close out the Beavers.
“Once they punched us in the mouth, we had to respond or it was going to go bad,” Hickman said.
The Eagles went on an 11-play, 53-yard drive, capped when Hickman found Carter Morse for a 16-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion made it a 14-point game.
“It’s crazy. All week, Carter was telling me, ‘Look at me! Look at me!’ Alright man, here you go,” Hickman said. “I threw him the ball and he went up and made a play.”
Then it was time for the Bay defense again. Woodland did get in Bay territory, but a strong pass rush forced hurried throws and the Beavers lost the ball on downs with less than five minutes to play.
From there, the Eagles looked to kill the clock with another long drive. But four minutes later, a simple dive play broke free for a 17-yard touchdown run from Nathan Newo for a 39-18 lead with 1:07 to play.
Tyler Flanagan would return the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a Woodland touchdown, but by then the Eagles had their first three-game winning streak since the program won its last four games in 2002.
“It feels great,” said Hickman, who threw for 175 yards without an interception. “I came from the team that was getting blown out by 50 all the time. That team laid the foundation. Now we’re building the house. We have to keep building and building until this house is a beautiful mansion.”
Woodland quarterback Wyatt Harsh scored on a 5-yard option run on the first drive of the second half. Then Levi Orem found the end zone on a 36-yard touchdown run to pull the Beavers within six points with 3:14 to play in the third quarter.
“You gotta play out there like it’s a brand new game,” Howard said. “Forget the mistakes. Forget the lost yards.”
“Work hard. Never give up,” Terry added.
Woodland would not score again on offense.
“It’s a huge step for us,” Hudson’s Bay coach Mark Oliverio said. “It’s another step forward. We’re really excited about it. We like the momentum we have now. But it’s just one more game. We have to continue to focus on moving forward. We’re certainly not satisfied.”
Hudson’s Bay opened the game with a scoring drive that ended on a 1-yard TD run from Marco Cadiz. The Eagles made it 14-0 on a two-play, 90-yard drive. Hickman hit Cadiz for a 60-yard pass play, then Toa Kamatule scored on a 30-yard run.
Orem scored on a 10-yard run to make it 14-6 after the first quarter.
The Eagles got a 22-yard field goal from Alfonso Barajas and then an 11-yard touchdown run from Hickman in the second quarter to take command.
Sure, it got closer in the second half.
But this is the new Hudson’s Bay.
HUDSON’S BAY 39, WOODLAND 24
Hudson’s Bay 14 10 0 15—39
Woodland 6 0 12 6—24
First quarter
HB — Marco Cadiz 1 run (Alfonso Barajas kick)
HB — Toa Kamatule 30 run (Barajas kick)
W — Levi Orem 10 run (run failed)
Second quarter
HB — Barajas 22 FG
HB — Jordan Hickman 11 run (Barajas kick)
Third quarter
W — Wyatt Harsh 5 run (pass failed)
W — Orem 36 run (run failed)
Fourth quarter
HB — Carter Morse 16 pass from Hickman (Myles Artis pass from Hickman)
HB — Nathan Newo 17 run (Barajas kick)
W — Tyler Flanagan 90 kickoff return (pass failed)
Individuals statistics
RUSHING — Hudson’s Bay: Cadiz 24-71, Hickman 6-19, Kamatule 4-40, Julia Vara 1-2, Newo 3-25, Team 3-(minus 3). Woodland: Orem 21-127, Tyler Flanagan 3-17, Wyatt Harsh 2-(minus 3)
PASSING — Hudson’s Bay: Hickman 10-17-0-175. Woodland: Harsh 9-20-0-92.
RECEIVING — Hudson’s Bay: Cadiz 2-106, Myles Artis 4-29, Carter Morse 3-34, Kamatule 1-6. Woodland: Flanagan 6-67, Marques Lies 1-6, Logan Knight 1-7, Sebastian Martinez 1-12.
