Hockinson beats Ridgefield in battle of unbeaten teams

RIDGEFIELD — If you’re comparing football players to forces of nature, Kedrick Johnson is a
10-year storm.

On Friday, Hockinson won a Category Four slugfest with Ridgefield. The 17-7 victory puts the Hawks control of the Class 2A Greater St. Helens League.

Hockinson laid waste to a Ridgefield offense that had averaged nearly 270 rushing yards a game. Causing the most mayhem was Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound linebacker who rained foundation-loosening hits across the Ridgefield High School field.

“He’s one of those kids that you get on your team once every 10 years,” Hockinson coach Rick Steele said. “Without him, our football team is maybe a little above average. With him, we’re fantastic.”

On Ridgefield’s final drive, Johnson had a sack for minus-15 yards then intercepted a pass on the next play. He also caught six passes for a team-high 89 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown pass.

Hockinson (6-0, 3-0 2A GSHL) had not previously been tested this season. The No. 5 Hawks had outscored their five previous opponents 214-14, including four shutouts.

They certainly have been tested now.

Ridgefield traded body blows with Hockinson in a game that saw only three points scored after the first quarter.

“We don’t get any better beating people 49-0,” Steele said. “We needed a game like this now at this time of the season. I think Ridgefield did too.”

Behind a line that includes four seniors who won all-league honors last year, Ridgefield (5-1, 3-1) had no fewer than 242 rushing yards in four of five previous games.

But the Spudders knew that the Hawks and their blitzing linebackers would present a different challenge.

On Friday, Ridgefield had just 70 yards rushing.

“Both sides knew it was going to be a hell of a battle and it played up to that,” Ridgefield coach Dan Andersen said. “We came out of the wrong end of it, but I’m sure it was a great game for the fans.”

Hockinson relished the physical test.

“All week we were playing for a big defensive game,” said Jared Oja, who had two interceptions. “We knew it was coming.”

Hockinson entered Friday having shut out four of its first five opponents. Ridgefield quickly made sure that would not happen. Taylor Nolan hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Jarrett Mocca to cap Ridgefield’s first drive.

The Hawks responded with an eight-play, 42-yard drive that ended with Oja’s two-yard touchdown run. Johnson had two key plays: a 50-yard kickoff return and a 29-yard catch that brought Hockinson to the 2-yard line.

Johnson put Hockinson up 14-7 when he reached high to catch a 9-yard fade late in the first quarter.

Then the defenses took over.

Ridgefield did not get the ball inside Hockinson’s 30-yard line for the rest of the game.

Hockinson had two scoring chances that went awry. A 35-yard field goal was missed late in the second quarter. Late in the third quarter, Johnson caught a pass, but was denied his second touchdown when the ball was knocked loose at the goal line and Ridgefield recovered in the end zone.

Though a bit bruised, both Hockinson and Ridgefield head into the stretch run of the 2A GSHL season with their sights on postseason berths.

Both hope that Friday’s test will only make them stronger.

“It was a lot of fun out there,” Johnson said. “We just played Hawk football. We played hard and physical. …  Ridgefield was saying this was the league championship game. That’s how we played it.”

HOCKINSON 17, RIDGEFIELD 7

Hockinson 14 0 0 3—17

Ridgefield 7 0 0 0— 7

First quarter

R — Taylor Nolan 35 pass from Jarrett Mocca (Michael Martin kick)

H — Jared Oja 2 run (Tommy Brennan kick)

H — Kedrick Johnson 9 pass from Canon Racanelli (Brennan kick)

Fourth quarter

H — FG, Brennan 35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Hockinson: Jarrett Oja 8-34, Steven Carlisle 8-27, Kedrick Johnson 4-10, Mitch Lines 6-20, Ganon Kytola 2-3, Canon Racanelli 4-minus-5, Cole Walker 1-3, Matt Henry 2-8. Ridgefield: Tommy Herz 14-44, Jarrett Mocca 2-8, Taylor Nolan 1-minus-4, Jalen Williams 11-35, Cade Morrill 7-minus-13.

PASSING — Hockinson: Canon Racanelli 15-28-144. Ridgefield: Jarrett Mocca 5-10-71, Cade Morrill 5-12-37.

RECEIVING — Hockinson: Kedrick Johnson 6-89, Bailey Jones 1-0, Steven Carlisle 4-19, Cameron Loos 2-24, Mitch Lines 1-4, Colton Wheeler 1-7. Ridgefield: Taylor Nolan 3-59, Nathan Herz 2-25, Conner Bell 1-5, Tommy Herz 3-20, Jalen Williams 1-6.