2A GSHL football: Washougal 21, Columbia River 14

WASHOUGAL — Washougal found a rhythm in the second half, scoring two touchdowns in 60 seconds in the third quarter to overcome a slow start in a 21-14 win over Columbia River on Friday night at Fishback Stadium.

Washougal (4-1) held the ball for just 64 seconds in the first quarter, going three-and-out on their first three drives. The Panthers busted out of the funk with a 14-play, 94-yard drive in the second quarter, capped by a three-yard touchdown run from Gavin Multer, who caught a pair of screen passes and carried the ball five times in the stretch.

With the ball first out of halftime, Washougal went 11 plays and 88 yards on its next possession, quarterback Tristan Farrell finding Michael Egger on a 16-yard touchdown pass to take their first lead of the game.

Panthers senior Xavier Gilmore intercepted a Columbia River pass on the first play of the next drive and Washougal struck quickly, Farrell fighting through traffic on the next play to find a wide-open Egger along the opposite sideline for a 40-yard score.

“They’re good,” Washougal coach Dave Hajek said of Columbia River (2-2). “They had the momentum, they were fired up and ready to go. We just had to weather their storm.

“It was just about bend, don’t break, keep it close and we felt eventually we could maybe beat them.”

River fought back in the fourth quarter, driving to the Washougal 1-yard line before turning it over on downs, then scoring on a defensive play, Jacobi Fobbs falling on a forced fumble in the end zone.

With the Panthers killing clock, Columbia River got the ball back just once more with time to operate, driving to the Washougal 29-yard line before Panthers safety Carson Morris intercepted a pass in the end zone. A Hail Mary attempt at the end of the game was caught well short.

Multer led the Panthers with 24 carries for 140 yards and Farrell was 15-for-26 for 192 yards and two scores passing. Egger finished with 110 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

Kier finished with 90 yards rushing for Columbia River and Adam Watts was 16-for-25 for 169 yards passing.

WASHOUGAL 21, COLUMBIA RIVER 14

Columbia River 7 0 0 7-14

Washougal 0 7 14 0-21

First quarter

CR – Dylan Kier 14 run (Cade Lujan kick)

Second quarter

W – Gavin Multer 3 run (Peter Boylan kick)

Third quarter

W – Michael Egger 16 pass from Tristan Farrell (Boylan kick)

W – Egger 49 pass from Farrell (Boylan kick)

Fourth quarter

CR – Jacobi Fobbs fumble recovery in end zone (Lujan kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Columbia River, Dylan Kier 15-90, Eddie Hockhalter 9-15, Adam Watts 5-4. Washougal, Gavin Multer 24-140, Peter Boylan 1-2, Tristan Farrell 2-(minus 13).

PASSING — Columbia River, Adam Watts 16-25-2-169. Washougal, Tristan Farrell 15-26-0-192.

RECEIVING — Columbia River, Jake Ayers 3-51, Max Sturtevant 3-41, Eddie Hockhalter 3-21, Samuela Kaumatule 1-16, Adam Huerena 2-16, Cade Lujan 1-15, Shawn Rain 1-7, Dylan Kier 1-4, Aden Flores 1-(minus 2). Washougal, Michael Egger 8-110, Gavin Multer 2-34, Brig Griffin 1-18, Xavier Gilmore 2-15, Gabriel Kent 1-10, Gavin Tyacke 1-5.