Tigers football shuts out Wahluke 28-0
CASEY MCCARTHY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 8 months AGO
Ephrata's Tyler Lybbert skies up for the touchdown catch in the first half against Wahluke on Friday night at Wahluke High School.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald
Ephrata's Tyson Lauren (20) returns the blocked field goal attempt nearly the length of the field for the score against Wahluke on Friday night in Mattawa.
Ephrata's Tony O'Neel extends for extra yardage after making the catch in the 28-0 Tigers win on Friday night at Wahluke High School.
Wahluke's Oscar Perez, right, knocks the ball toward teammate Luke Yorgensen for the interception against Ephrata on Friday night in Mattawa.
Wahluke's Luke Yorgensen skies for the catch for the Warriors on Friday night at Wahluke High School.
Wahluke's Johnny Garcia cuts downfield against the Ephrata Tigers in the Warriors' season opener on Friday night at Wahluke High School.
Wahluke's Logan Marlow comes down with the interception in the Ephrata end zone in the Warriors' 28-0 defeat at home at Wahluke High School on Friday night.
Wahluke's Johnny Garcia powers forward on the ground against the Ephrata defense on Friday night at Wahluke High School.
Ephrata football shut out Wahluke on the road in their season opener at Wahluke High School Friday night, 28-0.
The Tigers defense was firing on all cylinders, finishing the game with three defensive scores. Ephrata opened the scoring with a safety late in the first quarter, after a botched snap left the Wahluke offense scrambling in their own end zone.
Ephrata senior Tyler Lybbert fought off a pair of defenders to secure the first offensive score of the game just before the end of the first quarter.
Beau Dechenne kicked off the second half with a pick-six to put Ephrata ahead 15-0 just moments into the third quarter. Kyle Hendrick fought for the touchdown after securing the catch late in the third to bring the score to 22-0.
Ephrata took a blocked field goal attempt all the way back for the score with just five minutes to play.
Gavin Burns threw for 114 yards and two touchdowns for Ephrata. Lybbert finished with five catches for 74 yards and a score, while Tony O’Neel added five catches for 34 yards.
Johnny Garcia led the Warriors on the ground with 40 yards rushing. Wahluke QB Andrew Yorgensen finished with 34 yards and three interceptions in his debut. Luke Yorgensen snagged two catches for 25 yards.
Ephrata senior Tyler Lybbert said the energy from the team sparked the win.
“We started off a little rough on the offensive side, but that’s any first game,” Lybbert said. “Once we got moving, that kind of loosened everyone up getting that early lead. It was fun.”
Lybbert said that fire and success will build the team’s confidence heading into a tough matchup next week.
“Royal’s obviously a tough team, but I think if we bring the energy and give 100% effort, we can have a chance at it,” he said.
Tigers head coach Jay Mills said he was excited to see his defense play the best opening game he’s seen in a while.
“It helped us, our defense kept us in good field position all night,” Mills said. “But we’ve got things we’ve got to clean up on offense.”
First-year Wahluke head coach Anfernee Cortez said he thought the team’s defense played really well. Starting a freshman quarterback and a third and fourth-string center made things difficult on the offensive side, he said.
Cortez said the defense playing well from the start gives him confidence for the rest of the season.
“It’s little things we’ve got to fix and we’re there,” Cortez said. “We get that offense clicking, we know that defense is going to show up to play.”
Getting more reps and more live action will only help the younger guys improve as the season goes on, he said.
After missing last season, Wahluke’s Johnny Garcia hit the field Friday night.
“We lost, but it was really great just to be back out there back on the field and playing,” Garcia said.
