QUINCY – On Friday, the Tigers traveled to meet the Jacks in the Battle of the Basin and came out on top 49-14. Tigers head coach Patrick Mitchell said he was proud of his team for bouncing back from a tough loss last week to Prosser.  

“Small town football is amazing, I thought they did a great job, and they played us tough, super proud of our guys, they came out with the right mentality that we were wanting from last week's game. We wanted to start fast and impose what we wanted in our game plan right away, and I felt like we did that in the first half for sure,” Mitchell said.  

After last week's one-point loss to the Mustangs, Mitchell said the Tigers prepared all week to start the game fast. He said they want players to hold themselves to a higher standard, and after small mistakes being costly, playing a clean game of football was key for them. Tigers quarterback Brady Hendrick said it was important to work on the mental side of the game, too.  

“It took a little bit more of mentally locking in, taking practice way more seriously, and just preparing as if this game was our Super Bowl, and I think we're going to continue to do that. Prepare for every game like it's the state championship,” Hendrick said.  

The Tigers’ offensive success started with their offensive line. They led the way, imposing a fast-tempo offense that allowed Hendrick to keep the Jacks defense on their heels.  

Jacks head coach Seth Longwill said his players struggled because it became difficult to defend the pass with Hendrick also being a threat on the run. Additionally, he said the defensive line was limited this week, which created challenges with fatigue later in the game, he said.  

Jacks quarterback Pierce Bierlink was able to get into the endzone with his feet in the first half to cut into the Tigers’ lead. However, before the end of the half, Bierlink would be sidelined as a precautionary measure after colliding with a teammate, Longwill said.

Despite the loss, Longwill said he saw some bright spots from his players. Sophomore Isaic Gregg had his second consecutive game with an interception. Conner Galloway stepped in for Bierlink and managed the ball well, even finding Keegan Nelson for a seven-yard touchdown in the second half. As a team, the Jacks also did not turn the ball over. 

“We’ve got to make our drives count. That's what we're trying to focus on; every play is a perfect play. Don't worry about the score, just give max effort on every play. We got some stuff to clean up,” Longwill said.  

For the Tigers, even with a dominant win, Mitchell saw some things they still need to work on.  

“I wanted us to come out a little bit more focused in the second half. To Quincy’s credit, they're down in the second half, but they weren't done. I felt like there was a little bit of an exhale, we want to make sure we finish the right way,” Mitchell said.  

Hendrick said he was happy with how the Tigers played and came out on top in a rivalry game. However, he also saw some things to work on as a team.  

“It's always fun playing Quincy. We always have great energy coming out of the game. We kind of slowed down in the second half, and we like to say we always keep the pressure on, but I think after that little hiccup, we got right back into it,” Hendrick said.  

The Jacks hit the road Sept. 19 to play Toppenish at 7 p.m. 

The Tigers host their first home game Sept. 19 against Ellensburg at 7 p.m. Hendrick said he is looking forward to playing on home turf.  

“I'm really excited, it feels like forever since I've had a home game. So being able to get (to wear) black out jerseys, I'm already itching to play again,” he said.  

    Jacks’ receiver Kayden Baughman (15) lines up in the fourth quarter. Head Coach Seth Longwill said his team played hard and are working to improve each play.
  

    Jacks Head Coach Seth Longwill, in white, talks with the offense during a timeout against Ephrata on Friday. Longwill said he was happy with how they managed the ball and not having a turnover against the Tigers.
  

    Tigers receivers Thomas O’Neel (17) and Kai Kaleohano (28) line up for the offense. Head Coach Patrick Mitchell said his team excelled in the first half at running a fast tempo offense.
  

    Jacks’ Kayden Baughman pushes past a Tigers player to make a tackle. Tigers quarterback Brady Hendrick praised their run game’s efficiency on Friday.
  

    The Tigers celebrate with their fans after winning the Battle of the Basin rivalry game on Friday.