Extra Point

By Justin Damasiewicz

As expected, Montesano clobbered Tenino on Oct. 20.

I correctly predicted a halftime mercy-rule win, but I’m not really patting myself on the back too much for that one. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce that the fourth-ranked Bulldogs would have no trouble disposing of the last-place Beavers.

Week 8 may have proceeded predictably for Montesano, but its events did help clear up the Evergreen 1A League’s postseason picture.

Playoff picture

Montesano’s victory secured the league’s top seed in the district crossover round of the playoffs, which also means that with a crossover win, the Bulldogs will host an opening-round state playoff game.

That means a high likelihood of two more football games at Jack Rottle Field this season.

This week’s East County Civil War game between Montesano and Elma at Davis Field will be for bragging rights only, since Elma was eliminated from post-season contention with a 20-3 loss to Forks last week.

Forks will travel to Hoquiam to take on the Grizzlies for second place. Both teams are 2-1 in league play and both have lost to Montesano, so the winner will earn the second seed.

The Forks-Hoquiam matchup is significant because the loser will likely face La Center in the district playoffs. The Wildcats, who are undefeated in league play and are on a six-game winning streak, appear to be the only team from the Trico League that you don’t want to face.

Montesano’s district playoff opponent will be either Castle Rock, White Salmon or Stevenson, depending on what happens this Friday.

Here are the scenarios:

If Stevenson beats White Salmon, they will finish in third place, which would make them Montesano’s district opponent.

If Castle Rock beats La Center, the Rockets will take the league crown and the Bulldogs will face the winner of the matchup between Stevenson and White Salmon.

However, in the likely event that Castle Rock loses to La Center, White Salmon could jump to second place with a win over Stevenson, which would put the Bulldogs in a rematch with Castle Rock.

Considering Montesano beat Castle Rock 47-0 in week 3, I think Bulldog fans should feel pretty comfortable with that scenario.

Honestly, there isn’t a scenario which pits Monte up against a challenging opponent in the district playoffs.

The state tourney is another story, but we’ll dig into that next week.

Tenino trounced

Montesano’s win on Friday was pretty typical of a classic Bulldog blowout.

The offense was balanced and struck quickly. The defense was stifling and dominant. Several different players had an opportunity to make their mark on the game.

I really enjoyed watching Kobe Gallinger simply be faster and quicker than anyone who tried to guard him. The senior snagged three passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard scoring reception.

I think it’s especially important to see Gallinger be productive because a speedy, handsy wideout can be a big help in a state playoff game when the best defense you’ve faced all season is keying on your star rushers. This is especially true when you have a quarterback that can throw a deep pass on target consistently, like Montesano has in Trevor Ridgway.

Also, I know it seems like I talk about Carson Klinger every week – because I’m pretty sure I do – but I’m so impressed with how much he has improved over the last couple of seasons. He was very good as a sophomore and great as a junior, but when I watch him play this season he seems like he’s a man on a mission.

Klinger was running angry on Friday, even in a contest in which his state-ranked team was a prohibitive favorite. He was avoiding contact when he could, but if a Tenino defender caught him he made them pay. He was even flying down the field and making textbook low tackles on kickoffs.

I think that kind of aggressiveness comes from a combination of great coaching and a type of mindset that can’t be taught. Carson is a special player and I’m trying hard to enjoy these moments as a spectator before his senior season is over.

Everything I’ve seen from this Bulldog team is encouraging and impressive, and now they are as healthy as they have been since week 1.

I’ll wrap up with a shout out to one of my favorite players.

Second-team defensive back/wide receiver Braden Dohrmann once again took advantage of his limited opportunities and intercepted a pass in the second half. It was his second pick of the year.

Get used to seeing that name in print, because Dohrmann will play a lot the next couple of years.