Nighthawks root for Panthers in SE2B regular season finale

After 54-6 a homecoming rout of Mabton Friday, the Tekoa/Oakesdale/ Rosalia grid squad now gets to sit back and root for league foes will being out of action for the last week.

Atop the SE2B league standings with a 4-1 record, the Nighthawks will be among the week’s biggest fans of Asotin and Tri-Cities Prep, who play DeSales and Waitsburg/Prescott, both with 3-1 league records.

Nighthawk runner Clay Shelton sprints past a Mabton defender in the first half of TOR’s 54-6 homecoming rout.

“Go Panthers. Go Jaguars,” said TOR Coach Kaleb Madison.

Wins by WP and DeSales will lock up the SE with three teams at 4-1. The Nighthawks would land in third place based on the results of a draw by SE athletic directors before the season started.

TOR’s lone loss on the year was to the Irish. If Asotin can derail DeSales Friday, TOR would own the league title based on its win over WP last month. A Cardinal loss and a DeSales win would give the ‘hawks the number two seed in the crossover playoffs with the NE2B league, which includes Colfax, next weekend.

“We’ll be ready. We’ll be ready for whoever we get,” said Coach Madison, who said his squad matches up well with the likely top three NE2B schools.

Friday night’s regular season finale featured a first half demolition of Mabton by all three squadrons of TOR players.

On offense, the Nighthawk ground game ran through Mabton like fresh milk through cheese cloth.

Craig Nelson started the scoring with a pair of first quarter TD runs, part of a 34-0 opening frame. Clay Shelton racked up 125 yards to lead the TOR ground game.

The Nighthawk defense got on the board late in the first when Max Mueller bent down to intercept a pass and ran the ball back 34 yards for a pick-6.

Special teams got in on the action when the punt team blocked a Mabton kick which Tyler Hansen fell on in the end zone for a Nighthawk touchdown.

Up 54-6 at the half, the Nighthawks let their young reserves take over the game, and they played the Mabton squad to a 0-0 draw over the final two quarters.

TOR had scheduled a game with Lakeside for this Friday night, but Coach Madison said he cancelled to give his players a week to rest and heal for the upcoming playoffs.

DeSales last Friday jumped out early and sank Tri-Cities Prep 48-7. WP topped Asotin 26-14. TCP travels to Waitsburg Friday, while Asotin will be at DeSales. Winless Dayton travels to Mabton to cap its season.

Mabton, a team from an A division school, has been booked in the SE for this year’s run but cannot qualify for the playoffs.