After the Arcata Tigers were handed their first loss last week, they were able to bounce back in the first round of the NCS playoffs against Bethel. The Tigers ended the Jaguars season with a 52-12 blowout victory, and are now advancing to the second round.
“It’s always hard playing teams from out of the area, but we played well, definitely a team win,” Senior Jackson Strand said.
Senior Cal Tucker wasted no time to start the scoring with an immediate touchdown off the opening kickoff, giving him his second kick return of the year.
From the kickoff momentum, Senior Tony Buchanna ran in for a 25-yard touchdown about halfway through the first. Not long after, Junior Luke Lemke connected with Strand for a 28-yard touchdown. Right before the first-quarter buzzer, Bethel was able to sneak in and jump on the board.
Opening up the second, Lemke ran the ball in for a touchdown, and on the play after, Tucker recovered the kick to give Arcata possession.
Unfortunately, Arcata wasn’t able to make a move off the recovery, but after just a few plays, an eager Senior Alex Greenway was able to take control of the game.
“We want that guy to get into the endzone as much as possible,” Head Coach Matt Magers said. “He’s been struggling for the first half of the year, so it’s great.”
With four minutes left of the half, Greenway pushed through the Jaguar’s defense into the endzone for his first touchdown of the night.
After Greenway’s touchdown, another kick recovery was made, this time something Arcata worked with. Lemke found Tucker to put one more on the board before the half.
Both the Tigers and Jaguars came out slow in the third, but Bethel was able to connect for their second, and last touchdown of the game.
Greenway found another opening on the line and ran in his second touchdown just 13 seconds into the fourth.
Yet again, Arcata gained possession when Junior Chase Bickmore recovered the ball off the kick. In a blink of an eye, Greenway was back in the endzone for the third time, putting the Tigers up 52-12.
“We controlled the ball, controlled the line of scrimmage,” Magers said. “Defense played well, they didn’t have to do much, that’s always nice.”
The Tigers got to have some fun with re-arranging their team on the field in the fourth. Lemke got to play defense for the first time this year and did not disappoint with an interception just seconds after he got on the field.
Arcata brought up six JV sophomores; most got their first varsity minutes.
“Getting young guys playoff reps is huge,” Magers said. “It’s good to have our guys rested and out for next week.”
Arcata will host the Petaluma Trojans on Friday, 7 pm at McKinleyville High. Petaluma is seeded 5th and beat the 4th seed Montgomery in a close matchup of 39-33. The Tigers are motivated and eager to move past the Trojans, with the NCS finals being within hands reach.
“After coming off the Ferndale game, I think we’re ready and understand the physicality required to win a game like that,” Magers said.
