Washougal High School students and graduates create a "tunnel of honor" for the football team Friday, at Fishback Stadium. Hockinson beat the Panthers 41-7, but Washougal is still 5-1 this season and remains in contention for a playoff spot. Contributed photo by Rene Carroll.
Washougal would like to forget Friday’s 41-7 loss to Hockinson, but coaches told the players they should never forget.
“We didn’t play well in the first half. We made a lot of young team mistakes, which surprised at some levels and other levels didn’t. Hockinson is ranked third in the state. They are for real,” said Washougal head coach Dave Hajek.
“We should become a better team because of this. I think there are a lot of positive things you could take out of a game like this,” Hajek said.
Hajek added that the Panthers should remember the touchdown drive they put together in the third quarter after they were down by 41 points. After the team kept the drive alive through some hard fought first downs, Jakob Davis caught a short pass from Ryan Stevens, broke a few tackles and then took off on a 30-yard dash into the end zone.
“We just had to keep fighting,” Davis said. “I knew that I just had to keep pushing. Try not to go down. Come back with fire and brute strength.”
The players should never forget all the fans who came to Fishback Stadium, just to watch them play football.
“Thanks to all the students. Thanks to my family. Friends,” Stevens said. “Thanks to just all of Washougal.”
“It was fun to see the stadium packed with people,” Hajek said. “Even though the score wasn’t a great score for any of us, the support was awesome. It was just a fun atmosphere for the first time in a long time.”
Although the Panthers lost their first game of the season, they are 5-1 overall and 2-1 in league.
Washougal still has an opportunity to host a playoff game, if it can beat Woodland and R.A. Long on the road.
The Panthers head to Woodland for a game tomorrow. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Washougal then faces R.A. Long Friday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m., at Longview Memorial Stadium.
“We have to come into these games with all we got. Have this in the back of our mind, like coach was saying,” Davis said.
“Remember this score. Remember this game. And remember we don’t ever want to feel this again.”
