Tigers look ahead after Cashmere loss

Published 12:27 pm Monday, October 1, 2012

TONASKET – It can be hard to find the silver lining after a 56-point loss, but Tonasket football coach Jay Hawkins found several.

The Tigers, despite losing to second-ranked Cashmere 62-6 on Friday, Sept. 28, cut down on penalties and turnovers from previous contests and had a few other bright spots throughout the Caribou Trail League game.

“We played pretty good football,” Hawkins said. “Cashmere has impressive team speed. We did a nice job setting the tempo but they went no-huddle in the second quarter and made the game sort of chaotic.”

The Tigers trailed 14-0 after the first quarter, but couldn’t slow the faster Bulldogs in the second as they put four touchdowns on the board, including two in the final minute to open up a 42-0 lead.

The second half was played under a running clock.

Michael Orozco broke loose for a 31-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut the Cashmere lead at that point to 49-6.

“I believe our kids felt good about some of the good plays we made throughout the game,” Hawkins said.

Orozco led the Tigers (3-2, 1-2 CTL) with 73 yards rushing on eight carries. Trevor Terris completed 5-of-6 passes for 14 yards and Jeff Stedtfeld threw for 31 yards on 2-of-3 passing. Roberto Juarez caught three passes for 30 yards.

Jacob James had 91 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Cashmere, Moe Roberts rushed for 60 yards and caught four passes for 106 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Casey Ruether ran for 28 yards ad a score and threw for 126 yards and a touchdown on 5-of-8 passing. For the game, the Bulldogs outgained the Tigers 485-185.

Tonasket hosts Cascade (3-2, 3-0) Friday, Oct. 5, for homecoming.

“This team has done a nice job of preparing for opponents,” Hawkins said. “This week will be no different and we will strive to play our best four quarters of the year.”