WENATCHEE -- The Southridge football team has taken a page from Craig Beverlin's playbook this season.
Beverlin parlayed a strong running game and a dominant defense into a 3A state semifinal berth in 2006 and another league title in 2007.
The Suns have followed the same modus operandi this year in opening the season 3-0 with wins over Kamiakin, Sunnyside and Moses Lake.
The Suns have the No. 1 defense in the CBBN, allowing just 182 yards per game (19 on the ground) and are led offensively by junior Dallin Palmer, an Idaho Falls transfer who is fifth in the league in rushing, averaging 125 yards per game with five touchdowns.
The Suns are actually 13th in the league in total offense, but coach Andy Troxel doesn't seem to mind.
"Our stats don't look so great, but I'll take the wins," he said. "We do what we need to do to win. We've got a blue collar team. We just come out on Fridays, put on our helmets and go to work."
Tonight they'll face off against a similarly-styled team in fellow unbeaten Wenatchee at the Apple Bowl in a game that will have major title implications in the CBBN Columbia.
The Panthers lead the CBBN in rushing offense and have the No. 2 rusher in senior Jacob Sealby, who ran for 228 yards and a touchdown, and also returned a kickoff 95 yards for the winning score last week against Pasco.
Wenatchee is just 10th in total defense but No. 2 in rushing defense (64.3 ypg) behind the Suns.
"They're just big and physical," Troxel said. "This is the first big road test for us. It should be a barnburner."
NOTES: Chiawana suffered a big blow when sophomore WR/DB Miquiyah Zamora broke his foot in the first half of last week's CBBN Cascade loss to Eisenhower, ending his season. Zamora is third in the CBBN in receiving with 18 catches for 191 yards and also is a lockdown corner. ... Walla Walla gets senior WR/DB Gary Winston back for tonight's CBBN Cascade home game with Hanford. Winston turned out the Monday after Wa-Hi's season-opening loss to Hermiston. "It's nice having him back," said coach Marc Yonts, whose team answered a 37-7 home loss to Eisenhower with a 35-0 win at Eastmont. ... Eastmont comes to Lampson Stadium tonight to face Kamiakin. The Braves have the CBBN's No. 2 passing attack, while Eastmont is 10th in passing defense.
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Tonight's 7:30 matchup at Lampson Stadium between the No. 10 Kennewick Lions and No. 5 Kamiakin Braves will pit arguably the CBBN's two most dominant teams to start the season.
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Steve Graff has been around the block a few times.
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The latest injury hit Graff with the force of an all-CBBN linebacker.
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