It was George S. Patton who said fatigue makes cowards of us all.
But Patton never met Jordan Downing or Nick Vincent.
There were no cowards on the field during Chiawana's 21-12 loss to Eastmont on Thursday at Edgar Brown, but it sure wouldn't hurt the Riverhawks to have a few more players at their disposal.
"It's hard," said Chiawana coach Steve Graff said softly, shaking his head. "They're great kids and very coachable. We just physically can't get the job done. ... Vincent, Pat Sullivan, Nick Mackay -- they all played the whole game. But you turn around to find someone to rest them, and there's no one."
Downing led all rushers with 147 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, and Vincent finished with 11 tackles from his middle linebacker position. But the pair couldn't compensate for a young team that struggled to stop big plays.
Enrique Espinoza ran for 130 yards on 13 carrries and had touchdown runs of 30 and 46 yards to anchor the Wildcats' victory.
"Big plays were everything. One player makes a mistake and (Espinoza's) gone," Vincent said. "We're not very good at tackling in the open field."
Chiawana quarterback Luc Graff completed 10 of 25 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. But the junior also threw four interceptions, including two in the last 4:05.
"The last couple games we've had a chance to win," coach Graff said. "We just can't finish."
Similar stories:
Chiawana shuts out Hanford
Chiawana shuts out Hanford
Both Chiawana football Steve Graff and Hanford coach Rob Oram were looking for answers Friday night.
After the Riverhawks defeated a tough and determined Hanford team 24-0 at Fran Rish Stadium, both coaches were pleased with some of what they discovered about their teams.
For Graff and his defending Columbia Basin Big Nine 4A champions, the question was how sophomore quarterback Joey Zamora would fare in his first varsity action.
Chiawana shuts out Hanford (w/ video)
Chiawana shuts out Hanford (w/ video)
RICHLAND -- Both Chiawana football Steve Graff and Hanford coach Rob Oram were looking for answers Friday night.
After the Riverhawks defeated a tough and determined Hanford team 24-0 at Fran Rish Stadium, both coaches were pleased with some of what they discovered about their teams.
For Graff and his defending Columbia Basin Big Nine 4A champions, the question was how sophomore quarterback Joey Zamora would fare in his first varsity action.
Chiawana runs table (w/ gallery, video)
Chiawana runs table (w/ gallery, video)
PASCO -- All Chiawana coach Steve Graff needed was one yard from Miquiyah Zamora.
Zamora gave him that and a lot more, taking a fourth-quarter handoff on fourth down and busting up the middle for a 40-yard touchdown to secure a 27-13 CBBN 4A victory over the Wenatchee Panthers.
The Riverhawks (8-0, 6-0 CBBN 4A) secured their second consecutive league title and set up a crossover playoff matchup against Central Valley on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Edgar Brown Stadium.
Chiawana rallies to beat Richland (w/ gallery, videos)
Chiawana rallies to beat Richland (w/ gallery, videos)
RICHLAND -- Two things happened when the Chiawana Riverhawks headed into the locker room at Fran Rish Stadium in Richland trailing the Bombers 14-6.
Miquiyah Zamora stood up and challenged his teammates with an emotional half-time plea after a subpar first half.
Then, Riverhawks coach Steve Graff got in the face of his senior all-state running back Jordan Downing, who is also a returning all-CBBN 4A linebacker.
Riverhawks may have a tough road without Downing
Riverhawks may have a tough road without Downing
These are the times that try men's souls.
That's the first sentence of Thomas Paine's historic pamphlet "An American Crisis", which was used to inspire the American colonists during the Revolutionary war.
But they apply in the present day to Chiawana head coach Steve Graff, who according to unconfirmed reports, will have to play the rest of the season without 4A all-state running back Jordan Downing.
Print
Email Story
