The Tigers suffered a 26-23 loss to 1A Cascade Christian High School (Puyallup) on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Fortunately for the Tigers, it was a non-league matchup.
“It’s better early than late, you know,” Tigers’ head coach Mike Woodward said of the loss. “This has got to inspire the kids. You don’t sit around and pout about it. It doesn’t affect anything. All a loss means is you’re not going to go undefeated.”
Battle Ground went into halftime down 10-3 after three turnovers and just a 25-yard field goal as time expired by Bryland Fick. But in the third quarter, a switch was flipped and the Tigers defense showed out, forcing fumbles as the team went on for 20 straight points to go up 23-10. Fick added two more field goals to get the score 10-9, before two touchdowns by the Tigers to gain the lead. The Tigers kickoff team which has been so critical to setting the tone even came up huge with a fumble recovery.
The Tigers had a chance for a full 14-point lead but a bad snap and drop on an extra point attempt led to the kick being blocked.
With the 13-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Cascade Christian Cougars narrowed it to 23-17 as that missed extra point by Battle Ground earlier became daunting if the Cougars were to score again.
Battle Ground stopped the Cougars with just under five minutes to play. The Tigers offense then drove down the field but flat-lined, leading to Woodward to send Fick out for a game-clinching 47-yard field goal attempt. The Cougars blocked it with under a minute in the game and had the ball at Battle Ground’s 48-yard line.
In just four plays, the Tigers found themselves having to stop an extra-point to keep the game tied at 23-23. And they did. The Tigers blocked the extra point. But, ultimately, Cascade Christian’s kicking game prevailed in overtime for a game winning 28-yard field goal.
“That’s a really good football team, and we knew it watching the film,” Woodward said of the Cougars.
The Tigers were plagued by three turnovers in the first half. Penalties were also an issue, as one flag even brought back an early touchdown run by quarterback Ethan Adams.
“We just need to make the plays when it matters most, and we still have some penalties that are just eating us up,” Woodward said. “Tonight, it cost us.”
Next up for Battle Ground, Post Falls High School from Idaho will make the trek to District Stadium for a Tigers home game on Friday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m.
