The Battle Ground Tigers returned to District Stadium Friday, Oct. 25, after a number of road games only to fall to the Skyview Storm, 43-0, in the Tigers’ second and final home game of the season.
Playing at home was not a comfortable experience for many.
“It felt weird,” Battle Ground head coach Mike Woodward said of returning home to District Stadium. “I started walking to the other sideline when I first came out. It’s been weird. Our kids haven’t complained. They’ve battled and been doing their thing. It will pay off next year when we have seven home games.”
The Tigers did keep the score close in the first half, down just 14-0 as both teams headed to the locker room. Both teams appeared to be flat on their feet in the low-energy first half. The Tigers drove down to field goal range but their kick was blocked in the second quarter, and they wound up scoreless in the entire 48 minutes of action.
The Tigers were playing without starting quarterback Ethan Adams, which was reported to be a game-time decision. Quinten Overholser took snaps for Battle Ground all night after playing running back all season. With the play calls limited, the Skyview Storm shut down the Tigers and kept them scoreless.
Battle Ground converted some plays for first downs but could not string a drive together in the loss.
With Oct. 25 being the Tigers’ last home game and their return home for the first time since week one, with Battle Ground taking the away side of District Stadium against rival Prairie Falcons in week three, the Tigers celebrated both senior night and an abnormally late homecoming.
“[They are] great kids, led by Owen Mereen,” Woodward said of the senior class. “He was a guy that really worked in the off season and it paid off. They’re outstanding kids, and I love coaching them. I’m going to miss all these seniors though. They stepped out, and they had a tough group to replace them last year, and I thought they do an admirable job doing all they could. They’re fighters.”
The Tigers find themselves returning to Mckenzie Stadium in Vancouver for the second straight year of playing the Union Titans on the road instead of rotating this season for a Tiger home game. The Tigers step into week nine 3-5 on the year, while the Titans come in to the closing matchup 1-6.
After playing the No. 1-ranked team in 4A, the Camas Papermakers, in week seven, followed by the 6-2 Skyview Storm, which have been ranked in the top 10 throughout the season, Woodward said he is looking forward to a more even matchup.
“It will be nice to come back to reality a little bit,” he said. “It’s an evenly matched game for next week, so we’re excited.”
The Tigers are slated to kickoff against Union High School at 4:30 p.m. at McKenzie Stadium on Friday, Nov. 1.
