"High school football: Tigers trample Anacortes to reach 2A semis" -- Nov. 18, 2006

Caleb Breakey
The Olympian

BELLINGHAM — Before the offense scored two touchdowns in 10 seconds, before the defense dominated, and before quarterback Cal Cruickshank threw for five scores, the Centralia Tigers stood the width of the field and faced the purple wall of the Anacortes Seahawks.

The masses of orange and purple melted into the middle of Civic Stadium to shake hands, each player knowing that a trip to the Tacoma Dome for a semifinal game was at stake.

“We’ve definitely been thinking about it,” said Tigers’ wide receiver Isaac Moog. “It’s been in the back of our minds.”

Now it’s reality. The Tigers scored two touchdowns in 10 seconds late in the first quarter en route to a 47-26 victory on Saturday and will suit up against Prosser in Tacoma next week.

Moog caught six passes for two touchdowns and finished as the game’s leading receiver with 127 yards.

Cruickshank, who threw for 266 yards along with his five scores, said the Tigers are ready for Prosser and its passing game.

“You have your butterflies, but we’re confident,” he said. “We’ve been looking forward to it forever. We’re ready.”

Both teams tackled forcefully, and some of the loud thuds evoked responses from the crowd.

“They’re physical,” Tigers head coach John Schultz said. “We just happened to be more physical.”

Running backs Colten Wesen and Justin Gabbard covered most of the ground between end zones for the Tigers. Gabbard rushed six times for 72 yards and Wesen carried the ball 13 times for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

The Tiger’s Tyler Gussin got touches near the end zone and rounded out the trio of backs with 39 yards and another pair of touchdowns. Wide receiver Sean Meehan also scored, hauling in 26-yard touchdown pass from Cruickshank early in the third quarter.

Schultz and Cruickshank said the Tigers’ attention now turns to film of Prosser.

“If we ball control, eat the clock up and throw, it will be a great game,” Schultz said.