Newport running game too much for Asotin

ASOTIN – Five games into the season, the Newport Grizzly football team remains undefeated after a 58-21 win at Asotin Friday, Oct. 3.

“Offensively our line is doing a great job and our backs run hard, so it makes for a strong run game,” Newport coach Mark Duxbury says. Defensively, the Grizzlies gave up too many big plays, he says. “On the other hand, defense came up big when we needed them. Two interceptions, causing and recovering the fumble, and putting pressure on Asotin’s quarterback all night helped seal the victory.”

Asotin scored first on their opening drive. Newport responded with a five play 65-yard drive capped with a 30-yard Jacob Reimers touchdown run. With Damien Hamburg’s point after kick, the game was tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, after stopping Asotin’s drive, Kutter Driver made a 62-yard TD run to cap a three play Grizzly drive to give Newport the lead. But Asotin answered with a big play of its own to tie the game, a 78-yard quarterback run.

Driver was back in the end zone after a short run following a seven play, 46-yeard drive. Hamburg missed the extra point.

Asotin capitalized, scoring on another big play, an 85-yard quarterback run. When they made the extra point, they were ahead 21-20.

Newport kept plugging away, using seven plays to get to Asotin’s 4-yard line, where Driver scored. He followed it up with a 2-point extra point play to give Newport a 28-21 lead.

Asotin wasn’t through, though, scoring again after the halftime break on another quarterback run, a 1-yarder, to tie the game at 28 all.

Ares Swain had a good kickoff return carrying the ball into Asotin territory, where Newport went to the air. Brad Martin hit Aidan Kramer with a 23-yard pass to start the drive, then finished it with a 23-yard pad to Reimers. Driver converted a 2-point run to give Newport the lead 36-28.

In the fourth quarter, defensive end Hamburg tipped a pitch causing a fumble, which linebacker Martin recovered, setting Newport up with another short field.

Driver capitalized with an 8-yard TD run. He scored another 2 points on the point after the run.

After Asotin turned the ball over on downs, Driver broke an 85-yard run that was called back by a penalty but still resulted in a 42-yard gain. He scored the final touchdown on a 1-yard run. Hamburg kicked the extra point.

Reimers intercepted an Asotin pass in the end zone to seal the victory for Newport.

Driver had another big night for Newport, scoring five touchdowns and gaining 237 yards rushing on 24 carries. Reimers had nine carries for 83 yards. He had two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving.

Brad Martin completed both the passes he threw for 39 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Aidan Kramer had one reception for 23 yards.

Newport is back home Friday, Oct 10 for a 7 p.m. game with Freeman. Freeman is coming off a 41-24 win over Lakeside.

Newport (3-0, 5-0) sits alone atop the Northeast 2B North League. Freeman is next (2-0, 3-1), followed by Reardan (2-1, 4-1), Northwest Christian (1-2, 3-2), Lind Ritzville (1-2, 2,3) Asotin (0-2, 1-4) and Chewelah (0-3, 0-4).