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Don Gronning
IONE – Despite a strong second half in which the SelPort Lumberjack had 233 yards of offense, forced three turnovers and scored three touchdowns, the Lumberjacks couldn’t overcome a solid Cusick first half and lost the homecoming game 44-18.
“Cusick is a good team and played well,” SelPort coach Kelly Cain says.
Cain says SelPort has done many things right this season but lacks consistency.
“Depending on the game it seems as though we have a quarter or two where it gets away from us,” Cain says.
That came in the first half against Cusick, when SelPort was only able to get 26 yards of offense. Judah Sutton, the Panther’s junior running back, scored on an 8-yard run in the first quarter. Cusick followed it up with a 2-point conversion pass and led 8-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Panthers got three more touchdowns in the second quarter, an 8-yard run by freshman Steve Mathis, a 21-yard run by Sutton, and a big 51-yard pass play from the Panther’s quarterback Kaden Person to Mylind Whitford. Cusick completed one of three extra point passes to take a 30-0 lead into halftime.
Sutton scored again in the third quarter on a 3-yard run, with an unsuccessful 2-point pass attempt.
SelPort got their offense in gear, scoring their first touchdown on a Danny Searson 9-yard run. They could not convert the extra point pass. The Lumberjacks did follow up with a big 76yard touchdown run by Blaine Rieckers to cut the lead.
Cusick wasn’t finished however, scoring again on a 6-yard Sutton run, his third rushing touchdown for the Panthers.
SelPort fired back with a 20-yard touchdown run by Rieckers, but Cusick answered with a 30-yard touchdown run by Mathis, followed by a successful extra point run to bring the final score to 54-18.
Cain says the Lumberjacks are improving.
“We are doing many good things but have yet been able to put four quarters together,” he says. “We’re close to breaking through, but just not there yet.”
Cusick coach Dustin Person says Sutton continues to lead the Panthers on defense and offense. He ran for 184 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. On defense he had 10 tackles. Quarterback Kaden Person completed 11 of 19 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions.
Whitford caught the touchdown pass, part of his160 yards on eight receptions.
Coach Person says he got some big minutes from his younger players, including Mathis who started as running back and linebacker.
Freshmen Brawk Umbarger started as receiver and defensive end and eighth grader Evan Seuss started as defensive back. “The growth of our younger players has really helped our program,” Person says.
Mathis rushed for 97 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. He also had two receptions for 28 yards and lost a fumble.
Umbarger, caught a pass for eight yards and had five tackles, including five tackles for a loss. Tulmeen Whelsula had eight tackles, as did Whitford.
Both teams play league games Friday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.
SelPort (0-6) goes to Inchelium (60, 6-1) and Cusick (2-2, 2-4) travels to Republic (1-3, 1-4).
