Dayton Chronicle - Your Hometown News Source

By Loyal Baker

WAITSBURG–The fast and physical TriCities Prep Jaguars powered through Dayton-Waitsburg for a 41-16 win here last Friday.

DW, now 1-1, travels to Mabton this Saturday for the third game of the covid season, kickoff at 1 p.m.

TriCities Prep blitzed and challenged Valley to hold the team from scoring through three quarters while building a 35-0 lead.

"Prep is a very fast and physical team that likes to attack you from their 3-4 defense," commented Head Coach Troy Larsen. "DW had a hard time picking up the blitzing linebackers and that gave quarterback Monte Pettichord some challenges with who to read.

With DW guards not picking up Jaguar linebackers, the "running game was a tough go and we turned to the passing game," Larsen said.

In spite of the lop-sided score, Pettichord ended up throwing to four different receivers for 272 yards and two touchdowns, Larsen noted.  Mason Finney led the team with seven catches for 124 yards and a touchdown, while Shawn Evans was right behind him with six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. 

"I was really impressed with how Monte settled down after a couple interceptions and started to throw the ball away instead of trying to make the big play," Larsen said. "The second half looked a lot better as the team adapted to the speed of Prep and our lineman started to make more blocks, which allowed Hudson Reser to run for 46 second-half yards.

"With the Prep's focus turning to Reser," Larsen added, "it allowed the DW play action and Run-Pass-Option to start working. DW had two really good-looking drives in the fourth quarter against the starters from TCP."

Coach Larsen shouldered responsibility for calling an offensive play which resulted in a TCP safety, and noted a mishandled punt resulted in a Jaguar touchdown. Take away those miscues, he said, and "we should have been right in that game with Prep." Weather was also a factor for Valley's kicking game, resulting in Prep enjoying good field position and scoring easily.

Defensively, Adam Puckett and Theo Anderson had great games with Puckett leading the team with 12 tackles and Anderson close behind with 11 tackles, a blocked PAT, and a sack, Larsen pointed out. "Theo is starting to really grow as a player and is showing glimpses of a next-level type of lineman," he said.

Colton VanBlaricom was the third defensive stand out, tallying 10 tackles with four solo tackles. "From his outside Linebacker/Strong Safety position," Larsen said, "VanBlaricom can really cover the field and you will see number 19 everywhere during a game. It is really fun to watch VanBlaricom compete on the field."

The Mabton game Saturday will be live streamed on the Mabton School District Facebook page.

Larsen is looking for the defense to be tested against the top quarterback in the league.

Dayton-Waitsburg 16 – Tri-Cities Prep 41

TCP 8 13 14 6-41

DW 0 0 0 16-16

DW Scoring drives

Monte Pettichord pass to Mason Finney 5 yards. 2PT. Conversion Monte Pettichord pass to Colton VanBlaricom.

Monte Pettichord pass to Shawn Evans 40 yards. 2PT. Conversion Monte Pettichord pass to Colton VanBlaricom.

Passing: 17-31-2-2, 272 yards.

Rushing: 24-44 yards.

Individual

Passing: Pettichord – 17-31-2-2, 276 yards.

Receiving: Finney, 7-124 yards, TD - Evans 6-112 yards, TD - VanBlaricom 4-40 yards.

Rushing: Reser, 12-46 yards - Pettichord, 8-(-2 yards) – Evans, 1-0 yards – VanBlaricom 3-0 yards.