Mules and Comets conclude week with different victories

Wahkiakum added yet another win to its record books this week, authoritatively beating Chief Leschi. Meanwhile, Naselle had a quiet Friday night, as Taholah forfeited the scheduled game, and the Comets were unable to find another opponent.

Wahkiakum wins big once again

It was business as usual for the Mules, who improved their record to 7-0 when they hit the road to take on Chief Leschi. Wahkiakum nabbed its third road win of the season in a dominant display, winning 72-6.

The score was 16-6 after the first quarter, but the Mules bombarded the Warriors' defense in the second, putting up 42 points and shutting Chief Leschi out in the quarter.

"We had some new guys step into some starting roles, and they executed well," said Head Coach Ryan Lorenzo.

Jayden Stoddard turned in a typically excellent performance, with 286 yards passing, six passing touchdowns, and 55 rushing yards. Wide receivers Gage Robinson and Emory Filkowski both stepped up in the absence of Parker Leitz and Joe Merz, terrorizing the Warriors' secondary all night. Robinson caught five passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Filkowski totaled 97 yards on six catches with three scores.

Lorenzo was also impressed with his new kicker, Charlie Callens, who is a foreign-exchange student. Callens went 5/5 on PATs and showed off the leg on kickoffs, registering a couple of touchbacks for the Mules.

After surrendering six points in the first quarter, the Mules flexed their defensive acumen, stalwartly thwarting the Warriors for the remainder of the game. After running up a 58-6 point lead at half, the Mules closed out the game with touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters, bringing the final score to 72-6. Lorenzo was pleased with the result overall, and his team will look to continue polishing their systems when they match up with Northwest Christian this week.

"We really wanted to refine what we are already doing,” said Lorenzo. “We still have some stuff to fix on defense and offense with assignments. We are playing Northwest Christian, Lacey in Tenino on Friday. We are going to focus on stopping the run and executing on offense."

Naselle Captain Carsen Bisbing

The Comets effectively had a week off after Taholah forfeited their Oct. 17 matchup, but Naselle will need to keep its focus with games against Ocosta and Oakville still on the schedule. Despite the lack of a game, the Comets are looking to extend their five-game winning streak.

Captain Carsen Bisbing's senior season is wrapping up, but he and his squad still have plenty of fuel to burn the rest of the way. After four years with the Comets, Bisbing wants to take advantage of every remaining snap this season.

"The energy is staying high, we are very confident and fired up for our last two games,” said Bisbing. “Especially this week, being senior night, my goal is to go all the way. It feels great to be a senior, [I] definitely still haven't fully realized it's my last year of football, but I'm enjoying it while it's still here."

Head Coach Kevin McNulty has talked about how this year's Comet team isn't the most vocal, but they have a quiet confidence and focus that drives them forward. As one of the leaders on this Naselle team, Bisbing engages his teammates by keeping the team fired up with his aggressive and high-energy approach. Still, high energy doesn't mean loud; it's about how they play when they get on the field.

"The team chemistry is my favorite,” said Bisbing. “We aren't a loud, talkative team, but we all know what needs to be done to win and stay true. I love this community and the tradition and playing style it takes to be a Comet!"

As part of the offensive line, Bisbing is a key cog in getting playmakers like Leith Chadwick, Eli Gardner, and Gus Burkhalter the time and space they need to break off big runs or deliver downfield strikes. On defense, Bisbing stymies opposing offenses as the nose guard, bogging down running backs as they try to break through the line.

Bisbing is always looking to "get the job done," whether he's stifling opposing linemen with his blocks or wrapping up a runner. On offense and defense, his focus isn't remarkably different, but his commitment to the grind is what makes him a beast up front for the Comets.

"The focuses I have on both sides of the ball are staying aggressive and hitting people hard,” said Bisbing. “It's my favorite part of football, I like the contact."

Bibing and the Comets will be back in action this Friday, Oct. 24, looking to hit Ocosta hard in front of the home crowd for Senior Night.