High School Football: Wahkiakum firing on all cylinders ahead of 1B State semifinal
Uncharted Territory – The Magic Mule Bus is loaded up with playmakers ready for road contest at No. 2 Liberty Christian
Jordan Nailon for Blast Zone Media / blastzonenews@gmail.com
Prep Football / Semifinal Preview
OCEAN BEACH HIGHWAY – The Wahkiakum Mules could have had an easier path to the State title game, but it’s not their fault. It’s just that an undefeated run through the regular season, with a 44-point win over a Top-6 team, wasn’t enough to convince the WIAA seeding committee that the kids from Wa-Ki-Hi were worthy of a Top-2 slot.
Now the Mules have to go on the road to play No. 2 ranked Liberty Christian to earn a spot in the State championship game, and to prove wrong the powers that be in the process. If you’ve seen Wahkiakum up close lately, you’ve got to like its chances.
Wahkiakum is now 11-0 for the first time since 2004, which is also the last season it qualified for the semifinals. The Mules have also won 17 of their last 18 games, and have generally been making themselves right at home after joining the world of 8-man football in the 1B ranks last season.
And all of Wahkiakum County is putting its weight behind these Mules in their big push before the penultimate game on the State docket.
“We got a police escort out of town and had a little parade this morning that was kind of impromptu,” Lorenzo said as the bus rolled through Longview on its way over the mountains on Friday. “I think that was an eye opener for them that this is important to their community and important to their town.”
It’s just a shame most of those home fans won’t be able to watch the semifinals like they would have if the Mules had been given a Top-2 spot and another “home” game at Schroder Field in Kelso.
Maybe the seeding committee is full of history buffs? And if that’s true then they know that Wahkiakum has lost five straight semifinal contests dating back to 1999, and six of seven semifinal games since 1991.
2004 lost to Lind-Ritzville
2003 lost to DeSales
2002 lost to Lind-Ritzville
2000 lost to Ritzville (OT)
1999 lost to Mossyrock
1992 won vs. Raymond
1991 lost to Rainier
A win on Saturday against would put the Mules into their second-ever State title game, with their first ending in a 27-0 defeat to Liberty (Spangle) in 1992. But this bunch of Beasts of Burden believe they’ve got what it takes to get all the way to the top of the mountain, regardless of where they play this week.
But first, they were headed to Texas Roadhouse for a big pregame dinner courtesy of the Mules’ unofficial booster club.
“We’ll have them eat good and get fat and happy and tired and then we’ll take them back to the hotel and make them go to sleep,” Lorenzo said. “We’re going to try to make winning the new tradition.”
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