1-20-10 Football

Senior Aaron McQuaid scored Chelan's only touchdown against the Connell Eagles on Saturday, November 20, during the quarterfinal playoff game in Moses Lake on a pass play from
sophomove quarterback Michael Amsel Jr.

Chelan's football season ends with loss to Connell
by Richard Uhlhorn

The Chelan Goats football season ended with a 41-6 loss against the Connell Eagles on a breezy, cold day in Moses Lake. The defending state champion Connell Eagle team was on top of their game on Saturday, November 20… Chelan was not. “We did not play very well,” said Coach Darren Talley. “It just wasn’t our best game and we made them (Connell) look better than they are.”

The Goats did not look like the team that rolled up 10 solid wins this season and some of that was injuries. “We’ve just been going week by week. Each week many of the guys have been doing everything to get ready for the next game.” A number of starters were unable to practice more than a few days last week while they rehabilitated their injuries.

“They were pretty emotional after the game. They didn’t want it to end,” said Talley. “For me, it is an empty feeling realizing that I’m not going to coach these guys ever again. Next year’s team will be totally different and unique.” Chelan loses 10 seniors this year.

Defensively Connell handed Chelan a tough road. The Goats could not get its offense going and the only touchdown came in the second quarter on a 30 yard pass from Michael Amsel Jr. to Aaron McQuaid. This touchdown came after Cole Schwartz recovered a fumble giving the Goats the ball on the 30 yard line. McQuaid pulled the pass down, pivoted away from the defender and had a clear run into the end zone. The point after failed.

At halftime Connell was up 27-6. The Goats came back out in the third quarter and held Connell to one touchdown in the third and one in the fourth. Offensively, Connell wasn’t letting Chelan move the ball. In the third quarter, there was one possession where Chelan clicked and moved the ball downfield and on a third and six situation, a pass was dropped beyond the first down pole. “We had a number of good passes dropped Saturday,” said Talley.

Chelan did a great job defensively holding Connell for the first two downs, but Connell found a way to rack up first downs in third down situations which led to their ability to score 41 points. Chelan did block a point after kick at one point.

“We had them stalemated after two downs a lot. It was tough mentally. Connell just kept coming at us,” said Talley.

In the end, Chelan’s football fans can look back at its most successful season in years. Ten straight wins, a Caribou Trail League Championship, the old shoe back in the school and some great football to remember.

Congratulations to the coaches, players, parents and fans for what will go down in history as one of Chelan’s stellar football seasons.

Quick statistics:

Offense

Robin Weathersby – 3 yards rushing, 41 pass receive

Matt Robinson – 8 yards pass receive

Billie Poppie – 16 yards rushing, 4 yards pass receive

Michael Amsel Jr. – 52 yards rushing, 7 for 27 for 104 yards passing

Matt Peterson – 5 yards rushing

Cole Schwartz – 40 yards rushing, 4 yards pass receive

Aaron McQuaid – 47 yards pass receive

Defense

Amsel – 8 tackles

Schwartz – 13 tackles

Asa Schwartz – 6 tackles

Matt Pittsinger – 5 tackles

Matt Peterson – 7 tackles.

Year totals

Robin Weathersby – 251 yards rushing, 328 yards receiving

Matt Robinson – 129 yards receiving

Michael Amsel Jr. – 1072 yards rushing, 1476 yards passing

Billie Poppie – 85 yards rushing

Matt Peterson – 495 yards rushing, 468 yards receiving

Cole Schwartz – 1027 yards rushing, 61 yards receiving

Bobby Anderson – 16 yards rushing

Matt Pittsinger – 16 yards rushing

Aaron McQuaid – 445 yards receiving.