Medical Lake shutout again

By PAUL DELANEY

Staff Reporter

The troubling trend is showing its head again with Medical Lake football.

The team that saw itself shutout in six of nine contests in 2016 suffered another blanking Sept. 22, 48-0 in a Northeast A League loss to Newport.

Newport (2-0 NEA, 3-0 overall) needed just one play, a 65-yard punt return on their first touch of the ball with 9 minutes, 55 seconds remaining in the first quarter to score what would work out to be all the points they needed.

The Grizzlies’ Tug Smith reversed direction after running into coverage on the left side of the field and then outran the defenders to the end zone.

Medical Lake had its longest possession following the score, but it lasted just seven plays before losing the ball on downs. Three plays later Newport had a 14-0 lead.

The Cardinals were recipients of solid field position in back-to-back possessions as Grizzly kicks went out of bounds. But they had their own perilous kicking game with a punt to end their third series was low and hit the back of one of the ML lineman. That gave Newport the ball on the 15 and it took just one play for Smith to score for the second time on the night.

Newport had a 33-0 lead at the half and dialed down their offense over the final two quarters. Matt Reel scored the final two Grizzly touchdowns.

If there is a bright spot for Medical Lake, it is that they are hanging onto the ball, playing turnover-free ball.

While Newport was racking up a 314–51 edge in total offense, they were limiting Medical Lake to just one first down in the process. The Cardinals played the game without senior quarterback JJ Johnson who suffered a concussion in the Freeman game Sept. 15.

Caleb Vinson had the most of the offense Medical Lake generated with 23 yards on nine carries.

The Cardinals had just one series, their second possession, last beyond three plays and a punt.

Medical Lake (0-2, 0-4) takes to the road for its next two games, this Friday at Riverside (0-2, 2-2) and Oct. 6 at Colville (2-0, 3-1).

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].