Photo by Terry MillsSenior Justin Mann protects the football as he works his way through Okanogan and Tonasket players during Tonasket’s home game against Okanogan on Friday, Oct. 24.

TONASKET-In every game, one team wins and one teams loses, and on Friday night, Tonasket lost by one point in a double overtime game against Okanogan.


In the first quarter, both the Tonasket and Okanogan defenses stopped the offenses from scoring. The Tigers weren’t able to get the ball into Okanogan’s territory, but they were able to stop Okanogan from scoring when they reached the Tiger 15 yard line. 
In the second quarter, the Tiger’s offense was able to move the ball into Bulldog territory, but they never got closer to the end zone than the Okanogan 30 yard line. Okanogan’s offense wasn’t able to move the ball past the Tiger’s 20 yard line and the game went into halftime, tied at zero.


“You don’t see many games scoreless at halftime,” Jay Hawkins, Tonasket head coach, said. “We really didn’t have a whole bunch of offense in the first half. Fortunately, our defense was able to bend and not break in the first half.”


Okanogan head coach Dennis Neely said he thought the teams were pretty evenly matched.


“I thought our defense did really well in the first half and our offense did really well in the second half,” Neely said.


The third quarter began with Okanogan taking possession on their own 43 yard line. The Bulldogs moved the ball all the way down the field to the Tiger’s nine yard line and attempted a field goal, but when it was called no good, the Tigers took possession on their own 20 yard line.


It wasn’t until there was 1:55 left in the third quarter that the Tigers scored when sophomore running back Keegan McCormick ran 34 yards for the first touchdown of the night. Senior Michael Hulse kicked in the extra point and the score was 7-0 as the game went into the fourth quarter.


In the fourth quarter, Okanogan’s offense was able to put some points on the board. With 9:54 left in the game, senior running back Jordan Thomas threw a 40 yard pass from behind the line of scrimmage to senior wide receiver Will Marchand for a touchdown. Senior Ben Navarro kicked in the extra point, tying the score up again at 7.


Penalties on the Tigers during their next drive put them in a fourth and 30 situation, forcing them to punt the ball back to Okanogan, who began their drive on their own 37 yard line. With 5:40 left in the game, Okanogan’s sophomore quarterback Ryan Price threw a 29 yard touchdown pass to Thomas and Navarro kicked in the extra point, making the score 14-7.


The Tigers’ next drive began on their own 35 yard line. Two running plays from McCormick brought them to the Okanogan 39 yard line. A run from junior running back Andrew Grillo brought the Tigers to the 29 yard line. Four plays later, with a nine yard run from McCormick, the Tigers scored another touchdown, Hulse kicked in the extra point, and the game was tied for the third time at 14 with 2:05 left.


On Okanogan’s last regulation time drive of the night, they were able to move the ball down to the Tiger nine yard line. When the Bulldogs attempted another field goal, the ball was fumbled as the clock ran out, sending the game into a Kansas City tie-breaker.


For the first overtime, the Tigers began a drive on the 25 yard line. They ran the ball to the 15 yard line before a pass from junior quarterback Wade Detillian was intercepted and the Bulldogs took possession. On the 14 yard line, the Bulldogs fumbled, the Tigers recovered and the game went into double overtime.


The Bulldogs began their first double overtime drive on the 25 yard line. Junior running back Andres Perez ran the ball to the three yard line. Price ran the ball to the one yard line before Perez ran in a touchdown. Navarro kicked in the extra point, making the score 21-14. The Tigers took possession on the 25 yard line before losing four yards. Detillian threw a 29 yard pass to senior tight end Jeramy Dellinger, but Hulse’s kick was blocked and the Bulldogs won 21-0.


Neely said he thought the game was pretty well-played on both sides adding that Tonasket is always pretty solid on defense.


“It was a very exciting game,” Hawkins said. “I felt our kids put out a great effort. It was unfortunate we came out on the short end of the score.”


McCormick said he’d never been in a game like this one before. Tonight, the Tigers play on the road against Omak. Hawkins said if Tonasket beats Omak and Okanogan loses to Cascade, Omak, Okanogan, and Tonasket will go into a three-way tie-breaker for fourth place on Saturday.


Senior defensive back Brandon Wahl said he thought both teams fought hard on both sides of the ball.


“I think we’ll be looking for that four spot for the playoffs,” Wahl said.


“It’s do or die now,” McCormick said. “We’ve got to win.”