This week in Wahkiakum and Naselle sports

Naselle High School and Wahkiakum High School both scored big wins in their football games this week, but the story of the Comets' contest against Taholah was cut short because of a serious injury to a Taholah player.

Eagle correspondent Rob Hilson was on-site for Naselle's 35-0 win against Taholah, and the game was called with about five minutes remaining in the first quarter. The reason for cutting the game short was that a Taholah player was severely injured.

According to Hilson, both teams and the officials came together and ultimately decided a forfeiture of the game would be the best way forward because the Chitwhins were short on players before the injury occurred.

One of the highlights of the game prior to its early finish was Naselle running back Jack Strange scampering for a 22-yard touchdown run in the first quarter for the Comets.

The victory was a continuation of the Comets' perfect season, and the team now sits atop the Coastal 1B SWW 8-man football standings with a 6-0 record. With a 7-0 record overall, Naselle has climbed to #7 in the WIAA RPI 1B rankings. They will look to keep the mojo going when they play Ocosta on Oct. 25. Ocosta is ranked fourth in the conference, and they have yet to play the Comets this season. The game promises to hold weight in the playoff race for both teams.

Wahkiakum football

The Mules were also victorious on the gridiron last week. The Mules hosted Chief Leschi High School on Oct. 18, and came away with a dominant performance, winning 50-0. The win is Wahkiakums fifth conference win in a row, and the Mules have put up 50 or more points in each of those games.

The last time Wahkiakum tasted defeat was in a non-conference game against Ilwaco High School on Sept. 20. After the 50-0 beatdown over Chief Leschi, the Mules are now the second-place team in the Coastal 1B SWW 8-man football conference, behind only neighboring Naselle. The Mules now have a record of 5-1 in league play and 5-3 overall.

Nipping at the Mules' heels are Oakville (5-2) and Ocosta (4-2). Though they are close in the standings, the underlying scoring and defense numbers point to the Mules being the second-best team in the conference. They are third in points per game in the conference, averaging 42.4 points while only giving up 26.4 points per game. The Mules have a point difference average of 16, which is second in the conference behind Naselle's insane clip of beating opponents by an average of 66.2 points. The third-best point difference in the league is Taholah, with 14.2, though they are the sixth-ranked team in the conference.

The Mules are ranked 15th in WIAA's RPI rankings and will have a chance to strengthen their record when they play Evergreen Lutheran at home on Oct. 25. The game should be straightforward, as Evergreen Lutheran is currently last in the Coastal 1B conference, and has yet to win a game. If the Mules can take care of business, they should be set to secure a playoff position when they take the field in the season finale against Sound Christian Academy on Nov. 2.