Strange unstoppable, Comets roll on

Things got a little Strange during Naselle football's quarterfinal against Pomeroy. In fact, they got a lot strange, as senior captain running back Jack Strange put on a performance for the ages, running for 300 yards and scoring six touchdowns en route to a Comets victory.

Strange's six touchdowns powered Naselle to a 60-50 win against the Pomeroy Pirates on Nov. 23 and earned them a berth into the state semifinals. Playing at South Bend High School in the 1b WIAADistrictt 4 quarterfinal, Naselle had their biggest test yet this season. The final 10-point difference between the two teams was the tightest margin the Comets have had this season.

As well as solidifying Naselle as one of the four best teams in the state, the game pushed the Comets' unbeaten run to 11-0 on the year. For Strange, the match against the Pirates marked a career night. His 300 yards rushing was a career-best, and he ran in four touchdowns. Strange was also a terror in the passing game, picking up 96 yards through the air and two touchdowns.

Also driving the offense forward was running back Caiden Burke, who added two touchdowns for the Comets. Overall, Naselle rushed for 389 yards. The team has been deadly on the ground in their past four games, eclipsing more than 250 rushing yards in each.

Pomeroy hung around during the game off the back of some impressive heroics from quarterback Jett Slusser. Slusser was the wind in the sails for the Pirates, throwing for 211 yards and two touchdowns, as well as being a force on the ground, rushing for 187 yards and four touchdowns.

One of the highlights of the game was when Strange bounced to the outside and left the defense in the dust as he sped to the endzone on a 48-yard scoring scamper. Naselle held on and finished the game with a two-possession lead 60-50.

To continue their quest for the state championship, Naselle will next face #2-ranked Wilbur-Creston-Keller at 1:00 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Lions Field. Wilbur-Creston-Keller is coming off a 56-12 against #10-ranked Garfield-Palouse on Nov. 23. The Wildcats are also amid a perfect season, with a record of 12-0. Similar to Naselle, they haven't had many close games this season, the closest being a 78-54 win against Odessa on Oct. 18.

Both teams will likely enter the game with confidence, as neither has met an opponent who has bested them this season. If Strange and Burke can continue their fantastic form, there's no reason the Comets can't upset the Wildcats when they faceoff this Saturday.