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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 2021)
A3 THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2021 SPORTS PREP FOOTBALL ROUNDUP Warrenton wins a wild one Patrick Webb Coach Jeff Eaton, center, was still giving positive encouragement to his Naselle team at the WIAA state championship game, even when they were down 80-26 to eastern Washington powerhouse Odessa in December 2019. Naselle coach praised for decades of service led Naselle to the state championship game. A rainy day and a pulverizing by mighty Odessa couldn’t dampen Comet fans’ spirits as they NASELLE, Wash. — The community said celebrated the rare achievement of reaching the thanks to head football coach Jeff Eaton as he fi nal. retired after an undefeated season, capping “Those semi- and fi nal highlights were three decades of guiding Comet athletes. when we were getting into the groove with Naselle topped Mossyrock 48-22 in last eight -man,” Eaton said. “We had a good solid week’s season fi nale. group of kids those years — they were big “He is going to be missed,” said Brian moments.” Macy, athletic director, who attended East- Earlier, Eaton’s two sons, Robert and ern Washington University with Eaton in the Dustin, went through the program, taking star- 1980s. “Just think of the positive impact he has ring roles. had on our community. “That was probably the biggest highlight, “It’s just amazing — you don’t get people looking back,” their father said. “Both boys who are willing to stick around in one place for were good football players. They played all so long. ... He loved doing what he was doing sports, but football was their best sport.” — it didn’t seem like work for him.” The oldest, Robert, now an oysterman, Eaton, 57, grew up in Naselle, learning his was an all-state football player selected for the trade as an off ensive lineman in seventh grade. east-west all-star game in 2012. Dustin, a dep- He played for Western Washington University uty with the Pacifi c County Sheriff ’s Offi ce, for three years before completing his degree at received all-league recognition at quarterback, Eastern. When he moved back home to take a all-state football honors and selection for the job at the Naselle Youth Camp, he helped coach all-star game. Unsurprisingly, daughter Abbie for one season at Ilwaco in 1988 before was active in sports, too. being off ered the Naselle position. Eaton was mindful to allow his “I have been thinking about it for a assistant coaches more direct contact couple of seasons,” said Eaton, who is with his sons, especially when Dustin eager to catch up on 30 years of missed played quarterback. “I knew that I elk and deer hunting. “This one has could not be the off ensive coach,” been pretty challenging year.” Eaton laughed. “If I had been the The announcement gave former off ensive coach, we probably wouldn’t players an opportunity to comment on Jeff Eaton have talked at dinner!” what playing for Eaton meant to them. Naselle stadium announcer Chris Hayden Gudmundsen, who is married to Dorman added to the applause. “A calm, fair Eaton’s niece, Taylor, cherishes his memo- man with an occasional ‘bite’ that garnered ries. He played quarterback for Naselle in his the respect of players and led programs to big 2015 senior season, the year Naselle switched stages,” he said. to playing eight -man football. His son, Cole, captained the Comets to the “For the past 30 years, Jeff Eaton has been state semi-fi nal in 2018. “Since he didn’t get Naselle football,” Gudmundsen said. “Dedi- after us too much, we knew that when he did, cating so much of his life to not only coach- we were doing something wrong which had to ing but mentoring so many players has led to be fi xed,” he said. an incredible impact on kids and the commu- “Jeff will leave a huge hole to fi ll,” said nity. Personally, Jeff made being a Comet foot- Naselle superintendent Lisa Nelson. “He has ball player one of the most enjoyable times of been such a stalwart for our program and a my life.” great role model for our kids. We were really Former lineman Carson Bergeson, a 2018 lucky to have a quality guy like Jeff at the helm graduate, was full of praise for Eaton. “He is to run a classy program for so many years. very passionate about the game of football,” He has had a great career and will be missed he said. “He loves to work with kids and give dearly.” them as much knowledge as he can about the Eaton acknowledged his role was instilling game — and always has a good attitude.” values. Eaton recalled many highlights. “One of the biggest reasons for me is to be In 2008, Naselle advanced to the state 2B out there with the kids and teach them some semifi nal against powerful Napavine. “They things to help them along the way,” he said. were supposed to beat us up,” said the coach, “Maybe in years to come, they will be saying, remembering the 18-13 scoreline with pride, ‘Old Coach Eaton said that way back.’ There even though it was a loss. “They went on to are life things — sticking to it, not quitting, win a close fi nal against Asotin, which was showing up for jobs. Life lessons.” highly favored that year.” Among favorite achievements has been More recently, his last two “normal” sea- guiding boys who were not immediate stars. sons saw Naselle among the top four 1B “It’s seeing those successes, especially kids schools in Washington. Quarterback Cole Dor- that were not the great athletes, who found a man and Eaton’s nephew, Jacob, spurred the niche,” Eaton said. “They were able to do good Comets through a sparkling season into a state kinds of things. That was pretty rewarding, semifi nal loss to Almira-Coulee-Hartline in especially when they learned things like when 2018; the following year saw Ethan Lindstrom not to quit.” By PATRICK WEBB Chinook Observer The Battle of Undefeated 3A football teams took place Friday night in Warrenton, where the Warriors emerged as still unbeaten over four games, with a wild 42-34 win over visiting Yamhill-Carlton. The Tigers nearly overcame defi cits of 22-6 and 34-20 entering the fourth quarter but fell eight points short. Warrenton held a 16-6 lead after a low-scor- ing fi rst half, before a third quarter explosion in which the Warriors outscored Yamhill 18-14. Warrenton failed on all three two-point conversions in the third quarter, leaving the Tigers within striking distance. But Yamhill could not overcome three turnovers and six penalties for 60 yards, while Warrenton’s Josh Earls locked up the victory with a 39-yard interception return in the fourth quarter. Warrenton quarterback Hordie Bodden Bodden had 112 yards and four touchdowns passing, and added 113 yards rushing with a TD. Knappa chops down Vernonia The 2021 Logger Bowl went Knappa’s way for the fi fth consecutive meeting, as the Loggers of Knappa pounded the Loggers of Vernonia, 40-8, in a Northwest League foot- ball showdown Friday in Vernonia. After getting shut out in its fi rst two games, Knappa not only scored its fi rst points of the season, but ran Vernonia ragged. With two of its seven ball carriers topping the 100-yard mark, Knappa ran the ball 52 times for 479 yards (9.2 yards per carry) to completely wear down Vernonia, which had just 13 players in uniform. Knappa’s fi rst drive of the game ended with an interception, but the visiting Loggers drove 80 yards in 11 plays on their next drive, resulting in a 3-yard touchdown run by sopho- more Tucker Kinder. Vernonia fumbled the ball away on its very next play, and Knappa put the game away fi ve plays later, with Kinder catching a 22-yard scoring toss from junior Tanner Jackson, Knappa’s only completed pass of the night. Junior Mark Miller fi nished as Knappa’s top rusher, with 154 yards on 24 carries. Jack- son gained 146 yards on eight attempts, which included a 70-yard TD run in the third quarter. Estacada 36, Astoria 6 Two teams playing good football the previ- ous two weeks met on the fi eld Friday night at CMH Field, where the short-handed Estacada Rangers continued their hot streak and won their third straight, 36-6 over Astoria. Less than seven minutes into the game, the Rangers held a two touchdown lead. They scored on their 10-play, 66-yard opening drive, capped by a 22-yard scoring run from Isaiah Schaff er. Three players later, Cory James intercepted an Astoria pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. Astoria’s lone score — a 1-yard run by Michael Moore on the opening drive of the second half — was quickly erased when James returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. Tillamook 18, Seaside 14 Friday night’s upset special took place in Tillamook, where the Cheesemakers held off previously unbeaten Seaside, 18-14 in a Cow- apa League football game. Tillamook built a 12-0 lead in the sec- ond quarter, before the Gulls answered with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Tanner Kraushaar to Jarred White before halftime, and a 3-yard run by Aedyn Cook in the third quarter that gave Seaside a 14-12 advantage. Tillamook scored to retake the lead going into the fourth quarter, and a late score by the Gulls was disallowed because of a clipping penalty. 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