One of the best things in sports is an intense rivalry. Since East River opened in 2009, the Wolves and Falcons have been competing on the football field in the battle for the jug.
The Wolves took the jug the last three seasons. Both teams entered Sep. 12 with a 1-1 record, looking to go above .500 with a win. And with school pride and bragging rights on the line, both teams were ready to play by the middle of the week.
Senior running back Jacques Patrick attended East River his freshman year before transferring. He has played on both sides of the rivalry.”They’ve been doing a lot of talking. A lot of talking. So we’re ready to go. We’re gonna run all over them,” said Patrick.
The Wolves let their performance do the talking and won on the road against East River 55-42. Patrick was once again the main bellcow for the Wolves, rushing for over 300 yards and five touchdowns. He broke run after run in the second half.
Senior cornerback Brandon Black suffered a concussion on the kickoff after senior kicker Christian Morris kicked a field goal. “We weren’t so much fired up about Brandon’s injury. It was the taunting over him after the hit that bothered us,” said senior offensive guard Chris Angelis.
Unconscious, Black had to be carted off the field in a stretcher and taken to the Emergency Room. However, Black returned to school the following Monday.
“As a coach, that’s the one thing you never want to see. When a player lays like that on the field your heart stops,” said defensive coordinator Marc Jackson.
The win brings the Wolves record to 2-1. They have scored over 100 points in their two victories.
This season is starting to mirror last years, when the Wolves were inconsistent in their week to week play. They look towards the bye to get some rest and prepare for their trip to Olympia to take on Titans Sep. 26.