Playoff-bound Hood River overruns Centennial, 49-18

The state playoff berth is the third straight for Hood River.

HRV spotted Centennial a 6-0 lead after Talan Ferry scored off a reverse on the opening kickoff. If the 87-yard, game-opening return didn’t awaken the home team on senior night, a lost fumble on the ensuing first play from scrimmage definitely did. Centennial couldn’t take advantage of the HRV error, however, fumbling the ball back to HRV at the Eagles’ 6-yard line.

Coach Caleb Sperry’s team responded with a 12-play, 94-yard drive to knot the score, 6-6. Bam Layna scored the first of his two TDs on the night, this one from 20 yards away.

Hood River took the lead for good on its next possession. Davis Parr, who played a solid game at quarterback, lofted a pass more than 40 yards in the air to senior Grady Williams in the left side of the end zone. The TD reception covered 34 yards and HRV would not trail again. Williams got a step on his defending and hauled in the pass with an over-the-shoulder catch.

Parr finished 11 for 16 for 101 yards and two TDs – both to Williams. The junior quarterback also scrambled for a 13-yard score early in the final period.

Hood River held a 28-12 halftime lead, as Parr was sharp before the break. Enjoying solid protection from HRV’s young, rebuilt offensive line, Parr hit on all six of his pass attempts - including the TD strike to Williams. The two connected again on a 13-yard play in the fourth quarter to give HRV a 42-12 lead.

HRV scored two more touchdowns before halftime. Layna broke free for a 40-yard run and Ethan Rivera – one of seven seniors honored along with family members before the game - added a 10-yard scamper with a couple minutes remaining before intermission.

The pre-game senior night ceremony honored Williams, Killiam DeHaven, Rivera, Lennard Roesler, Malcolm I’aulualo, Sahir Soto, and Brycen Lauritsen.

Hood River finished with 379 yards of total offense. Layna rushed nine times for 114 yards, and Rivera added 89 yards on the ground. A 21-yard Rivera run in the second quarter typified the maturation process of HRV’s young offensive line. As Rivera broke into the Centennial secondary, sophomore Miguel Arriola and junior Tristan Pasto each delivered downfield blocks, enabling the running back to add six more yards to his scamper.

Arriola and Pasto, along with sophomores Lars Welch and Jack Miller, figured before the season they would bide their time playing behind more experienced returning linemen. But injuries to third-year junior starter Logan Lavoie and I’aulualo derailed those plans, and the young linemen have had a crash course in 5A football the past few weeks.  

Junior running back Isa Luna capped the game’s scoring with a 34-yard TD run with 1:18 to play.