Columbia High football still searching for first win

Elma (2-2) was coming off a, 28-18, loss at Castle Rock but seemed to suffer few ill effects of that game. Elma scored on its first two possessions to take a 12-0 lead and the Eagles added a third TD in the opening period on Vince Pallett’s 40-yard interception and return for a touchdown. Junior quarterback Carter Studer and receiver Gibson Cain connected on three TD passes, including the first two scores of the game from 88 and 23 yards.

Columbia avoided the shutout late in the third period on Wesley White’s 1-yard run and Wyatt Stelma’s point-after kick. The TD was set up by White’s passing on an eight-play, 63-yard drive. He was 4-for-5 on the drive, completing passes to four different receivers.

Avery Schalk’s 17-yard, catch-run moved the ball to the Bruin 46. After a Columbia penalty moved the ball back five yards, White connected with halfback Petey Schlegel on an inside screen and the speedy junior broke two tackles en route to a 24-yard gain. On the next play, White hit tight end Sawyer Muehlbauer on a crossing route, moving the ball 26 yards to the Elma 9.

A White keeper up the middle lost a yard before the Bruin quarterback threw to sophomore Kai Brasuell on a crossing route from left to right. Brasuell slipped while making a cut to avoid an oncoming tackler just before the goal line. White scored on the next play when he faked a dive play, tucked the ball under his left arm and ran around the left end.

On Friday, Columbia will face a Seton Catholic team coming off a 40-37 loss at Stevenson. Seton (2-2) is averaging more than 40 points a game since losing its opener, 9-8, to Rochester. The Cougars have some momentum from the 2021 season, when they reached the playoffs for the first time in school history. Seton has wins this fall over Goldendale (39-20) and Life Christian of Tacoma (46-15).