Open and shutout for West Valley

Rams stuff Viks, win in Beck’s debut ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — Among the things first-year West Valley coach John Beck learned last season while assisting at Eisenhower was that running backs often need to be substituted for after a long run.

“When they’re really tired after a play like that,” he explained, “is when you usually get fumbles.”

But there was no such concern after the first, longest and most meaningful of Gerrick Andrews’ 27 carries Friday night at Clasen Field.

West Valley's Dylan Cates, left, and Justin Ferrari tackle Selah's Zach Goodpaster during the first half Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. (Andy Sawyer/Yakima Herald-Republic)

The Rams senior bolted over the right side, saw vast expanses of open space and sped 49 yards for the lone touchdown in WV’s 7-0 non-league triumph over Selah.

So instead of being taken out of the game, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound workhorse was allowed to watch from the sideline as his defensive teammates excelled.

Afterward, once Andrews had gained the last of his 237 yards and the Rams continued their celebration, he neither looked nor sounded tired.

“No, not at all,” he said, smiling broadly after West Valley had subdued its old Mid-Valley League rival. “This win was so important for this team. We’ve worked hard and we’re going to keep working hard.”

After Andrews’ initial burst, which came with 10:11 left in the first quarter and many of those in attendance just settling into their seats, few would have imagined that the scoring had concluded.

The Vikings’ Tanner Fife, after all, had returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for an apparent touchdown, only to have the score nullified by an illegal blocking penalty.

Three plays later WV’s Dylan Cates intercepted a Trent Douglass pass, returned it to the Selah 49 yard line and Andrews’ TD followed.

From there the squads slugged it out on the ground, with West Valley out-rushing the Viks 246 rushing yards to 146 and logging three fourth-down stops deep in its own territory.

Selah, gaining possession after a short WV punt on the Rams’ 26, faced fourth-and-one from the 17 with 7:24 to play in the first half and threw an incomplete pass.

After Fife, who finished with 76 yards on 15 carries, led the Viks to the West Valley 26 with 42 seconds left in the third quarter, safety Ronnie Roosendaal intercepted Douglass.

And after another short kick gave Selah the ball on the WV 27 early in the final period, the Rams recovered a fumble three plays later on their own 15.

“The defense won the game, no question,” said Beck. “It was important for our kids to win this game because, among other things, we’re so very, very young. And as is usually the case with teams like this, we made a lot of mistakes.”

But they won.

And Gerrick Andrews got a well-deserved rest after his longest carry of the night.