Darrington football remains unbeaten at 8-0

The Darrington Loggers football team is making quite a name for itself in the state this year running its unbeaten record to 8-0. Fighting through blistering cold field conditions and a heavy wind chill, the Loggers stomped on LaConners Homecoming celebration and got out of town with a 28-0 victory.
The Oct. 19 game had all the early markings of an upset. LaConner was fired up, playing at home and receiving some favorable judgments from the officials. Neither team could muster much offense on its first couple of drives. Chris Vargas made a nice tackle for loss on a third down play to force a second LaConner punt.
After a short punt return the Logger offense found its groove for the first time. Joe Dolph went 12 yards on two carries. Justin ODell plowed up the middle for three more. Dolph skidded around the right side for another first down and Darrington was on the march. Dolph then rambled 21 more yards up the gut down to the LaConner 7-yard line. The Logger offense continued to ride the strong legs of Dolph as he plowed into the end-zone for a 7-0 lead.
If the offense was struggling in the first half, the defense continued to show that it wasnt having any problems at all. They forced LaConner into another quick punt and it appeared that Darrington might break the game open before halftime. Dolph again motored down the left sideline on a 50-yard scamper to put Darrington within striking distance. But the LaConner defense held firm and a fourth down pass from quarterback Mark Jones to Cory Hoveskeland was complete but short of a Logger first down.
Backed up deep in their own territory, LaConner tried to make a spectacular pass play and the quarterback overthrew his receiver deep down the middle. Safety Mike Parris poached the errant pass and returned it back to the 47-yard line of LaConner. Darrington took over and moved down to the 10-yard line with 28 seconds showing on the clock before halftime. A facemask personal foul call against LaConner gave the Loggers a first-and-goal but they failed to capitalize before the half and wound up headed to the locker room leading only 7-0.
Fortunately for the Loggers, the second half would be all Darrington highlights. Justin ODell got them going with a one-yard touchdown plunge and then Hoveskeland broke LaConners back with a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Loggers led 20-0 on a night where passing was extremely difficult and it appeared a comeback would be impossible for LaConner. Joe Dolph tacked on a two-yard touchdown run to push the score to the final margin of 28-0
Darrington clinched a league championship after struggling through a no-win league season last year. The turn-around can be traced to increased productivity from both lines, with star nose tackle Conner Rounds racking up 12 tackles in the defeat of LaConner. Even on a night where the offense struggled to find itself, Darringtons defense managed to take control of the game with the timely interceptions, as well as overall stifling of the run.
The Loggers will face Concrete at home in their final test of the year. Concrete nearly beat Darrington the first time around, losing 15-14.