Third quarter surge upends Okanogan, Napavine takes 2B Title

The Napavine Tigers lost in the finals last year and 2018. 2019 they went as far as the semis.  This year, Napavine earned an elusive 2B football championship over Okanogan, 41-27.

Okanogan shot out to a 14-0 lead after Johnny Swartsel completed a big 63-yard rushing touchdown within the first minute. Shortly after they recovered a Tiger fumble, eventually earning another touchdown from a seven-yard rush.

Just a minute later Napavine completed a long pass that put them on Okanogan’s one-yard line. The Bulldogs held them off for a few plays, but the Tigers pushed through that last yard with a running play to 14-7.

“We knew it wasn’t over. We had to get more. They’re a good football team and a great program,” said Okanogan Head Coach Erick Judd.

That momentum rolled into the next quarter. A few minutes in, Napavine created another interception. It sparked a slow march down the field that finally ended with a 14-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game 14-14. Only five minutes were left.

Within the last minute, the Bulldogs were tackled for a loss — no panic. They immediately earned a first down, and by the fourth, they had seconds left in the half and only two yards to go.

Again, the ball went to Swartsel. He ran the final two yards to regain the lead before half 21-14.

It was short-lived. The third quarter began a Tiger offensive explosion that was sparked by two recovered onside-kicks. Within the first minute, the Tigers tied the game 21-21. The next came after a 73-yard punt return, and a third by linking two long runs together 34-21. The Tigers now held the lead for the first time.

The Bulldogs weren’t deterred. They began another charge, always converting on fourth down, and despite a sack for an eight-yard loss, they pushed through, until Swartsel found the end zone again after a seven-yard run 34-27.

“It was a good game,” Judd said. “We had good field position and ran the ball well. We just had too many turnovers.”

That’s where the game was lost, the third quarter. Napavine outscored Okanogan 20-6 by the end. Everything slowed to a crawl in the last quarter, but the Tigers would add one more before the final whistle.

“It was an amazing season, it was great. They played hard. I’m proud of them all,” Judd said. Okanogan graduates 11 seniors, important team leaders, but Judd knows his team is deep. “We have a good core coming back. We’ll be competitive and we’ll be back.”