WEED – Weed varsity head coach Erik Johnson took a different preseason approach than his peers. Johnson held a one-week “boot camp” to prepare his Cougars for the 2009 football campaign. It appears that the strategy has already paid dividends, as the Cougars opened the season with a 14-8 win over the Etna Lions. The win broke a three-year, six-game losing streak against Etna.

“This is going to propel us into the season; It’s the cornerstone going forward,” said Johnson after the game. “The camp paid off. This is a good team and a good group of kids.”

Weed scored first, when they took advantage of a blocked punt by Thad Schnack midway through the second quarter. After the block, the Cougars set up shop at the Etna 2-yard-line. The first two Weed plays netted a total of one yard. On third down, Cougar quarterback Cody Beam powered up the middle on a keeper for a 1-yard TD. The PAT attempt failed, but Weed led 6-0 with 4:22 left in the first half.

The Cougars attempted an onside kick after the TD. The play backfired, when the ball did not travel the necessary 10 yards before recovery, giving Etna excellent field position at the Weed 49-yard-line.

Etna’s ensuing drive appeared stalled when a fourth-and-five pass attempt at the Weed 31-yard-line did not connect. However, a pass interference call against the Cougars gave the Lions a first down at the 19. On the next play, Lucas Case broke free and scampered 19 yards for a touchdown. Etna QB Clint Eastlick hit Ryan Hicks for the 2-point conversion, putting Etna up, 8-6, going into halftime.

Weed started what turned out to be the game-winning drive on its own 40-yard-line, following an Etna punt in the third quarter. The Cougars marched inside the red zone early in the fourth quarter via strong runs by Robert Aquila, and a 20-yard pass play from Beam to Robert West.

Etna’s defense then stiffened, and Weed was faced with a fourth-and-five at the Etna 10-yard-line. Beam passed to Micah White to pick up the first down at the Lion five.

Three plays later, Beam connected with White again in the end zone for a TD. Aquila rushed for the 2-point conversion making it Weed 14-8, with 8:23 left to play.

Although Etna had chances to stage a comeback, the Lions were unable to come up with the big play when they needed it. The Cougars Brandon Ede, however, did make the big play, picking off a pass and returning it 30 yards to the Etna 26, with a couple of minutes left to go in the contest.

Etna’s defense held and the Lions took over on downs on their own 7-yard-line, with 16.4 seconds remaining. Etna QB Clint Eastlick connected with Case for 30 yards to the Etna 37, with 5.7 seconds remaining. Ede then notched his second interception of the game on Eastlick’s desperation pass to end the game.

When Johnson gathered his Cougars together immediately following the final horn, he told them, “Every game you’ve got to finish, just like you did tonight. We did exactly what we needed to do.”

For the Cougars, Robert Aquila rushed for 156 yards on 22 carries, and scored a 2-point conversion. Brandon Ede picked up 39 yards on eight carries, and had two interceptions. Micah White pulled in three receptions for 21 yards and a TD, as well as picking off a pass. Cody Beam was 7/13 passing, with a TD. He also rushed for a touchdown. Travis Andrews was the man on defense with two fumble recoveries, four solo tackles and 10 assists.

Unofficially, Lucas Case picked up 111 yards on 16 carries for the Lions.

The Cougars (1-0) host Burney next Saturday at 2:00 pm. Burney lost its opener to Fall River, 36-12. Etna (0-1) has its home opener against Tulelake (0-0) next Friday at 7:30 pm

In the junior varsity contest, Etna’s Colby Rimmer racked up 234 yards rushing, with three TDs. Dillon Smith also scored a TD for the Lions in their 27-0 win over the JV Cougars.