Tigers set to make home debut against Umatilla

PLAYMAKERS: Umatilla brings a duo of running backs to Community Stadium Friday night against LHS. - Observer file photo

Umatilla (1-0) defeated Dayton 32-0 last week in a game that showcased their talented running game.

Jaime Bruce carried the ball 12 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns against the Bulldogs, while teammate Austin Bieren ran 13 times for 112 yards and a score in the lopsided victory.

In all, the Viking ran it 47 times for 396 yards, while they only threw it six times for a mere 43 yards.

“They (Umatilla) have a really solid offensive line,” Tigers’ coach Matt Wolcott said. “They are a well-coached team and are consistently at the top of their league. I watched the tapes, and they don’t need to throw the ball because they run it so well.”

Umatilla went 9-2 last year in the Eastern Oregon League before falling to Gold Beach in the state playoffs.

It won’t be anything new for La Grande to see a dominant running team, as Vale was able to rack up 263 yards on the ground last week in the Vikings 18-6 win.

But Wolcott is confident in his team with the way they have practiced this week.

“I tell the kids to practice like you play, and that’s what they’ve done,” he said. “We’ve been running tackling drills every day this week to try and prepare for their backs.”

The Tigers had a lot of missed assignments and missed tackles on the defensive side of the ball against Vale, leading to a lot of easy yards.

“Everyone has to know their job and trust the guy next to him that they’re going to do their job,” Wolcott said. “We have to be disciplined on defense against these goods teams.”

La Grande also had a lot of missed opportunities on offense last week that lead to only 44 plays from scrimmage, compared to the nearly 80 plays that the Vikings ran.

Wolcott has said all summer long that his team is a well-balanced offense that doesn’t focus on just running or passing the ball.

“We have to score points,” he said. “Bottom line. When we get inside the red zone we have to be able to come away with some points and give ourselves a chance.”

One advantage that Wolcott hopes will help his team this weekend is the atmosphere of playing at home.

“Community Stadium is a great place to play. I’m sure there is going to be a lot of people out Friday night supporting us. It’s always a positive thing when you play on your home field. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

The game is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. at Community Stadium. A live broadcast of the game will be available on 99.9 KWRL. The pre-game show starts at 6:40 p.m.