The Eastern-West Washington game always contains sizzle for players and fans, but this year’s high school football showdown had more than usual.
Both teams entered the game with perfect 2-0 records and dreams of taking the traveling county championship trophy out of Salem’s hands for the first time since is existence.
The pre-game sizzle turned one-sided early in the game as the Senators scored early, and often on their way to a 42-0 win.
“This was a 100 percent total team effort,” said WW Head Coach Phillip Bowsman. “Our first goal of the season, winning the county championship, now we shift that goal to conference play and winning a PLAC title.”
No one has been able to slow West Washington’s high-powered offense in more than three seasons.
That was the case again Friday, but Bowsman gave much of the credit for the win to the players on the defensive side of the ball.
“The keys to this game was our defense getting the necessary stops,” he said. “We have a positive turnover ratio in each of our games and that’s big.”  
West Washington’s first score came odd a pass from Kendal Rosenbaum to Trevor Nice with 7:15 remaining in the first quarter.
The Senators made the score 7-0 when they convered the PAT.
WW quickly extended the lead to 14-0 after forcing EHS into a three-and-out.
The score was set up by a long pass play from Rosenbaum to Joey Brackney.
Nice capped the drive with a long run with 2:42 remaining in the first quarter.
The two teams traded possessions and it looked the contest would deliver on the pre-game promise.
That quickly changed when the Senators scored again.
The drive was set up when Rosenbaum completed passes to Taylor Proffitt and Logan Farler.
This time it was Chad Thompson completing a pass to Nice, extending the WW advantage to 21-0 with 3:53 remaining in the first half.
Dakotah King scored the Senators’ first touchdown of the second half when he pulled in a 30-yard bomb from Rosenbaum.
Rosenbaum went on to throw another touchdown pass to Nice and the Senators final score came on a run by Ethan Tuttle.
“We made too many mistakes,” said Musketeer Head Coach John Dablow. “You can’t win games giving the ball away like we did.”
The two teams will both try to put the game behind them for several reasons.
For the Senators, they are 3-0 for the first time in a decade.
Their three wins have all come against Mid Southern Confernce opponents and besides being confidence builders, they mean nothing to what the Senators want to accomplish next.
West Washington now hosts the 1-2 Perry Central Commodores.
Perry’s two losses have come against two very good opponents.
Eastern will try to regroup and celebrate another first in the program history.
They have never won a homecoming contest. That won’t be an east task this year, but it is possible for the first time when they host Charlestown at 7 p.m.
West Washington’s game will also begin at 7 p.m.
Information for this story was provided by Ryan Watson.