ROCHESTER — At halftime against Montesano, Rochester needed to regroup.
The Warriors led by eight, yes, but they were struggling to find answers defensively, and the Bulldogs were getting the ball to start the second half.
“It was just picking up the pace and the aggression,” Maddox Rodgers said. “Our team is stronger, faster, and more physical, we just weren’t really showing it. We had to rally up.”
Rochester did just that after the break, shutting out Montesano in the second half en route to a 46-20 victory over their Evergreen League rivals.
In addition to the final 10 minutes of the second quarter, the Warriors didn’t allow a point over the final 34 minutes of the game.
“There were some struggles (early),” Rochester coach AJ Easley said. “Our kids found a way. Coaches rallied them back together, found a way to get back in the same boat and row together. And when these guys play together like that for each other, that’s what happens.”
Montesano scored all three of its touchdowns in the first 14 minutes of the game, but they still trailed because Rochester scored four touchdowns in the same amount of time to make it 28-20 early in the second quarter.
Rodgers scored three rushing touchdowns in that span, including a 73-yard score on the first play of scrimmage. His other two touchdowns came from 68 and 61 yards out.
“I’m just looking for grass, reading blocks, and just running,” Rodgers said. “You can’t really think much, you just gotta go.”
By the end of the first quarter, the senior running back had more than 200 yards on the ground.
“He’s just unbelievable,” Easley said. “When he does that stuff, it’s like what do you say? He’s pretty special.”
Owen Simpkins also scored in the first quarter, and Josh Long extended a drive in the second quarter with a 31-yard reception from Easton Singleton to move the chains on a third and long.
Out of the halftime break, Rochester gave up just one first down before forcing a turnover on downs.
The Warriors capitalized by marching 69 yards on 13 plays across seven and a half minutes, and Rodgers capped the drive with another touchdown to put the Warriors up two scores.
Montesano worked its way towards the red zone again on its following drive, but the Rochester defense came through with the game-changing play.
On a third and long, the Warriors brought pressure on the Montesano quarterback, and Easton Singleton knocked the ball loose. Cody Galpin recovered the fumble and raced downfield for a 65-yard scoop-and-score.
“It was just really surreal,” Galpin said. “I was just in the right place at the right time. I picked up the ball, started running, and hoped for the best. As winded as I was from the first half, I was surprised I made it as far as I did. Even half that distance. But we got there in the end.”
On Montesano’s final two drives after the turnover, the Rochester defense allowed just 22 total yards.
“When we flip the script on, we’re unstoppable,” Galpin said.
“Proud of how far we were able to come and the ability to come back together after a messy half and do stuff like that,” Rodgers added. “It’s awesome. It’s why I love this team.”
Rodgers capped his incredible outing with a fifth touchdown in the final minutes of the game. He finished the night with 293 yards and those five scores on just 18 carries.
Simpkins and Kaiser Tartios combined for another 59 rushing yards, and Singleton finished with 42 passing yards, 31 of which went to Long. The other 11 went to Simpkins, who moved the chains on a different third down.
“Those other guys all did enough to take some of the pressure off (Rodgers) tonight, and it’s what we needed,” Easley said.
The victory avenged Rochester’s loss in Montesano last year, a result that kept Rochester from repeating as league champions.
The Warriors (7-0, 3-0 1A Evergreen) now sit alone atop the Evergreen League as the only unbeaten team remaining. The league title isn’t mathematically clinched, but wins over Centralia and Elma in Weeks 8 and 9 would make it official.
“This has been one that they’ve circled, and they were ready for it,” Easley said. “It runs through Monte, until you go take it.”
Rochester will be back at home next Friday, Oct. 23, to host Centralia on its Senior Night.
