Wildcats run over Bulldogs

Archbishop Murphy won the battle against Ellensburg.

But the Wildcats paid a stiff price in their 37-3 non-conference season-opening victory Sept. 3 at Ellensburg High School.

Senior running back/defensive back Randy Gordon’s season appears to have come to an end after he suffered a compound fracture in his leg during the second quarter.

Gordon went straight to the hospital and had surgery there, according to Archbishop Murphy coach Dave Ward.

The Wildcats turned to sophomore Alex Galgano, who responded with 112 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns. Galgano also caught two passes for 93 yards and one touchdown.

“He had an excellent performance,” Ward said. “He did some great things. I didn’t think Alex would come on that quickly. He’s a sophomore. This is really his first varsity game. He really was a great pleasant surprise. Now we know what he’s capable of. It’s exciting.”

Before leaving the game, Gordon rushed for 87 yards on four carries and scored a touchdown.

“We’ve got some big holes to fill on both sides of the ball,” Ward said of Gordon.

Senior quarterback Austin VanderWel completed 3 of 8 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown.

“I thought it was a good test to stay focused on the road and to have to play a ranked team right away,” Ward said. “It was a challenge. Our team stepped up. Ellensburg is going to be tough. They’ve got good players on both sides of the ball. They’ll bounce back.”

The Bulldogs advanced to the Class 2A state semifinals last year as did the Wildcats. Both teams lost.

“We didn’t give them any big plays,” Ward said. “We kept their good receiver from scoring on a long pass and our line put some pressure and our linebackers put good pressure on their quarterback. So they couldn’t get too comfortable. We didn’t allow them to establish a running game.”

What Ward wants to see this week is better blocking from his receivers. The Wildcats, he said, were one block away from breaking a couple of big plays.

Archbishop Murphy hosts 3A Kennedy Catholic at 7 p.m., Sept. 10 at Terry Ennis Stadium. The Lancers blasted Decatur 41-7 last week.

“We played well in the first game,” Ward said. “There’s a big difference between the first and second game. We have to show strides and improvement. We’re facing a big fast team in Kennedy.”