EUREKA — It would be easy — and for those who go for the jugular — to shower superlatives on Humboldt’s Cubs, after they thrashed Eureka Friday night 50-14.
Easy, but not necessary.
Anyone who watched the Cubs dismantle the Tornadoes in just about every way possible, came away knowing no other result would have been feasible. And, if they are the least bit compassionate, they came away with a soft spot in their hearts for Eureka’s Kash Parmes, a 5-foot-10, 205 quarterback/running back, who played hard from start to finish in a game whose outcome never was in doubt.
Frankly, Eureka had little else to hang its hat on.
Here’s what happened, plain and simple: The Cubs dominated the line of scrimmage, whether on offense or defense, and everywhere else except for a couple of pass plays. One pass, approaching a desperation heave on Parmes’ part on a third-and-24 play, found the arms of his receiver over the outreached hands of two defenders. The play covered 51 yards and gave Eureka its first touchdown, while the game, at least theoretically, still was in doubt.
Otherwise, the Cubs, blocked, tackled and executed all phases of the game in exemplary fashion.
By halftime they were up 42-6, and soon after the second half began, with the clock running by way of the mercy rule, Coach Logan Wyrick was able to give some varsity players who don’t find the field as often as others a chance “for some reps.”
The game also gave Wyrick the luxury of not having to fret over Hesston Murrow, sitting out his second game with a knee injury, and Lance Daniels, a linebacker and receiver, walking the sidelines while on the fend. Whatever contribution they might have made wasn’t necessary.
He also took Dagen Goodner, a junior who owns a multiple skill set, out of the offensive lineup. Goodner is nursing bruised ribs, but still started at his linebacker slot on defense.
Wyrick allowed “it was nice” to be able to interrupt his starting lineups thusly without being overly concerned.
Stars aplenty dotted Humboldt’s galaxy, among them Jacob Barker.
Barker is keen about finding holes in the line through which to launch himself, some that don’t seen enough of a chasm to accommodate the 180 pounds distributed over this 5-foot-8 frame.
Friday night he was without constraint, piling up 159 yards in the first half on 13 carries. He also scored four touchdowns on runs of four, 29 twice and 11 yards. Barker usually was in the secondary before a Eureka defender made contact, so effective were blockers on Humboldt’s offensive line. On the two 29-yard touchdown runs, Barker dismissed tacklers in the secondary en route to the end zone.
He didn’t play in the second half.
Kyler Allen, starting at quarterback for the second game in place of the injured Murrow, scored on a nine-yard run and Conor Haviland tallied on an 11-yard dash.
On the first series of the second half, Teryn Johnson scored on a 25-yard pass and run, including a nifty change of direction he authored to skirt Eureka tacklers.
