2B Prep Football: Onalaska overwhelmed by Freeman in State quarterfinal loss

Push Comes to Shove — Scotties’ athleticism carries the day in 28-0 win over Loggers

Freeman players tackle Onalaska’s Lane Gordon during the 2B State Quarterfinals at Centralia Tiger Stadium Saturday, Nov. 23. — Ridley Hudson / The Chronicle

Jordan Nailon / blastzonenews@gmail.com

CENTRALIA — The problem with wearing your heart on one’s sleeve is that when your heart is broken, the whole world knows.

So when Onalaska fell to Freeman by a score of 28-0 in a 2B State Quarterfinal football game at Tiger Stadium, Saturday, there was no bandaid to cover up the anguish. There was no curtain to duck behind to hide the tears. There was only disappointment and sadness, a mix of emotions that had never before seen the harsh light of day in Grittville, USA. At least not in 2024.

But the Loggers weren’t in Onalaska on Saturday. They were in the Hub City. And they weren’t playing a Central 2B League team with the benefit of knowing their reputation preceded them. 

“We ran into a really good football team. They out-coached us, they out-coached me,” Onalaska coach Mazen Saade said. “I did not have our kids prepared to play. Our kids were not ready to play at a high caliber and that’s on me, and that’s sad because I’ll have to live with that for a long time.”

Onalaska’s Blaze Underhill gets emotional while hugging friends after losing the 2B State Quarterfinals against Freeman at Centralia Tiger Stadium Saturday, Nov. 23. — Ridley Hudson / The Chronicle

That really good football team hailed from the vaunted Northeast Central 2B League, and they may have been even better than promised.