Young Bloods blast Bullets in 37th Keg Bowl

Koskela, Holt named defensive, offensive MVPs

 

January 4, 2018

John Hamilton

CUTTING BACK - Young Blood Nate Pavlik tries to put a move on Silver Bullet Jake Helvey during action in the Keg Bowl Saturday.

The Young Bloods ran away from the Silver Bullets 66-20 Saturday in the 37th playing of the Keg Bowl at the old mill site just east of downtown Thompson Falls. The 2017 Keg Bowl was played in about a foot of crusty snow with temperatures hovering around the 20 degree mark.

After snow flurries added to the ambiance of the game throughout the first half, the second half was played under gray but dry skies.

Possibly much more important than the final score anyway, all money raised from this year's Keg Bowl will be donated to long-time game player and referee Randy Pirker, who came down ill several months ago and is in need of financial assistance.

Pirker attended the game Saturday and cheered both teams on from the sidelines. A benefit for Pirker is scheduled Saturday at Elks Lodge, with a taco dinner at 3 p.m. followed by a live auction at 5. Live music will be provided by Fresh Ink, and a silent auction and raffle will also be part of the fund-raising effort.


With Nate Pavlik captaining the Bloods and Keg Bowl legend Roger Willhite, the only living person to play in all 37 editions of the locally famous game, as usual the captain of the Bullets, the Bloods broke open a tight game in the second quarter and never looked back after that in securing Keg Bowl bragging rights for 2017.

Pavlik wound up throwing 10 touchdown passes, four to the game's offensive MVP Dom Holt, three to offensive MVP runnerup Shane Barnes, two to Jason Helvey and one to defensive MVP Jared Koskela.

For the Silver Bullets, the wily Willhite threw touchdown passes of 60 yards to Jeremy Lyght and 5 yards to Kade VanElswyk, and VanElswyk threw the Bullets' other scoring strike of 18 yards to Greg Wadsworth.


With orange lines spray painted on the snow serving as the boundaries of the playing field, several ponderosa pine trees, which were notably smaller in previous years, were left standing out in the field of play, forcing the Keg Bowl players to watch out for them during the game.

One of the bigger trees on the field at about 12 feet tall and probably about that big around when the large branches were factored in, named 'Bull Pine' by Keg Bowl organizer Doug Willhite, actually impacted the proceedings as Wadsworth was tackled by Bull Pine on his way to what appeared to be a sure touchdown in the second half.

John Hamilton

UNDER PRESSURE - Kade VanElswyk of the Silver Bullets sets to throw as Young Blood Jared Koskela closes in. In spite of the rush, VanElswyk completed this pass for a touchdown to Greg Wadsworth, and Koskela went on to earn defensive MVP honors.

Although Wadsworth wanted a penalty called on Bull Pine, game referees Willhite, Michael T. Allen and Scott Pardee laughed off that request.


Roger Willhite, VanElswyk, Wadsworth, Lyght, Jake Helvey, Luke Chambers and Mark Yoder suited up for the Silver Bullets, and Pavlik, Jason Helvey, Barnes, Koskela and Holt for the Young Bloods.

Businesses that donated to the 2017 Keg Bowl include the Highlead, NAPA and Whitefish Credit Union.

 

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