It's that time of year again, with football semifinals being played the days after Thanksgiving. The first three games were played on Friday, and then the next four came on Saturday. First up...
Was the 2A semifinal between the Lynden Lions and Capital Cougars. Lynden began with a first quarter 40 yard touchdown run by Josh Kraght, and Alex Otano-Guenther made the extra point. The Lions added on when Kraght ran in a 7 yard touchdown, and Otano-Guenther again handled the extra point. Lynden kept going in the second quarter as Kraght ran a 1 yard touchdown in, and Otano-Guenther was true with the extra point. The Lions padded the lead as Kraght ran in his fourth touchdown of the game, this time from 6 yards away, but Otano-Guenther missed the extra point this time. Lynden struck again in the third quarter on a Kraght touchdown pass of 23 yards to Luke Christianson, and Otano-Gunether booted the extra point. Capital got on the board in the fourth quarter with a Kai Vansickle 37 yard touchdown rush, and Joey Geraci knocked in the extra point. The Lions shot back with Christianson running 47 yards for a touchdown, and Otano-Guenther made the PAT. Lynden scored some more as Christianson ran in a 68 yard touchdown, and Otano-Guenther converted another extra point. The Cougars answered with Derrick Becker passing 48 yards for a touchdown to Ted Maiava, and Geraci came on for the extra point. Capitals inched closer when Vansickle ran 8 yards for a touchdown, and Geraci again kicked the extra point. This produced the 48-21 final, with MVP honors going to Josh Kraght for his outstanding rushing and passing game.
Next up was the 2B semifinal between the Morton-White Pass Timberwolves and the La Conner Braves. The first quarter went by scoreless, and Morton-White Pass led off with a second quarter Rylon Kolb 31 yard touchdown pass to Gianni Bertucci, but Brian Reynolds missed the extra point. The Timberwolves extended the lead in the third quarter as Kolb passed 21 yards to Ben Powell for a touchdown, but they couldn't complete a two-point conversion. The fourth quarter was also silent for scoring, with Morton-White Pass winning 12-0 in the end. MVP honors of this occasionally sloppy and weak offense game went to Tyler Barnett's defensive play, where he had two interceptions in the red zone, likely saving the game for Morton-White Pass.
Wrapping up Friday, the 3A semifinal between the nationally acclaimed Bellevue Wolverines and the Mount Si Wildcats. Mount Si started with a first quarter Nick Mitchell 16 yard touchdown pass to Joey Cotto, and Cameron Van Winkle (who later punted a football into the rafters during second-half warmups) made the extra point. Bellevue shot back with a John Nguyen 10 yard touchdown run, and Ryan Bordner handled the extra point. The Wolverines took the lead on a Bordner field goal of 47 yards in the second quarter. Bellevue struck again when Nguyen ran 5 yards for the touchdown, and Bordner booted another PAT. Bordner supplied some more points for the Wolverines by kicking a 43 yard field goal. Budda Baker extended the Bellevue lead in the third quarter by running 11 yards for a touchdown, and Bordner was true with the extra point. The Wolverines padded the lead as Nguyen ran 1 yard for his third touchdown of the game, and Alexander Kruse came on to make the extra point. Bellevue iced it at 37-7 in the fourth quarter with Bordner making a 20 yard field goal. The MVP honors go to Nguyen for his three rushing touchdowns and power rushing game.
To lead off Saturday, the 1A semifinal between the Montesano Bulldogs and Mount Baker Mountaineers. Montesano opened in the first quarter as Tucker Ibabao ran 4 yards for a touchdown, and Anthony Louthan made the extra point. The Bulldogs added on with a 3 yard touchdown pass from Matthew Jensen to Ben Ohashi, and Louthan again kicked the extra point. Montesano extended the lead in the second quarter with Ibabao running 1 yard for a touchdown, allowing Louthan to kick the PAT. The Bulldogs got some more in the third quarter as Jensen passed 2 yards to Shad Rogers for a touchdown, and Louthan supplied the extra point. Mount Baker got on the board as Jake Schleimer rushed 2 yards for a touchdown, but Edgar Zavala missed the extra point. There was no scoring in the fourth quarter, so Montesano win 28-6, and Matthew Jensen received MVP honors.
The next game of the day was the first of two 4A semifinals, with the Skyline Spartans playing the Camas Papermakers. Camas struck first in the first quarter with a 24 yard touchdown run by Nate Beasley, and Roldan Alcobendas made the extra point. The Papermakers added on with a Reilly Hennessey 94 yard touchdown pass to Zach Eagle, and Alcobendas again handled the extra point. Skyline got on the board as Max Browne lateraled to Matt Sinatro, who then fired a 7 yard touchdown pass to Nic Sblendorio, and Sean McDonald came on for the extra point. The Spartans tied it in the second quarter as Browne passed 14 yards to Austin Bui for a touchdown, and McDonald again made the extra point. Skyline took the lead as Browne passed 34 yards for a touchdown to Sblendorio, and McDonald nailed the extra point. The Spartans got some more when McDonald made a 47 yard field goal. Skyline continued to pad the lead in the third quarter with another Browne lateral to Sinatro, who again found Sblendorio for 49 yards and a touchdown, and McDonald again knocked in the PAT. The Spartans extended the lead with Browne firing a 27 yard touchdown pass to Cedric Cooper, and McDonald booted another extra point. Skyline got defensive with the next touchdown, as Andrew Giese picked off Hennessey and returned the ball 33 yards for a touchdown, but the extra point attempt was botched. Camas shot back with a 2 yard touchdown run by Hennessey, and Alcobendas was true with the extra point. The Papermakers pulled closer in the fourth quarter as Hennessey found Eagle for another touchdown, this time a connection of 24 yards, and Alcobendas knocked in the extra point. The Spartans iced the game at 51-28 when Browne found Trevor Barney for 23 yards and a touchdown, and McDonald made his extra point. The MVP of the game goes to the highly accurate University of Southern California commit Max Browne, who threw 28-31 with four touchdowns and 378 yards, as well as being the mastermind for the two laterals.
In a dramatic shift of levels, we have the 1B semifinal between the Neah Bay Red Devils and Lummi Blackhawks in an eight-man game. Lummi was first on the board with a first quarter Jared Tom 74 yard touchdown pass to Austin Brockie, but their two-point pass attempt was swatted away. Neah Bay pulled even as Josiah Greene ran 80 yards for a touchdown, and then they took the lead as Josiah Greene passed to Zeke Greene for the two-point conversion. The Red Devils added on as Tom fumbled in the end zone and was tackled when he recovered it for a safety. Neah Bay struck again as Josiah Greene passed 17 yards to Leyton Doherty for a touchdown, but the two-point conversion attempt was intercepted. The Red Devils padded the lead in the second quarter as Joey Monje ran 79 yards for a touchdown, and then Josiah Greene ran in the two-point conversion. Neah Bay got some more in the third quarter when Josiah Greene ran 25 yards for a touchdown, and then he passed again to Zeke Greene on a successful two-point conversion. The Blackhawks finally answered when Tom passed 36 yards to Devin Cooper for a touchdown, but again the two-point pass attempt was swatted away. The Red Devils shot back as Josiah Greene ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Cody Cummins followed suit on the two-point conversion. Lummi replied with a Deion Hoskins 3 yard touchdown run, but the two-point conversion run failed. The Blackhawks pulled closer in the fourth quarter as Logan Toby passed 34 yards for a touchdown to Dino Williams, but for the third time, their two-point conversion attempt was swatted. Lummi chipped away with a Hoskins 1 yard touchdown run, but the two-point rush attempt was stuffed. They got no closer, dropping a 40-30 decision to Neah Bay, with the MVP being Josiah Greene.
Finally, the last game of the weekend was the other 4A semifinal between the Bellarmine Prep Lions and the Auburn Trojans. Auburn got going in the first quarter as Harold Lee ran 1 yard for a touchdown, but Axel Barajas (narrowly) missed the extra point. Bellarmine Prep tied the game as Sefo Liufau ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and then took the lead on the Matthew Phillichi extra point kick. The Lions extended the lead with a second quarter Liufau 66 yard touchdown pass to Drew Griffin, and Phillichi again made the PAT. The Trojans shot back in the third quarter as Jacob Waldo ran 37 yards for a touchdown, but the two-point rushing attempt was denied. Bellarmine Prep added on with a fourth quarter Liufau 21 yard touchdown pass to Garrett McKay, and Phillichi knocked in the extra point. Auburn chipped away with a Darnell Hagans 71 yard touchdown run, and Barajas made the extra point. The Lions weathered a late storm to win 21-19, and Sefo Liufau was the MVP.
Just of note, you can watch all of next weekend's championship games broadcast live on wiaanetwork.com if you're so interested. Based on what I observed, look for Skyline to cruise to victory next week against Bellarmine Prep, and Lynden will likely have an easy win as well. Anything else is up in the air and looks to be good football. Let's have a great third year on this blog. Happy reading.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
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