PROSSER MUSTANGS vs. ARCHBISHOP MURPHY WILDCATS
CLASS 2A SEMIFINAL
Time, date, place: noon Saturday, Lampson Stadium
Head coaches: Archbishop Murphy, Dave Ward; Prosser, Benji Sonnichsen.
Leagues: Archbishop Murphy, Cascade Conference; Prosser, Central Washington Athletic Conference.
Records: Archbishop Murphy, 11-1; Prosser, 11-1.
Next opponent: Lynden-W.F. West winner.
Last week: Archbishop Murphy 34, Othello 0; Prosser 21, Ellensburg 14.
Playoff appearances: Archbishop Murphy 8, Prosser 24.
Last playoff appearance: Archbishop Murphy 2010 (lost title game); Prosser 2010 (lost in quarterfinals).
Deepest advancement: Archbishop Murphy, title game (2002, def. Royal 35-14, 2003, def. Zillah 20-0; 2005, lost to Pullman 28-24; 2010, lost to Tumwater 34-14); Prosser, title game (1991, lost to O'Dea 21-14; 1992, def. O'Dea 26-0; 1993, def. Gig Harbor 22-20; 1995, lost to O'Dea, 35-14; 1999, def. Sammamish, 42-38; 2005, lost to Ferndale, 47-12; 2007, def. Burlington-Edison 42-7; 2008, lost to Lynden 35-34 2OT).
Previous playoff meetings: 2006, quarterfinals, Prosser 14-7.
Archbishop Murphy leaders: QB Hans VanderWel, junior (19-32-0--272 yards passing and 4 TDs; 79-488 rushing, 5 TDs; 10-109 receiving, 2 TDs), QB Conner Kruse, senior (35-69-5--591 yards passing and 7 TDs; 43-291 rushing, 5 TDs); RB Alex Galgano, junior (114-1,069 rushing, 12 TDs); RB Ricky Gordon, junior (28-381 rushing, 6 TDs; 10-206 receiving, 3 TDs).
Prosser leaders: RB/CB Isaac Anderson, senior (133-1,263, 21 TDs rushing); QB Ryan Fassler, junior (161-236-9--2,327, 27 TDs); WR Danny Raap, junior (47-810, 13 TDs); WR/DB Wyatt Baker, senior (34-471, 3 TDs); LB/RB Joey Hurtado, senior (10 rushing TDs).
Notes: In a rematch of a wild 2006 quarterfinal, the Mustangs and Wildcats return to Kennewick with a state championship game berth on the line. ... Prosser ground out a win in a snow bowl against Ellensburg in the quarterfinals last week and with better conditions expected today and getting to play on turf, the Mustangs figure to be able to throw the ball more consistently. ... Prosser is on an 11-game winning streak since losing the season opener to Class 3A semifinalist Kamiakin. ... Kruse started the first five games under center before the Wildcats switched to the run-oriented VanderWel at quarterback, allowing Kruse to concentrate on his considerable defensive back skills. Against Othello last week, though, Kruse came on after VanderWel was shaken up by some big hits. Kruse showed little rust in leading the Wildcats to the victory. ... The Wildcats do not pass often, relying mainly on shuffle passes and the option. ... ATM isn't flashy, but it does have a lot of team speed and figures to be one of the better teams the Mustangs have faced this season.
CONNELL EAGLES VS. CHELAN GOATS
CLASS 1A SEMIFINAL
Time, date, place: noon Saturday, Lions Field, Moses Lake
Head coaches: Chelan, Darren Talley; Connell, Wayne Riner.
Leagues: Chelan, Caribou Trail; Connell, South Central Athletic Conference East.
Records: Chelan, 9-3; Connell, 11-1.
Next opponent: Cascade Christian-Montesano winner.
Last week: Chelan 27, Royal 17; Connell 20, Cashmere 9.
Playoff appearances: Chelan 4, Connell 20.
Last playoff appearance: Chelan, 2010 (lost quarterfinal); Connell, 2010 (lost title game).
Deepest advancement: Chelan, semifinals (2009, lost to Connell 37-14); Connell, title game (1973, lost to Raymond 35-6; 2002, def. Elma 41-14; 2006, lost to Meridian 27-22; 2007, lost to Royal 28-16; 2009, def. Cascade Christian 28-7; 2010, lost to Cascade Christian 42-35).
Previous playoff meetings: 2009, semifinals, Connell 37-14; 2010, quarterfinals, Connell 41-6.
Chelan leaders: QB Michael Amsel Jr., junior (57-109-1--1,174, 17 TDs passing; 93-939, 11 TDs rushing); RB Cole Schwartz, senior (119-858, 15 TDs); RB Matt Peterson, senior (103-623, 6 TDs rushing; 28-597, 6 TDs); WR Matt Robinson, senior (19-420, 5 TDs).
Connell leaders: RB/DB Matt Hadley, senior (232-2,019, 28 TDs); FB/DL Tyson Brook, senior (58-149, 7 TDs rushing; 17-230, 1 TD receiving); WR Kade Eppich, senior (45-807, 10 TDs); QB/LB Chandler Salisbury, senior (106-177-6--1,774, 18 TDs).
Notes: The Goats struggled to slow Royal's rushing attack last week, giving up 197 yards on the ground to the Knights. That is not a recipe for success against Hadley and the Eagles. ... Amsel Jr. continues to prove he is the real deal, as he brings a big-play threat to every down. He can sling the ball downfield -- showing off a monster arm at times against Royal -- and can also use his speed to pull away from defenders. ... The Eagles have ended the Goats' season the last two years and are attempting to reach a third consecutive state championship game. ... Connell will likely try to get its passing game going, after it struggled in the snow last week. Expect a bit more of a balanced approach to this game.
WAITSBURG-PRESCOTT CARDINALS VS. COLFAX BULLDOGS
CLASS 2B SEMIFINAL
Time, date, place: 3 p.m. Saturday, Edgar Brown Stadium
Head coaches: Colfax, Mike Morgan; Waitsburg-Prescott, Jeff Bartlow.
Leagues: Colfax, Northeast; Waitsburg-Prescott, Southeast.
Records: Colfax, 11-0; Waitsburg-Prescott, 12-0.
Next opponent: Morton/White Pass vs. Napavine winner.
Last week: Colfax 42, White Swan 37; Waitsburg-Prescott 42, Lind-Ritzville-Sprague 7.
Playoff appearances: Colfax 16, Waitsburg-Prescott 14 (including both schools).
Last playoff appearance: Colfax, 2010 (lost title game); Waitsburg-Prescott, 2010 (lost semifinal).
Deepest advancement: Colfax, title game (1981, def. Montesano 6-0; 1997, lost to Lynden Christian 22-20; 2001, def. Tacoma Baptist 49-7; 2009, lost to Adna 32-24; 2010, lost to South Bend, 28-8); Waitsburg, semifinals (1997, L, DeSales 42-15; 2000, L, Davenport 48-7), Prescott, title game (1975, W, Pe Ell 58-0; 1976, L, Napavine 74-60; 2001, L, Inchelium 36-29), Waitsburg-Prescott, semifinals (2010, L, Colfax 21-14).
Previous playoff meetings: 2009, first round, Colfax 39-0; 2010, semifinals, Colfax 21-14.
Colfax leaders: Alvin Li, senior, running back/linebacker; Justin Berarducci, quarterback.
Waitsburg-Prescott leaders: QB Zach Bartlow, senior (144-249-5--1,891, 26 TDs passing; 131-1,179, 21 TDs rushing); RB Billy Brown, junior (124-1,218, 10 TDs rushing; 7-118, 3 TDs receiving); WR Dalton Estes, junior (45-688, 14 TDs); WR Dustin Wooderchak, senior (28-460, 6 TDs); WR Devin Acavedo, senior (27-295, 4 TDs).
Radio/webcast: www.ListenToTheGame.com
Notes: The Bulldogs struggled through their closest game of the season last week, having to score with 37 seconds left to hold off White Swan. ... Colfax went on an 80-yard drive, chewing up nearly 4 minutes of the game clock to score the winning touchdown. ... Li rushed for 139 yards, while Berarducci rushed for 81 and threw for 166 in the win. ... The Cardinals continued their impressive march to this rematch, destroying a one-loss Lind-Ritzville-Sprague team last week. ... Colfax has eliminated Waitsburg-Prescott each of the last two seasons, including in the semifinals in 2010.
