It’s Chiawana’s turn to be on top of MCC football standings with win over Kennewick

This Chiawana defensive unit is starting to become something special.

On Friday night, in a 19-9 win over visiting Kennewick, the Riverhawks scooped up two loose footballs and returned them for touchdowns.

It was the second consecutive week that Chiawana’s defense scored two defensive TDs in a game.

In addition, the Riverhawks forced Kennewick into seven turnovers in the win. And now, Chiawana sits in a first-place tie atop the Mid-Columbia Conference standings with Richland.

Both are 4-1 in MCC play, but the Riverhawks hold the tiebreaker over the Bombers by virtue of their 27-14 two weeks ago at Richland.

Kennewick suffers its first loss of the season, dropping to 3-1 in MCC play (4-1 overall).

The Lions had a pretty good defensive effort themselves, holding Chiawana to just 99 total offensive yards.

And in Kennewick’s case on offense, the Lions did roll up some yardage with 258 total yards.

But the difference right now is that Chiawana is finding ways to make some big scoring plays in their games.

“It’s been awesome,” said Chiawana head coach Scott Bond. “The defense has been lights out. The way the secondary has been playing, five deep. The guys are feeling comfortable in our system.”

Kennewick head coach Randy Affholter was feeling a little better on Sunday night, especially looking at the game film.

“We played good defense too,” said Affholter. “The difference is they scored two touchdowns on turnovers. They played great defense. They have a pressure style of defense, with their five defensive backs running around. That’s been their style. The trick is they try to force you into mistakes, then they take advantage of that.”

Seven turnovers — five fumbles and two interceptions — spelled the difference for Chiawana.

Kennewick had opened the scoring with a safety for a 2-0 lead.

But then Brooks Zaro scooped up a fumble and returned it 27 yards for a score. A 34-yard field goal by the Riverhawks’ Aaron Lowry gave the Pasco school a 9-2 lead.

Canaan Hays answered for the Lions with a 9-yard TD run, knotting the game at 9-9.

From there, it was all Riverhawks.

Tayton Cissne grabbed a fumble and ran it back for another TD, and Lowry’s 35-yard field goal finished the scoring for a 19-9 win.

There were multiple defensive stars for Chiawana: Rylen Blair with 8 tackles and an interception; Cissne with 6 tackles and the fumble return for a score; Braxton Feldman with 7 tackles (1 for loss) and a fumble recovery; Cooper MacPherson with 4 tackles (all four for loss), and two quarterback sacks; and Zaro, with 4 tackles, an interception and the fumble return for a touchdown.

The one thing keeping Chiawana from being completely dominant has been its offense, which had just those 99 total yards.

Running back Hunter Taylor had the best numbers — 56 yards rushing on 21 carries. But the four turnovers the Riverhawks had themselves also hurt.

“It’s an execution thing,” said Bond, who was a standout QB for Pasco in the late 1980s. “We look at the film, and it’s two good plays followed by a fumble, or a dropped pass, or a missed assignment. On defense, you can have a missed assignment because someone else can make the tackle. You have to execute on offense.”

Bond said that the seniors had talked about getting back in the MCC title race early in the week.

And now that title is up for grabs. Any one of five teams — Chiawana, Richland, Kennewick, Hermiston and Kamiakin — has a chance to grab the crown over these final four weeks of the regular season.

KAMIAKIN 54, HANFORD 21

Camden Schmidt had a nose for the end zone on Friday night, scoring six touchdowns to lead the host Braves over the Falcons.

Kamiakin head coach Scott Biglin said he’d have to check school records this week at the school to determine if Schmidt’s touchdowns were the most ever by a Brave in a single game.

It was an overall outstanding game by Schmidt, who is a senior. He rushed 23 times for 204 yards.

Senior Makram Altahir added 99 yards rushing on just 12 carries, while Carter Poland totaled 69 yards of offense (59 yards rushing on four carries; one catch for 10 yards).

RICHLAND 41, PASCO 0

The host Bombers bounced back after losing last week to Chiawana with a shutout of the Bulldogs.

Richland QB Josh Woodard was almost perfect, completing 18 of 20 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns passes, as the Bombers raced out to a 20-0 lead after the first quarter.

Colson Mackey (5 catches, 109 yards, two TDs) and Brody Bocek (6-87-1) were Woodard’s top targets.

Linebacker Cannon Weikum led Richland’s defense with 14 tackles, while LB Koen Hansen added 7 tackles (2 for loss) and a QB sack.

Devon Valdivia led Pasco on offense with 64 total yards: 50 yards rushing on 14 carries, and a catch for 14 yards.

Pasco QB Junior Olvera finished with 96 yards of passing.

Defensive lineman Damian Tavares led Pasco with 11 tackles.

SOUTHRIDGE 43, WALLA WALLA 14

The visiting Suns earned their first victory of the season over the Blue Devils at Borleske Stadium on Friday.

Southridge held a 29-7 at halftime and never looked back, as six different players scored a touchdown — including big lineman Carson Condie who bulled in on a run from 6 yards out.

Koven Burke led the way for the Suns, catching 6 passes for 68 yards, and returning an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.

Gabe Borisch led Southridge’s rushing game with 78 yards rushing on 15 carries, with a touchdown; while Jackson Williams added two rushes for 74 yards and a score.

Carter O’Dell had 12 carries for 72 yards rushing, with two touchdowns, for Wa-Hi. Evan King added 82 yards of offense (8 for 49 rushing; 4-33 receiving).

WEST VALLEY-YAKIMA 14, HERMISTON 12

Issac Corey connected on a 10-yard TD pass with Justus Counsel with 7:30 left in the game, but the visiting Bulldogs failed to complete the 2-point conversion pass to tie the non-league contest.

Corey finished the game with 155 yards on 15 of 24 passing. Counsel finished with 5 catches for 57 yards.

MID-COLUMBIA CONFERENCE

Chiawana 4-1 MCC, 4-1 overall

Richland 4-1, 4–1

Kennewick 3-1, 4-1

Hermiston 3-1, 3-2

Kamiakin 3-1, 3-2

Pasco 2-3, 2-3

Southridge 1-4, 1-4

Hanford 0-4, 0-5

Walla Walla 0-4, 0-5

Friday, Sept. 29: Chiawana 19, Kennewick 9; Kamiakin 54, Hanford 21; Richland 41, Pasco 0; Southridge 43, Walla Walla 14; West Valley-Yakima 14, Hermiston 12

Friday, Oct. 6: Hermiston at Chiawana, Edgar Brown Stadium, 7 p.m.; Kamiakin at Walla Walla, Borleske Stadium, 7 p.m.; Pasco at Hanford, 7 p.m.; Richland at Kennewick, 7 p.m.; Southridge at Lewis & Clark, 7:30 p.m.

This story was originally published October 2, 2023 at 12:50 PM.