Tri-Cities team loses heartbreaker in triple OT. 2 others head to WA football finals

Come Monday afternoon, it was back to work for Chiawana head football coach Scott Bond.

Only this time, he was courtside with the Chiawana girls basketball C team, where he is co-coach with Riverhawks head baseball coach Severo Rodriguez.

It’s what you do when you lose a heartbreaker of a football playoff game two days before: get back to work.

Meanwhile, both Craig Lukins and Wiley Allred spent their Mondays busily preparing their respective teams for the state championship — Lukins in Class 1B for Richland’s Liberty Christian; and Allred with his Royal Knights in Class 1A.

For those two teams, Monday meant back to work on the gridiron, as the season winds down this coming Friday and Saturday at Husky Stadium in Seattle.

Here’s a look at what happened for all three Mid-Columbia teams last weekend — and what lies ahead for two of those teams:

SUMNER 37, CHIAWANA 31 (3 OT): As soon as Saturday’s Class 4A semifinal game ended at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner, members of the media were calling the game a classic.

“That one hurt a lot,” said Bond. “It hurt something because those kids of ours left it all out on the field. I was kind of emotional myself. But we were all proud of them. It’s such a shame somebody had to lose.”

It looked early on that it might be Sumner that might lose.

“I thought we came out and smacked them early,” said Bond. “I don’t think they were used to our physicality. I really think they underestimated how physical we were.”

Chiawana started fast, as Gage Williams scored on two 1-yard touchdown runs, and Brooks Zaro picked off a pass and returned it 99 yards for another score.

At halftime, the Riverhawks held a 21-7 lead.

But there is a reason Sumner was ranked No. 2 heading into the playoffs.

The Spartans defense stiffened up and shut down Chiawana’s offense in the second half.

Meanwhile, the Spartans were able to score a second-half touchdown, plus a 2-point conversion. And Austin Ferencz kicked field goals of 41 and 42 yards for Sumner — the last one coming with over 8 minutes remaining to tie the game at 21-21.

In overtime, both teams scored touchdowns. In the second OT, Ferencz and Chiawana’s Morgan Dodson each kicked field goals.

That set up a third OT, when Steele Isaacs scored on an 8-yard, game-winning run to give Sumner the win and a trip to the finals.

The Riverhawks, Bond noted, had nothing left to give.

“You notice halfway through the game that each time the ball changed possession, (Sumner) brought out a new 11,” he said. “Meanwhile, eight of our guys are staying out there (the entire time).”

The loss ended an outstanding season for Chiawana, which finished 11-2.

This was a team that Bond called one of the best he’s ever had, as either a head coach or assistant.

“I think it’s up there, based on just how hard these guys play,” said Bond. “It reminds me of the 2000 (Pasco) team. Both teams had players who just love each other. They find joy in just being out there for practice. That makes it so much fun to coach them.”

LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 36, ALMIRA-COULEE-HARTLINE 28: The host Patriots found themselves trailing at halftime 20-14 at Fran Rish Stadium in Richland on Saturday.

It was the first time this season that LC was behind at intermission.

“It was fine,” said Lukins. “They were fine. The conversation was ‘Hey, we’ve got to win every play. Let’s do our job.’”

And that’s what the Patriots did in the third quarter, when they outscored the Warriors 22-0 to put away the game.

It started with a 29-yard touchdown run by Patriots senior Charlie Branning to tie the game at 20-20.

ACH fumbled away the football on the very next play, and six plays and 30 yards later LC scored again — this time a 2-yard Perry Pottle-to-Joey Isley TD pass for a 28-20 lead.

Three plays later, ACH fumbled the ball away again.

Four plays and 46 yards later, LC scored on a 29-yard pass from Pottle to Hunter Cole for a 36-20 lead, and that was it.

“It was a pretty good third quarter,” said Lukins. “I’ve been saying all year at (ACH) is the best team we’ve played all year.”

LC had beaten ACH 50-36 in Week 3.

Branning led LC with 23 carries for 198 yards rushing, while Isley caught 7 passes for 41 yards.

Carter Pitts led ACH with 218 yards rushing on 39 carries, while quarterback Caden Correia added 159 yards rushing on 28 carries.

Defensively, Ryker Wageman led the Patriots with 12 tackles (1 for loss); Ashton Hardenbrook added 8 tackles (1 for loss) and a fumble recovery; while Branning had 9 tackles and a fumble recovery.

ACH was led by Harvest Parrish, who had 7 tackles and an interception; and Carter Pitts had 6 tackles (1 for loss) and a pass breakup.

Now Lukins and his team play Wilbur-Creston-Keller at 11 a.m. Friday in the 1B title game at Husky Stadium.

“They want to run the ball,” said Lukins of WCK. “They run about nine guys deep.”

ROYAL 44, CASHMERE 7: Saturday’s win at home was solid over the visiting Bulldogs, who joined the Knights in the Class 1A South Central Athletic Conference this school year.

Lance Allred had another outstanding game, accounting for all six Royal touchdowns. Allred had four TD passes — 12, 15, 13 and 20 yards — and he rushed for the other two.

It was 34-7 at intermission.

Defensively, the Knights had four interceptions — two by Grant Wardenaar, and one each by Benson Jenks and Jackson Larsen.

Jenks and Larsen each caught two touchdown passes too.

Now, the Knights (12-0) will take on Seton Catholic (12-0) at 3 p.m., Friday, at Husky Stadium for the 1A state title.

The two teams met last year in the semifinals in Royal City, with the Knights winning 42-0.

The Cougars, from the Vancouver area, remember that loss and would like another shot at Royal.

“They graduated nobody, said Wiley Allred. “They have some really talented linemen. They are plenty tough.

“They run a Spread offense, and they throw the ball extremely well,” Allred continued. “And they have very talented receivers. They are the No. 2 seed for a reason.”

But the No. 1 seed is Royal, which has won seven of the last eight 1A state titles and should be favored for another.

“I like that we have experienced guys, and they’re a pretty humble group,” said Allred. “We have good senior leadership, and we’ve stayed dialed in from week to week.”

Leading the way is senior Lance Allred. The three-year starter both ways (quarterback and linebacker) will be playing in his final high school game on Friday.

“He’s pretty special,” said Wiley Allred, who is Lance’s great-uncle.

▪ Here is this upcoming weekend’s state football championship schedule at Husky Stadium:

Friday, Dec. 6

11 a.m. — Class 1B, Wilbur-Creston-Keller (13-0) vs. Liberty Christian (12-0).

3 p.m. — Class 1A, Seton Catholic (12-0) vs. Royal (12-0).

7 p.m. — Class 3A, O’Dea (12-0) vs. Bellevue (12-0).

Saturday, Dec. 7

11 a.m. — Class 2B, Napavine (11-2) vs. Okanogan (13-0).

3 p.m. — Class 2A, Anacortes (12-1) vs. Tumwater (13-0).

7 p.m. — Class 4A, Sumner (12-1) vs. Camas (13-0).