Chiawana holds off Hanford High to go 4-0 in MCC football

Host Chiawana overcame four turnovers on Thursday to beat Hanford 18-6 in a Mid-Columbia Conference football game at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco.

The Riverhawks are now 4-0 in MCC play, while the Falcons fall to 1-3.

Angel Colon opened the scoring for Chiawana when he returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown.

Emmett Osterdock would add a 4-yard TD pass to Sawyer Sommerville, and a 25-yard Morgan Dodson field goal would make it 18-0 before Hanford scored late in the game.

Falcons QB Cade Reed bulled into the end zone on a 1-yard dive for the Falcons’ lone score. The key play in that drive was a 75-yard pass play from Reed to Isaac Ngugi.

Chiawana’s defensive unit was led by linebacker Colt Hultgren, who had 5 tackles (3 for loss) and a quarterback sack. Sophomore defensive back Cooper Cissne added two interceptions.

CHIAWANA 18, HANFORD 6

Hanford 0 0 0 6 — 6

Chiawana 7 8 0 3 — 18

SCORING PLAYS

Chi — Angel Colon 89 kickoff return (Morgan Dodson kick)

Chi — Sawyer Sommerville 4 pass from Emmett Osterdock (Dodson pass from Tayten Cissne)

Chi — FG 25 Dodson

Han — Cade Reed 1 run (bad snap)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Han: Cade Reed 15-35, Sione Nuku 10-17, Mason Wainwright 3-15, Ryan Brown 1-2, Asa Perkes 1-0, Team 1-minus 12, Total 31-57. Chi: Anthony Godino 19-79, Cooper Cissne 8-21, Gage Williams 8-12, Sommerville 1-9, Total 36-121.

PASSING — Han: Reed 15-27-2-223. Chi: Osterdock 8-11-1-96, Williams 5-8-0-43.

RECEIVING — Han: Isaac Ngugi 2-92, Perkes 9-87, Julian Waite 1-22, Wainwright 1-13, Gavin Towndrow 1-7, Sione Nuku 1-2. Chi: Colon 4-43, Sommerville 4-34, Cooper Cissne 2-32, Sean Ramin 1-16, Tayten Cissne 1-10, Godino 1-4.

FIRST DOWNS — Han 13, Chi 15. FUMBLES-LOST — Han 1-0, Chi 6-3. PENALTIES-YARDS — Han 4-31, Chi 3-23.

DEFENSIVE LEADERS — Han: LB Ryan Brown 11 tackles (1 for loss), pass breakup; LB Sione Nuku 6 tackles (1 for loss); DB Julian Waite 3 tackles, interception; Chi: LB Cole Hultgren 5 tackles (3 for loss), QB sack; DB Cooper Cissne 4 tackles, 2 interceptions; LB Morgan Dodson 4 tackles (2 for loss), 2 QB sacks; DB Cole Gallagher 8 tackles.

Connell wins first game

The Connell Eagles rolled past visiting College Place 70-28 on Thursday night to earn their first game of the season.

While stats weren’t available Thursday night, Connell is following another potential pattern: losing a handful of games to start the season before rallying to make the playoffs.

This season, the Eagles opened the season with a 6-0 loss at Zillah, a big loss to Royal, and another to Othello. Essentially head coach Scott Forsyth finds his team getting better as the season goes on.

Thursday night was no different.

Earlier this season, Forsyth mentioned quarterback Hunter VanHollebeke, OL/LB Tucker Thomasson, and two-way lineman Kaine Geddes as his leaders.

And (senior WR/LB) Max Andersen “is the fastest on the field and and tackles going 100 mph,” said Forsyth. “(He’s a) deep threat and (a Yards After Catch) threat.”

Forsyth likes his team’s chances of making the state playoff.

“Our team has great character,” he said. “Our goal is to make the state playoffs and make a postseason run.”

Two other big games

Selah visits Othello at 7 p.m. Friday in a big 2A CWAC showdown.

Both squads are unbeaten and can put points on the board.

Meanwhile, in the 1A SCAC, Royal visits Zillah at 7 p.m. Friday. Both teams are 3-0 in conference play (along with Cashmere).

Royal coach Wiley Allred has just two returning first-team all-conference back this season in Shea Stevenson (at wide receiver and defensive back) and junior defensive lineman Orlando Santillan.

The Knights, of course, have won the 1A state championship the last five times the tournament was held. Everyone believes they are the team to beat again.

“We are rebuilding again,” says Allred. “But nobody believes me anymore.”

Basketball star Grant Wardenaar has been very effective as the quarterback who replaces the legendary Lance Allred (who graduated and is on a church mission).

As for Stevenson, Wiley Allred said he plans on using Stevenson “blocking and tackling. Along with catching some passes. He’s one of the best players I’ve coached.”

That’s high praise coming from Allred, who expects Stevenson and OL/DL Logan Piper to be the team’s leaders this season.

Friday’s, Saturday’s small-school games

Columbia-Burbank (1-2) at Warden (3-0), 7 p.m., Friday: Burbank head coach Trevor Curtis saw his Coyotes taste success last Friday after a 49-0 win over La Salle in Yakima.

Now, his team opens 2B Eastern Washington Athletic Conference East Division play at unbeaten Warden.

“To make me happy, we have to be competing every Friday night,” said Curtis.

With first-team all-league returning player Matt Wilder, a senior at running back and linebacker, Curtis will be expecting a lot from him.

“(Matt) is one of many (leaders),” said Curtis recently. “I think all of our seniors have stepped up to be leaders this year. But Matt Wilder has shown great strides in how he leads the team. “(He) holds them accountable at practice and leads by example.”

Granger (1-2) vs. Tri-Cities Prep (3-0), 7:30 p.m., Southridge High School, 7:30 p.m., Friday: Jaguars head coach Kyle Cairns has something going this season at Tri-Cities Prep.

Most state polls have the Jags among the top three teams in the 2B division.

And why not? The team returns a lot of talent from last season, starting with Jacob Sherfey, the EWAC East Player of the Year last season as a running back and linebacker.

Other first-team all-star returners include quarterback Jarrett Garza, two-way linemen Carson Seeliger and Kasen Clements, and defensive back Aiden McCabe.

Naches Valley (2-1) at Kiona-Benton (0-3), 1 p.m., Saturday: Second-year head coach Keithon Flemming has added the athletic director duties to his job description this school year.

Flemming, a former Tri-Cities Fever Indoor Football League standout, has had a rough schedule to open the season. The Bears started with a 68-0 loss at No. 1 Royal, then lost to No. 2 Cashmere 57-0 at home, before falling 30-6 at Wahluke.

Still, Flemming likes what he sees with his young squad.

“Without question, the strength of our team will be our offensive line,” said Flemming. “Even though we’re young, this group gained valuable experience last season, and the continuity they bring will serve us well for the next two to three years.”

Flemming said at the beginning of the season that junior WR/DB Hayden Flores, senior TE/LB Xander Jaramillo, and junior RB/LB Jaxin Troutman will be the Bears’ leaders.

With the schedule getting easier, Ki-Be should have better times ahead.

Okanogan (1-2) at River View (2-1), 6 p.m., Friday: Don’t let the visiting Bulldogs’ record deceive you: they are good, and they’re always in the 2B state playoffs.

But the host Panthers have shown they can play too, beating visiting Goldendale 43-8 last Friday.

“Our big play-making ability is as best as it’s ever been here at RVHS,” said River View head coach Kris Welch. “Our defense is one year older last year when we had a lot of newcomers.”

Wyatt Curtis, Maddox Tyutyunnik and Aiden Tyutyunnik are expected to be the team leaders the rest of the way.

Last week against Goldendale, Aiden Tyutyunnik passed for 247 yards and five touchdowns; Maddox Tyutyunnik caught 6 passes for 128 yards and four TDs; and Curtis added 98 yards rushing.

4A-3A MCC

Chiawana (4A) 4-0

Kennewick (3A) 3-0

Richland (4A) 3-0

Kamiakin (4A) 2-1

Pasco (4A) 1-2

Southridge (3A) 1-2

Walla Walla (3A) 1-2

Hanford (4A) 1-3

Hermiston (3A) 0-3

Sageview (3A) 0-3

Sept. 25 — Chiawana 18, Hanford 6

Sept. 26 — Hermiston at Kamiakin, Lampson Stadium, 7 p.m.; Kennewick at Sageview, Edgar Brown Stadium, 7 p.m.; Pasco at Richland, 7 p.m.; Southridge at Walla Walla, 7 p.m.

2A CWAC

East Valley-Yakima 2-0 CWAC, 3-0 overall

Othello 2-0, 3-0

Selah 2-0, 3-0

Ephrata 2-1, 2-1

Prosser 2-1, 2-1

Toppenish 2-1, 2-1

Ellensburg 0-3, 0-3

Grandview 0-3, 0-3

Quincy 0-3, 0-3

Sept. 19 — East Valley 13, Prosser 7; Ephrata 43, Ellensburg 20; Othello 57, Grandview 7; Selah 42, West Valley-Yakima 20; Toppenish 50, Quincy 6

Sept. 26 (all games at 7 p.m.) — East Valley-Yakima at Ephrata; Grandview at Prosser; Quincy at Wapato; Selah at Othello; Toppenish at Ellensburg.

1A SCAC

Cashmere 4-0 SCAC, 4-0 overall

Royal 3-0, 3-0

Zillah 3-0, 3-0

Naches Valley 1-1, 2-1

Wapato 1-2, 1-2

Connell 1-2, 1-3

Wahluke 1-3, 1-3

Kiona-Benton 0-3, 0-3

College Place 0-3, 0-4

Sept. 19 — Cashmere 71, College Place 0; Naches Valley 23, Cascade (Leavenworth) 16; Royal 54, Connell 7; Wahluke 30, Kiona-Benton 6; Zillah 41, Wapato 13

Sept. 25 — Cashmere 63, Wahluke 0; Connell 70, College Place 28.

Sept. 26 — Quincy at Wapato, 7 p.m.; Royal at Zillah, 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 — Naches Valley at Kiona-Benton, 1 p.m.

2B EWAC East

Tri-Cities Prep 0-0 EWAC, 3-0 overall

Warden 0-0, 3-0

River View 0-0, 2-1

Columbia-Burbank 0-0, 1-2

Granger 0-0, 1-2

Sept. 19 — Columbia-Burbank 49, La Salle 0; River View 43, Goldendale 8; Tri-Cities Prep 54, White Swan 0

Sept. 20 — Liberty (Spangle) 18, Granger 0; Warden 20, Tonasket 18

Sept. 26 — Columbia-Burbank at Warden, 7 p.m.; Granger at Tri-Cities Prep, Southridge High School, 7:30 p.m.; Okanogan at River View, 6 p.m.

1B SOUTHEAST GRAPE DIVISION

Liberty Christian 1-0 SE 1B, 3-0 overall

DeSales 0-0, 3-0

Touchet 0-0, 0-1

Yakama Tribal 0-0, 0-2

Mabton 0-0, 0-3

Sunnyside Christian 0-1, 0-3

Sept. 19 — DeSales 58, Union (Ore.) 20; Entiat 62, Mabton 20; Liberty Christian 44, Almira-Coulee-Hartline 18.

Sept. 25 — Liberty Christian 60, Sunnyside Christian 8

Sept. 26 — Touchet at Mabton, 7 p.m.; Yakama Tribal at DeSales, 7 p.m.

Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.