Defending state champ Kamiakin falls to Timberline in playoff opener
Between two defenders, Timberline High School junior Jamarcus Graham leaped into the air and wrestled the ball away for a 27-yard touchdown as he fell backward into the end zone.
That touchdown catch, with 6.7 seconds left on the clock Saturday night, sent the No. 7 Blazers to the Class 3A state quarterfinals for the first time in more than a decade.
After battling back-and-forth with No. 5 Kamiakin (9-2) for four quarters, the Blazers knocked off the defending state champions 26-22 at South Sound Stadium in Lacey.
Tolby Selvester sent the ensuing kickoff out of the back of the end zone, and Colton Steepy batted down Kamiakin quarterback Payton Flynn’s final pass attempt as time expired to send Timberline’s sideline into a frenzy.
Graham finished with 100 receiving yards on six catches, and the pivotal touchdown.
Quarterback Hunter Campau was 8 of 16 for 163 yards, and scored three total touchdowns to lift the Blazers to the win.
Kamiakin struck first.
Following a Timberline fumble on a bad exchange early in the second quarter, the Braves marched 33 yards, capping the scoring drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Flynn to Benson Smith.
Timberline couldn’t convert on any of its drives in the first half, and entered the break trailing 7-0.
But, on their first drive of the third quarter, Campau completed an 89-yard scoring drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.
Timberline senior Michael Barnes picked off Flynn on the following drive, found open field, and scurried in for a 54-yard score to give the Blazers their first advantage, 13-7.
Kamiakin retook the lead on a 13-yard pass from Flynn to Smith midway through the third quarter.
Timberline didn’t answer until the fourth, when Campau punched in a 3-yard keeper following three big gains by running back Lonnie Anderson.
Kamiakin immediately fired back to take a late lead. Flynn found Champ Grayson in the flat near midfield, and Grayson charged into the end zone for a 46-yard score.
The Braves completed the two-point conversion on a pass from Flynn to Grayson to increase their lead to 22-19.
Timberline fumbled on the next drive, but forced a punt with 1:10 left to play. That’s when the magic started.
Campau was sacked for an 11-yard loss as time continued to tick off the clock, but found Garrett Warrington for a first down on the following play.
Then he found Steepy to set Timberline up at the 27. Graham caught the game-winning touchdown pass a play later.
Timberline (12-0) travels north to play No. 4 Bellevue (9-1) next week in the quarterfinals.
This story was originally published November 11, 2017 at 8:50 PM with the headline "Defending state champ Kamiakin falls to Timberline in playoff opener."