Late touchdown gives Kennewick 3A state playoff win over Spanaway Lake

Kennewick’s march into the state high school football playoffs continued on Saturday, thanks to a late touchdown pass from backup Andre Breedlove to senior Myles Mayovsky.

With 90 seconds left in the contest and Spanaway Lake hanging on to a 21-20 lead, Mayovsky ran a wheel route from out of the backfield. He sprinted down the sideline, and caught Breedlove’s 30-yard pass for a touchdown and a 26-21 victory over the visiting Sentinels at Lampson Stadium.

The win advances Kennewick to the 3A state quarterfinals, and the Lions will play at O’Dea next weekend at a place and time to be determined.

“It’s win to survive and advance,” said Kennewick head coach Randy Affholter.

The Lions found enough scoring to survive and advance using that pass play.

On the game’s first play, Kennewick starting quarterback Dayton Davis faked a hand-off to Mayovsky, who then streaked down the left sideline. He had slipped behind the Spanaway Lake linebacker, caught Davis’ pass, and scored on a 58-yard touchdown play for a quick 6-0 lead.

It’s a play that has burned the Sentinels during the season, including their Pierce County League contests.

“It’s a tough play to have your linebacker turn back and stay with a running back on that route,” said Spanaway Lake coach Cameron Robak. “They have an outstanding running back (in Mayovsky). And it’s hard to keep a linebacker on him.”

But neither team was able to run away with the game.

The Sentinels bounced back to score two unanswered TDs, with D’Aryhian Clemons running in from the 5, and Dempsey James connecting with standout receiver Jasiah Wagoner for a 30-yard scoring strike and a 14-6 Lake Spanaway lead.

The Lions would go into intermission with a 20-14 lead, thanks to two more Davis touchdown passes — a 17-yard screen play to Erick Mora, and a 10-yard bullet to Austin Stoddard.

But perhaps the biggest play in the first half was the last one.

The Sentinels got a turnover at their own 31 with 1.5 seconds remaining. Rather than take a knee, standout sophomore running back Joshua Collie took a hand-off and raced 20 yards before being tackled.

When he went down, though, he got hurt. And he never returned to the game.

“When they tackled him, they rolled up on his ankle,” said Robak. “Obviously, we couldn’t run the ball in the second half. (Collie) tried to come back, but a running back needs good ankles.”

Deep into the third quarter, though, it was still a one-score game.

Affholter said he and his staff — after watching game film of the Sentinels — were concerned about Spanaway Lake’s big-play ability.

“Their offense is explosive. You’ve got to stop them from breaking big plays,” said Affholter. “And we really only gave up one play in the second half.”

But it was a big play, when James hit Wagoner on a quick slant pattern. Two Lions defenders closed in quickly, but Wagoner split the pair and was gone for a 91-yard scoring play — and a 21-20 lead — with 2:54 left in the third quarter.

It could’ve been a back-breaker for Kennewick.

“We could have panicked at one point, but we bounced back,” said Kennewick senior Bronson Childs. “None of these games are easy. Even the Round of 32 games were hard.”

From there, the Lions struggled offensively, with the next four Kennewick offensive series going punt, punt, punt and an interception.

But Affholter and his staff made a change on what would be the team’s final possession.

Davis had been playing hurt much of the game after getting sacked, and the Sentinels’ defensive line had been putting relentless pressure on him in the second half.

“We didn’t make any changes in our line scheme,” said Robak. “(My defense) just wanted it more. We have a tendency to start the game slow, and that hurt us.”

Late in the game, Breedlove got the call to come in at quarterback.

“(Lions offensive coordinator) Rich (Harris) said something about bringing Andre in. Dayton had taken a shot to his shoulder. I said do it,” said Affholter.

That’s when Mayovsky approached Breedlove.

“This is what I told him: From two years ago, throw it to me like you did when we played 7 on 7 football over at Park Middle School,” said Mayovsky.

Breedlove found enough time to led Mayovsky get up the field, then fired the strike for the game-winner.

“Myles told me, ‘Look at me, then look away, then look back at me and throw,’” said Breedlove. “The game was on the line.”

With the catch, Mayovsky had two receptions for 88 yards and two scores.

“It was a perfect ball (from Breedlove),” said Mayovsky. “He put it in a spot where I was the only one who could catch it.”

Sometimes a team needs some composure. And the Lions (now 10-1) found enough on Saturday.

“We kept our cool. We stayed in the game defensively after their big play,” said Mayovsky. “We told each other, ‘Way to stay level with our emotions.’ We were never too high, never too low.”

Notes

There were seven interceptions in the game, four by Spanaway Lake, and three by Kennewick. Stoddard had two for the Lions. … Collie finished with 59 yards rushing on 12 carries in the first half. … Wagoner caught 6 passes for 161 yards and two scores. … The teams combined for 28 penalties for 217 yards. … Childs, whose received offers from four Big Sky Conference schools — Idaho, Weber State, Portland State and Northern Colorado — started the game wearing No. 32, but finished it wearing No. 61 so he could play on the offensive line when starter Vea Moala left. “Vea has been sick all week. And he wasn’t feeling well today. So they had me come in for him,” said Childs, who finished with 8 tackles (1 for loss). … Other Kennewick defensive standouts: DB Simeon Howard had 7 tackles (2 for loss) and a pass breakup; Stoddard with 4 tackles (1 for loss) and the two interceptions. … Sentinel defensive standouts: DB Kobe Romeo had 5 tackles, a cover and pass breakup; DL Noah Ruiz had 3 tackles (1 for loss), two QB sacks, and a pressure; DL Cooper Aitken added 5 tackles and 2 QB sacks.

This story was originally published November 13, 2021 at 11:12 PM.