Tri-City Rush holds off Skyhawks to win 2nd consecutive AWFC indoor football title
The Tri-City Rush repeated as American West Football Conference champions on Saturday night, beating the Wenatchee Valley Skyhawks 57-32 in the title game at the HAPO Center in Pasco.
It’s the second consecutive year that the Rush claimed the AWFC championship.
This year, Tri-City went 10-0.
The Rush held a tight 24-14 lead at intermission, as the Skyhawks scored on a kickoff return as time expired in the second quarter.
The key to the game may have been in the third quarter.
Wenatchee Valley was knocking on the door, with a 1st-and-goal situation on the 5 yard line.
But the Rush defense stiffened with a goal line stand, as Cedarius Rookard, Benmet Morgan, Krystapher Oakley and Zeus Jackson made key tackles in the stand.
On the Rush’s first offensive play on the ensuing series, Tri-City quarterback Da’Vonte Johnson hit Manuel Flores on a quick out pattern, and Flores broke free for a 49-yard touchdown play.
Then it was Rookard’s turn.
On the next series, Skyhawks quarterback Lorenz Stefan fired a pass over the middle that Rookard intercepted and ran back 20 yards for another TD.
On both 2-point conversion attempts after those last two touchdowns, Zeus Jackson scored on runs.
Suddenly, the Rush led 40-14 and were off to the races.
The Skyhawks did get within 10 points in the fourth quarter, but never got any closer.
Dust Devils
Tri-City Dust Devils manager Jack Howell saw his team go 3-3 this past week on the road in Spokane.
The Dust Devils sit at the bottom of the Northwest League’s second half standings, with a 6-9 record.
But they’re not too far from the top of those standings: Vancouver sits on top with an 8-6 record, while Eugene, Everett and Hillsboro all are at 8-7. Spokane is 6-8.
Eugene won the first half of the season standings with a 38-25 record. The Emeralds will play the second half champ — or the team with the next best overall record if Eugene wins the second-half title too — in the league championship series in mid-September.
Top Dust Devils everyday players this past week: Outfielder Mike Peabody hit .375 (9 for 24), with two homers, with 7 RBIs; outfielder Steven Rivas hit .350 (7 for 20), hit two home runs and a double, drove in eight runs and scored six runs; and infielder Mitch Nay had some key hits, scored five runs and drove in six.
Top Dust Devils pitchers this past week: Angels’ No. 14 prospect Landon Marceaux didn’t get the win on July 6 (Dust Devils won 5-4), but he struck out 6 batters in 7 innings, scattering 4 hits and he gave up no earned runs; No. 28 Angels prospect Robinson Pina earned the victory in an 11-1 win on July 7, raising his record to 6-3. In the win, Pina fanned 6 batters in 6.2 innings, giving up just 3 hits.
Tri-City is at home this week against the Everett AquaSox. Games are Tuesday through Sunday, with first pitch each night set for 7:05 p.m.
Americans
Tri-City Americans forward Parker Bell got the call last Friday when he was selected by the Calgary Flames in the NHL Draft.
Bell — a 6-foot-4, 200-pound forward — was grabbed in the fifth round (155th overall selection.
“It feels amazing to be drafted by a great organization like the Flames,” said Bell in an Ams press release. “I’m super excited for what the future holds. I want to thank the Americans, my family and billets, and my teammates and friends for helping me get to where I am today.”
Bell scored 18 goals and 31 assists this past season in 64 games for Tri-City.
▪ The Americans released their full 2022-23 Western Hockey League schedule last week, and the team will start the regular season with four games on the road.
The season opener will be Sept. 23 at Prince George.
The Ams’ home opener will be Oct. 8 against the Edmonton Oil Kings, who won the WHL championship this past spring en route to playing in the Memorial Cup.
Other highlights will include 12 games against the rival Spokane Chiefs, and six games against the Seattle Thunderbirds — who lost to Edmonton in the WHL final series.
Here is the entire Americans schedule:
SEPTEMBER: 23 — at Prince George, 7 p.m.; 24 — at Prince George, 6 p.m.; 30 — at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
OCTOBER: 1 — at Portland, 6 p.m.; 8 — EDMONTON, 6:05 p.m.; 12 — MEDICINE HAT, 7:05 p.m.; 14 — KAMLOOPS, 7:05 p.m.; 15 — at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.; 21 — EVERETT, 7:05 p.m.; 22 — PORTLAND, 6:05 p.m.; 29 — at Moose Jaw, 6 p.m.; 30 — at Regina, 3 p.m.
NOVEMBER: 1 — at Prince Albert, 6 p.m.; 2 — at Saskatoon, 6 p.m.; 4 — at Brandon, 5 p.m.; 5 — at Winnipeg, 5:05 p.m.; 11 — EVERETT, 7:05 p.m.; 12 — at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.; 18 — CALGARY, 7:05 p.m.; 19 — at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.; 23 — KAMLOOPS, 7:05 p.m.; 26 — SPOKANE, 6:05 p.m.; 27 — SEATTLE, 4:05 p.m.
DECEMBER: 2 — LETHBRIDGE, 7:05 p.m.; 3 — KELOWNA, 6:05 p.m.; 9 — PRINCE GEORGE, 7:05 p.m.; 10 — PRINCE GEORGE, 6:05 p.m.; 14 — at Everett, 7:05 p.m.; 16 — at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.; 17 — at Victoria, 6:05 p.m.; 27 — EVERETT, 7:05 p.m.; 28 — at Portland, 7 p.m.; 30 — at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.; 31 — SPOKANE, 6:05 p.m.
JANUARY: 6 — VANCOUVER, 7:05 p.m.; 7 — VICTORIA, 6:05 p.m.; 14 — at Everett, 6:05 p.m.; 15 — at Vancouver, 4 p.m.; 18 — VICTORIA, 7:05 p.m.; 20 — at Kamloops, 7 p.m.; 21 — at Kamloops, 7 p.m.; 27 — EVERETT, 7:05 p.m.; 28 — SPOKANE, 6:05 p.m.; 29 — at Everett, 4:05 p.m.
FEBRUARY: 1 — SWIFT CURRENT, 7:05 p.m.; 3 — PORTLAND, 7 p.m.; 4 — at Portland, 6 p.m.; 5 — at Vancouver, 4 p.m.; 10 — PORTLAND, 7:05 p.m.; 11 — RED DEER, 6:05 p.m.; 14 — at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.; 17 — SEATTLE, 7:05 p.m.; 18 — SPOKANE, 6:05 p.m.; 20 — at Kelowna, 2:05 p.m.; 22 — EVERETT, 7:05 p.m.; 24 — at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.; 25 — at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
MARCH: 3 — SEATTLE, 7:05 p.m.; 4 — at Portland, 6 p.m.; 5 — at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.; 10 — at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.; 11 — PORTLAND, 6:05 p.m.; 12 — KELOWNA, 4:05 p.m.; 17 — at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.; 18 — SPOKANE, 6:05 p.m.; 19 — VANCOUVER, 4:05 p.m.; 24 — SPOKANE, 7:05 p.m.; 25 — at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
AMERICANS’ PRESEASON SCHEDULE
SEPTEMBER: 10 — at Everett, 6 p.m.; 11 — vs. Seattle at Everett, 12 p.m.; 16 — EVERETT, 7:05 p.m.; 17 — PORTLAND, 6:05 p.m.; 18 — SPOKANE, 2:05 p.m.