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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sub Steps In, Gets Inchelium Into B-8 Semis Pakootas Carries A Big Load In Win Over St. John-Endicott

Joe Pakootas is one step closer to not being known strictly as Crystal Pakootas’ little brother.

Stepping in during the second half for injured starter Casey Finley, Pakootas rushed for 119 yards and scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns Friday to preserve Inchelium’s 32-24 win over St. JohnEndicott.

“It was my turn, so I had to step it up,” said the drenched senior after rain visited the final minutes of the State B-8 quarterfinal football game at Medical Lake High’s Holliday Field.

Fourth-ranked Inchelium (8-1) advances to a semifinal at 1 p.m. next Saturday in Ritzville against Touchet, the defending state champion. Touchet, which beat Odessa 74-32 Friday night in Dayton, stopped Inchelium in last year’s semis.

In the rematch, Pakootas may have to carry a big load.

“I wasn’t nervous because I’ve been a running back all my life,” Pakootas said. “I just wanted the ball.”

Pakootas wanted the ball last year, too, but broke his right wrist during the Hornets’ first game. He joined another injured Pakootas on the sidelines - big sister Crystal, whose basketball career at UCLA was halted by a knee injury. Crystal now plays at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake.

“I was out the whole year,” said Pakootas, a starter this year at linebacker but a backfield backup to Finley. “I just had to sit and watch everything.

“I’ve used every chance this year to impress them when I could.”

Pakootas’ biggest chance to impress came after Finley dislocated his elbow during an 11-yard run early in the third quarter. Finley, who had accounted for 195 rushing yards and one TD, left the high school field in an ambulance.

On the next play, from the Eagles’ 15, Hornets quarterback J.D. Finley fumbled and Chris Larson recovered for SJE (5-5). The Eagles put together a 12-play, 83-yard drive - highlighted by two big Josh Silerto-Ryan Schauble passing plays - and trailed just 20-16.

Inchelium answered with a 65-yard drive that involved Pakootas on eight of the nine plays. The 5-foot-10, 173-pounder ran seven consecutive plays for 48 yards, rested one play, then beat Kale Colyar on an 11-yard fade pattern.

“We hit the passes when we needed to keep (SJE) honest,” said Inchelium coach Ron Washington of J.D. Finley’s 6-of-8, 64-yard, twoTD effort.

SJE, which lost to Inchelium 34-6 earlier this season, refused to fold. The Eagles’ running game had been grounded much of the second half, but one play brought it back. Senior Zach Hergert dodged around three defenders for a 52-yard score and a big chunk of his team-high 110 yards.

The Eagles, again within two points, made Inchelium execute its lone punt of the night with 6:38 left. Jason Schumacher’s sack of Siler later forced SJE into a punt that died at its 43. From there, Pakootas ran for 10 yards and 33 yards for the final score.

Not that Inchelium could breath easily. Washington opted to try a pooch kickoff - the same play that caught SJE off-guard in the second quarter and led to a Hornets score. This time, however, Brandon Sutton didn’t kick the ball far enough and the Eagles started near midfield.

SJE advanced to the 20 with less than 2 minutes left before Mike Finley’s second sack of the night sealed the win.

The Eagles could leave with their heads held high, but surely spent the trip home considering what-ifs. The biggest setback occurred in the second quarter, when SJE strung together a 21- - yes, 21 - play drive to the Inchelium 6.

Then a Siler pitch went awry, causing a massive pileup on the 2. Even Washington didn’t know who recovered for his team, but Billy Evans and Guy Stensgar were the main candidates.

SJE dug in and held Casey Finley to a pair of 1-yard runs up the middle. On third down, Washington called for a play off guard instead, and Finley raced 79 yards.

Washington had no qualms about inserting Pakootas when his junior running back went out.

“If anything, Pakootas probably has better breakaway speed,” Washington said.

Siler completed 4 of 7 for 108 yards. His main target, Conor Kleweno, had four catches for 75 yards.

Inchelium 32, St. John-Endicott 24

SJE 8 0 8 8 - 24

Inchelium 8 12 0 12 - 32

SJEHergert 22 run (Gering pass from Siler)

I-C.Finley 20 run (C.Finley run)

I-C.Desautel 17 pass from J.D. Finley (pass failed)

I-G.Desautel 7 run (run failed)

SJE-Gering 1 run (Kleweno pass from Siler)

I-Pakootas 11 pass from J.D. Finley (pass failed)

SJE-Hergert 52 run (Gering run)

I-Pakootas 33 run (run failed)

, DataTimes