Yonago kicks and picks Ferris to win
The only successful kick proved good enough.
Kyle Yonago’s extra point with 8:51 remaining in Thursday night’s game gave the Ferris Saxons a 13-12 lead over Greater Spokane League football rival Lewis and Clark.
And, after LC (6-3) missed a go-ahead field-goal attempt with 4:29 to go, his interception with a minute remaining made sure it held up.
Not bad for a state championship wrestler and soccer player coerced by teammate Curtis Heyamoto into playing his first year of high school football.
“We were always hoping he’d come out,” said coach Clarence Hough. “That big pick at the end was just as good as the extra point.”
With the win, Ferris finished second in the GSL and will return to the scene at Central Valley 6 p.m. Tuesday against Walla Walla (6-4) in the preliminary round of the state playoffs.
The teams made good on only that one place kick in five attempts. They had alternated touchdowns and blocked extra points as Lewis and Clark parlayed turnovers into a 12-6 halftime lead on CV’s frost-covered surface that made kicking tough.
The Tigers had scored first following an interception by Brad Posten on Ferris’ second play of its first possession. Starting at the Saxon 30, Chad Bemis hit Dane Erickson seven plays later on a 12-yard post, but the failed kick set the night’s tone.
On the ensuing kickoff, speedster Robert Davis shot up the middle, cut left and raced 91 yards to tie the game in 12 seconds.
Late in the half, Kevin Luby forced and recovered a fumble at Ferris’ 17-yard line. Bemis hit Posten with a pass down to the 1 and Ethen Robinson scored. Heyamoto blocked the kick attempt, but the Tigers had a six-point lead at intermission.
But it was the improvisational time-buying skills of quarterback Caleb Rath that enabled Ferris (7-2) to control time of possession in the second half.
“Caleb ad-libbed a couple of plays,” said Hough, explaining that several of his seven pass completions to slot receiver Steve Stockton were supposed to have been quarterback draws.
Rath would run laterally to the line of scrimmage out of the shotgun offense until Stockton, from the slot, worked his way open for short receptions and turned each of them into gains of 10 yards or longer for a total of 106 yards.
“He just basically told me if he’s running around to find an open spot and he’ll find me,” said Stockton.
After coming up inches short of completing an 85-yard drive that consumed most of the third quarter, the Saxons made good on their next series. Rath found freshman Shawn Stockton for 25 yards. He avoided a Tiger rush and hit Steve Stockton for 17 more. Following a holding penalty, Rath rushed twice for the score that set up Yonago’s game-winning kick.
LC kicker Chris Edwards had plenty of leg on his 39-yard field-goal attempt 4 minutes later, but the ball smacked off the right upright.
Ferris is in the playoffs for the first time in three years and LC’s season is done.
“It’s nice to be back,” said Hough. “And we’re not sneaking in that’s the best part. The kids earned it.”