Saxons, Bears light up the scoreboard

It may have looked like a play drawn up in the dirt of a neighborhood playground, but it deserves more credit than that.

Aaron Roberts found himself on the scoring end of a hook-and-lateral play at the end of the first half, a 50-yard touchdown that was instrumental in Ferris’ 34-14 victory over Pasco in a 4A regional playoff football game at Albi Stadium.

Ferris (9-1) will host Jackson of Everett in the first round of the State 4A playoffs at Albi next Saturday at a time to be determined. Jackson (9-1) held off Tahoma 16-10 Friday night.

The third seed out of the Columbia Basin Big Nine League, Pasco (7-3) trailed 13-7 late in the first half and moved the ball into Saxons territory. Ferris defensive back C.J. Haney intercepted Bulldogs quarterback Carlin Andrew’s pass and returned it to midfield with 2 seconds remaining.

Ferris lined up with four wide receivers on the half’s final play, and Saxons quarterback Connor Halliday located receiver Jason Bates open 15 yards downfield. Bates turned and pitched the ball to Roberts at the Pasco 35, and Roberts bolted toward the sideline and used a couple of blocks to outrun his Pasco pursuers for a touchdown and a 20-7 lead.

“I was just trying to find a hole to make the catch,” Bates said. “Then I had to turn and pitch the ball to Aaron and let him do what he does.”

“We run that play at the end of practice every day,” Roberts said. “This is the first time we’ve tried it in a game.”

The GSL’s leading receiver in the regular season, Roberts fumbled an early reception that led to Pasco’s first touchdown and a 7-0 Bulldogs lead. The Saxons’ receiver made amends, however, with two touchdowns in the first half. Roberts hauled in a Halliday pass in stride for a 39-yard scoring strike and a 13-7 lead.

Andrew trimmed Ferris’ lead to 20-14 when he connected with receiver Lucas Cash on a 34-yard touchdown pass midway through the third quarter. The Saxons responded with Stephen Horning’s 17-yard scoring run on the ensuing drive, though, to extend the lead to 27-14.

Ferris’ defense bottled up Andrew throughout the contest. The Pasco quarterback, who ranked fifth in the Columbia Basin Big Nine League in total offense in the regular season, completed just 11 of 26 passes for 128 yards. Andrew, a senior, ran for 77 yards on 15 carries.

Haney intercepted Andrew twice and also broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone in the third quarter to preserve the Saxons’ 13-point lead.

Garrett Saiki led all Ferris receivers with five catches for 81 yards. Horning powered the running game with 104 yards on 14 rushes.

“Stephen Horning and our offensive line did a great job tonight,” Roberts said.

Halliday, who completed 13 of 23 passes for 191 yards, scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to provide the final margin.