WV rallies for 8th straight win

Eight. The hard way.

West Valley needed a fourth-quarter comeback and some overtime heroics to run its unbeaten string to eight games Friday at Ward Maurer Field, turning away Pullman 28-21.

On a sloppy, wet night, the Eagles’ Drew Clausen found a dry football, and with it rifled a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Dahlstrom to open overtime and the West Valley defense stopped the Greyhounds on four downs to seal the victory and remain atop the Great Northern League.

“It was so wet that it was hard to hold onto the football,” the senior quarterback said. “Pullman’s defense knew I was having trouble throwing the ball and started plugging things up so I didn’t have anywhere to run.

“In overtime we got a dry ball and Ryan stepped up and made a great play (for the touchdown).”

West Valley turnovers kept Pullman in the game and the Eagles aided the Greyhounds’ offense with costly turnovers early.

On fourth down at his 45-yard line, Clausen had his punt blocked.

Pullman took over on the WV 23 but struggled moving the football. Quarterback Cody Peterson’s 11-yard toss to Nate Swanger on fourth down kept the drive moving. Dausen Crawford kicked a 25-yard field goal, but West Valley was flagged for roughing the kicker, giving Pullman a first down at the Eagles’ 4.

After pushing the Greyhounds back to the 13 on back-to-back plays, a pass interference call on third-and-goal gave Pullman another first down, this time at the 6. Calvin Odell scored from the 2 for the lead.

The Greyhounds forced a West Valley punt on the following possession, but Peterson was picked off on second down at the Pullman 37 by Brandon Funk, who returned the interception to the Pullman 23.

Clausen found Sam Schoessler on the next play to even the score.

The Eagles’ most impressive drive started at their 3 with 3:39 left in the half. Clausen engineered a 97-yard drive in 12 plays, rushing for 78 of those yards himself, capping the series by tossing 4 yards to Schoessler for a 14-7 lead at the half.

Pullman took advantage of another West Valley turnover to even the score.

After Clausen fumbled at his 35, the Greyhounds needed 10 plays to cover 36 yards, with Peterson finding Wade Meyer with a 5-yard pass for the score and another tie at 14-all.

With time running out in the fourth quarter, Clausen had a pass picked off at the West Valley 38, which Pullman again converted into a touchdown.

Swanger pounded in from the 5 to give Pullman the lead, 21-14, with 1:48 to play.

“We had a lot of confidence, even then,” Clausen said. “We knew we could still win the game.”

On first down from the Pullman 49, Clausen found Tanner Flynn on the left sideline with just less than 53 seconds left and the junior wideout made it to the 4 before being pushed out of bounds.

Clausen, who finished with 124 yards rushing on 22 carries, squirted between defenders for the game-tying touchdown.