Taholah Downs Colton For B-8 Title From Wire Reports

Gridiron Classic

Victor James was in the right spot at the right time for the Taholah Chitwhins.

James scored two touchdowns in the final quarter - the first on a fumble recovery in the end zone - as Taholah defeated Colton 47-42 for the Washington high school Class B-8 title Friday.

James’ fumble recovery with 10:40 left came after a 23-yard pass to Vernon McCrory from Benjie Kautz and gave the Chitwhins a 39-36 lead. McCrory fumbled at the 5 and the ball bounced into the end zone, where James pounced on it.

Taholah (10-1) increased its lead to 47-36 with 3:07 left on an 81-yard reverse for a touchdown by James after stopping the Wildcats (8-4) on a fourth-and-1 run attempt by Nick Bates.

Bates had four touchdowns on 29 carries for 289 yards, putting him at a state-record 2,896 yards for the season. The previous record was 2,844 yards set in 1983 by Lonnie Simpson of Inchelium. Bates was also awarded the game’s sportsmanship medallion.

“He takes a pounding every week,” said Colton coach Tim Sperber. “I don’t know what to say. He’s the toughest kid in the world.” Colton thought it lost the game when it failed to score on four downs from the 1. Taholah took over the ball with 5:35 to go.

“I was trying to go to the outside, but that’s where they were defending me,” Bates said. “I just couldn’t get around the corner.”

Colton trailed 32-22 at halftime, but went ahead with two touchdowns in the third quarter; on a 25-yard run by Bates and an 8-yard run by Trung Truong.

The Wildcats got a TD on a 2-yard run by Bates with 1:31 to go and attempted an on-side kick. But Taholah’s Greg Stewart recovered the ball on the Wildcats’ 49 and the Chitwhins ran out the clock.

Bates, who scored on runs of 85 and 9 yards in the opening half, had to keep leaving the game in the second half because he was sick with a headache and an upset stomach.

“I got hit hard a couple times,” he said, “but the real difference is playing indoors. You really have to be conditioned.”

Two-way Colton starter Brian Keller, a defensive tackle-tight end, was lost with a mild concussion with 4:43 left in the first quarter.

Taholah, a school located on the Quinault Indian Reservation on the coast, won its first state championship. The school opened in 1991.

Tahola 47, Colton 42

Taholah 14 18 0 15 47

Colton 8 14 14 6 42

Tah-James 18 pass from Kautz (James kick) Col-Bates 85 run (Bates run) Tah-Corwin 78 kickoff return (James kick) Col-Bates 9 run (run failed) Tah-Mora 15 run (kick failed) Col-Busch 1 run (Busch run) Tah-James 52 pass from Kautz (run failed) Tah-Krukoff 46 pass from McCrory (run failed) Col-Bates 25 run (run failed) Col-Truong 8 run (Truong run) Tah-James recovered fumble in end zone (James kick) Tah-James 81 run (James pass from Mora) Col-Bates 2 run (run failed)

3A: Lakes 21, Ferndale 17

Halfback Derrick William passed 45 yards to Mike Westbrook with 1:32 to go for the winning touchdown as Lakes came back from a 17-point deficit to beat Ferndale for the state title.

The thrilling finish completed a perfect season for the Lancers (13-0) in a game that didn’t start so perfectly for Lakes. Ferndale led 17-0 at halftime.

The Golden Eagles (12-2) lost despite Mathias Wilson’s 204 yards on 34 carries.

Travis Kirby of Lakes completed 21 of 35 passes for 181 yards and one TD. Lakes began its winning touchdown drive on its own 48 with 3:12 to go.

Lakes 0 0 7 14 - 21

Ferndale 7 10 0 0 - 17

Fern-Britton Hanson 3 run (Michael Koenen kick) Fern-Hanson 4 run (Koenen kick) Fern-FG Koenen 36 Lak-Brandon DeLeon 26 pass from Travis Kirby (Jacob Estrada kick) Lak-Brian Bennett 1 run (Estrada kick) Lak-Mike Westbrook 45 pass from Derrick Williams (Matt Griffith kick)

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo