Pullman, Reardan win thrillers

TACOMA – In a game that had too many big plays to count and too many turning points to remember, the Pullman Greyhounds got the last of each.

In the process they earned their first state football title, holding off Archbishop Murphy 28-24 in the State 2A championship game at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday morning.

The final big play came with 2 minutes, 20 seconds left. It came courtesy of two juniors on a senior-dominated team: quarterback J.T. Levenseller and wide receiver Aaron Pflugrad.

Trailing 24-21, the Greyhounds (14-0) faced a second-and-8 at the Wildcats’ 35-yard-line. A first down was imperative, and field-goal range was a hope.

A touchdown? That was the ultimate, and that’s what the Greyhounds got.

Levenseller threw a bullet on a 3-yard out across the field to Pflugrad, who caught the ball at the 32, planted and … well, let him describe it.

“I made sure I got the first down,” the junior wide receiver said, neglecting to add he made the defensive back fall down as he headed back to the middle. “I must have made the same move about three times – about all I felt was one tug – and I saw the end zone and cut in.”

Levenseller saw the play this way: “The first thing I thought was, ‘We’re going to get the first down.’ Then I saw him cut back and I thought, ‘OK, we’re going to get a few more yards.’ Then I saw him cut again and I started to go crazy, but I worried that they might strip him. Then he cut again and I thought … I just can’t describe it.”

He didn’t have to. His 8-of-15 passing – for 209 yards and two touchdowns (both to Pflugrad) – more than made up for his first-quarter fumble and interception that helped build Pullman’s 10-0 deficit – only its second of the season.

But even after the late go-ahead touchdown, the Greyhounds had to make another big play. That’s because Shiloh Keo, who finished with 124 yards on 12 carries (less than his season average of 14) swept left end on the first play after the ensuing kickoff and raced 40 yards to the Pullman 29. With 2:01 left, Pullman coach Bob Wollan called timeout, settled his defense and hoped.

A run by Keo gained 1 yard, and a holding play on second down pushed the Wildcats (14-1) back to the 36. Two more runs moved the ball to the 32 with 13 seconds left.

On fourth-and-13, the Greyhounds’ Michael Thomas came up with the last turning point.

Keo, who led Murphy in passing this season from his running back spot, took a pitch, scrambled around and was caught and turned completely around by Thomas. The ensuing wild throw was caught by tackle Joey Duncan 13 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

The Greyhounds declined the penalty and celebrated – something they thought might not be in the cards when they fell behind. It was uncharted territory this year, as Pullman came in with an astounding 213-0 edge in first-quarter scoring.

“I had a flashback to ‘03 against Meridian,” Wollan said, alluding to the championship game 34-10 loss. “The turnovers and mistakes, we haven’t done that this year in our territory. We were able to steady the ship, get used to their speed and make adjustments.

“We knew coming in we couldn’t duplicate their speed (in practice), so if things went wrong early we had to weather the storm.”

“That’s the fastest pair of backs we’ve played all year,” said Pullman linebacker/running back J.C. Sherritt, a senior who had 11 tackles of Keo and running mate Stan Smith.

The Wildcats limited Thomas to 37 rushing yards and Sherritt to 60, 41 of which came on a first-quarter option.

That run came one play after another in what was a nearly unending litany of big plays. They were, in order:

•Pullman’s fake punt from its 29, needing 9 yards and trailing 10-0 after just 7 minutes. Punter Chris Snyder passed to T.C. Peterson, who made his first catch of the season one-handed, just enough for a first down.

“We’ve practiced it all year, but we’d never run it,” Wollan said. “It wasn’t a time to hold anything back. Whatever happened, it was a big play waiting to happen for either team.”

Combined with Sherritt’s sprint up the left sideline, the plays led to Pullman’s first score, Sherritt’s 4-yard run.

•Ashton Gant’s 85-yard kickoff return after Keo had scored to put Murphy back up by 10 with 2:10 left in the half. Gant scooted up before the kickoff, enticing the Wildcats to kick deep for the first time. He caught the ball on the right side, faked a reverse and took off down the left side. Sherritt had one block and Snyder pancaked the Murphy kicker near midfield, springing Gant to the end zone.

“We’ve gone right every time this year,” said Gant, a senior sprinter. “They bought the fake, and I got a couple of great blocks.”

•Smith’s drop of a Keo halfback pass 10 yards behind the Pullman defense early in the third, a play that would have probably resulted in a 57-yard touchdown and momentum for the Wildcats, who ended up punting.

Smith, with only 49 rushing yards at the time, exploded from there, finishing with 146 of Murphy’s 299 and scored the final Wildcats touchdown with 4:26 left.

•Levenseller’s first hookup with Pflugrad, a 36-yard score on a fourth-and-5, giving Pullman its first lead, 21-17 with 3:54 left in the third.

Then there were the series of big ones to end it, including, two plays before the game-winner, a Levenseller scramble and connection with tight end Joel Turtle for a 16-yard gain on third-and-8. It was Turtle’s first catch this season.

“Peterson made a big catch, Turtle made one. We needed them all,” Wollan said. “We have kids who won’t quit, and who make plays.”

No play was bigger than last one between Pflugrad and Levenseller.

“He’s tough,” Wollan said of Levenseller. “He’s always looking to make the big play. We put the ball in his hands a lot and let him make plays. Why wouldn’t we? He’s made huge throws all year.”